Professions and studies
Profesiones y estudios
- Describe your profession
- Ask somebody's profession
- Talk about studies
- Interrogative words: "Dónde?", "Cuál?", "Qué?", "Por qué?"
Learn essential Spanish vocabulary and questions to talk about professions and studies, including words like médico, profesor, estudiar, trabajar, and interrogatives such as ¿Dónde?, ¿Cuál?, and ¿Qué?.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (22) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words into two groups according to whether they are professions related to health or professions and actions related to education and office work.
Profesiones relacionadas con la salud
Profesiones y acciones en educación y oficina
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
El periodista
The journalist
2
Practicar
To practise
3
Trabajar
To work
4
El gerente
The manager
5
El abogado
The lawyer
Ejercicio 5: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- Say the professions of each person. (Say the professions of each person. )
- What is your profession? (What is your profession?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
El joven es estudiante. The young man is a student. |
|
La mujer es mecánica. The woman is a mechanic. |
|
Michael es policía. Michael is a police officer. |
|
Giulia es periodista. Giulia is a journalist. |
|
¿A qué te dedicas? What do you do for a living? |
|
Soy profesor. I am a teacher. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Yo ___ en una oficina cerca de mi casa.
(I ___ in an office near my house.)2. ¿Dónde ___ para ser ingeniero?
(Where do you ___ to become an engineer?)3. Ella se ___ a la medicina en un hospital público.
(She ___ in medicine at a public hospital.)4. Nosotros ___ juntos en el mismo proyecto en la empresa.
(We ___ together on the same project in the company.)Exercise 8: Professions and studies
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Estudiar - To study
Presente
- yo estudio
- tú estudias
- él/ella/usted estudia
- nosotros/nosotras estudiamos
- vosotros/vosotras estudiáis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes estudian
Trabajar - To work
Presente
- yo trabajo
- tú trabajas
- él/ella/usted trabaja
- nosotros/nosotras trabajamos
- vosotros/vosotras trabajáis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes trabajan
Dedicarse a - To devote oneself to
Presente
- yo me dedico
- tú te dedicas
- él/ella/usted se dedica
- nosotros/nosotras nos dedicamos
- vosotros/vosotras os dedicáis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes se dedican
Exercise 9: Palabras interrogativas: "Dónde?", "Cuál?", "Qué?", "Por qué?"
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Interrogative words: "Dónde?", "Cuál?", "Qué?", "Por qué?"
Show translation Show answersCuáles, Dónde, Qué, Por qué, Cuál
Grammar Share Copied!
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A1.7.2 Gramática
Palabras interrogativas: "Dónde?", "Cuál?", "Qué?", "Por qué?"
Interrogative words: "Dónde?", "Cuál?", "Qué?", "Por qué?"
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Estudiar to study Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) estudio | I study |
| (tú) estudias | You study |
| (él/ella) estudia | he studies/she studies |
| (nosotros/nosotras) estudiamos | we study |
| (vosotros/vosotras) estudiáis | You study |
| (ellos/ellas) estudian | they study |
Trabajar to work Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) trabajo | I work |
| (tú) trabajas | You work |
| (él/ella) trabaja | he works/she works |
| (nosotros/nosotras) trabajamos | we work |
| (vosotros/vosotras) trabajáis | you work |
| (ellos/ellas) trabajan | they work |
Dedicarse a to engage in Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) me dedico a | I engage in |
| (tú) te dedicas a | You engage in |
| (él/ella) se dedica a | he/she engages in |
| (nosotros/nosotras) nos dedicamos a | We engage in |
| (vosotros/vosotras) os dedicáis a | you engage in |
| (ellos/ellas) se dedican a | they engage in |
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Introduction to Professions and Studies in Spanish
This lesson is designed for beginners (A1 level) who want to learn how to talk about professions and studies in Spanish. You will learn key vocabulary related to jobs and education, useful interrogative words for asking questions, and common expressions to describe where you work or study.
Key Vocabulary and Phrases
Familiarize yourself with these important words and expressions related to professions and studies:
- Profesiones relacionadas con la salud: el médico (doctor), el enfermero (nurse)
- Profesiones y acciones en educación y oficina: el estudiante (student), el profesor (teacher), el empleado (employee), el director (director), estudiar (to study), trabajar (to work)
Interrogative Words
You will use these question words to ask about professions and studies:
- ¿Dónde? (Where?)
- ¿Cuál? (Which? / What?)
- ¿Qué? (What?)
- ¿Por qué? (Why?)
Using the Vocabulary in Context
Here are some examples of common questions and answers:
- ¿A qué te dedicas? – Soy profesor y trabajo en una escuela. (What do you do? – I am a teacher and work at a school.)
- ¿Dónde estudias para ser médico? – Me gusta estudiar y practicar todos los días. (Where do you study to become a doctor? – I like to study and practice every day.)
- ¿Cuál es tu profesión favorita? – Trabajo como camarero mientras estudio en la universidad. (What is your favorite profession? – I work as a waiter while I study at the university.)
Brief Cultural and Language Notes
In Spanish, asking about professions and studies often includes reflexive verbs such as dedicarse a, meaning "to dedicate oneself to" or "to work in" a field, e.g., "Ella se dedica a la medicina." English uses simpler constructions, like "She works in medicine." Also, job titles are gendered in Spanish with specific masculine and feminine forms, which differs from English usage. For example, profesor (male teacher) vs. profesora (female teacher).
Useful Phrases with Equivalents
- ¿A qué te dedicas? – What do you do for a living?
- Trabajo en... – I work in/at...
- Estudio para ser... – I study to be...
- ¿Dónde estudias? – Where do you study?
- ¿Por qué elegiste esta carrera? – Why did you choose this career?
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