To be retired
Ser retirado
- Talk about activities and lifestyle changes after you retire.
- Talk about ongoing actions in the future.
- The verbs "Llevar/Seguir" + gerund
Learn how to express ongoing actions after retirement using the verbs "llevar" and "seguir" + gerundio, with useful vocabulary like "disfrutar" (to enjoy), "viajar" (to travel), and "practicar" (to practice). This lesson helps you talk about daily activities and changes in life with clear examples for A2 Spanish learners.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
A2.34.1 Cultura
España: uno de los países con mayor esperanza de vida
Spain: one of the countries with the highest life expectancy
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Tener tiempo libre
To have free time
2
Decidir
To decide
3
Pasar tiempo con los nietos
To spend time with the grandchildren
4
Estar jubilado
To be retired
5
Crecer
To grow
Ejercicio 2: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- How long have you been working and when will you retire? (How long have you been working and when will you retire?)
- What activities will you keep doing when you are retired? (What activities will you keep doing when you are retired? )
- What changes will you be making when you retire? How will you use your free time? (What changes will you be making when you retire? How will you use your free time?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
He estado trabajando durante 10 años. Quiero jubilarme cuando tenga 60. I have been working for 10 years. I want to retire when I am 60. |
|
Empecé mi trabajo hace 5 años. No sé cuándo me jubilaré. I started my job 5 years ago. I don’t know when I will retire. |
|
Quiero seguir aprendiendo inglés y practicando todos los días. I want to keep learning English and practicing every day. |
|
Quiero seguir quedando con mis amigos y hacer ejercicio. I want to keep meeting my friends and do exercise. |
|
Quiero viajar a nuevos lugares y relajarme más. I want to travel to new places and relax more. |
|
Voy a tomar algunas clases de arte y visitar a mi familia a menudo. I will take some art classes and visit my family often. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Llevo tiempo _______ en cómo será mi vida después de estar jubilado.
(I have been _______ about how my life will be after retiring.)2. Sigo _______ del ocio y pasando tiempo con los amigos ahora que tengo tiempo libre.
(I continue _______ leisure and spending time with friends now that I have free time.)3. Si me mudara al campo, _______ más posibilidades de cuidar el jardín todos los días.
(If I moved to the countryside, _______ more chances to take care of the garden every day.)4. Querría viajar por España, pero primero _______ planear bien el viaje para evitar riesgos.
(I would like to travel around Spain, but first _______ to plan the trip well to avoid risks.)Exercise 5: Being retired and enjoying life
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Ser - To be
Futuro simple
- yo seré
- tú serás
- él/ella/Ud. será
- nosotros/as seremos
- vosotros/as seréis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. serán
Dejar - To leave
Futuro simple
- yo dejaré
- tú dejarás
- él/ella/Ud. dejará
- nosotros/as dejaremos
- vosotros/as dejaréis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. dejarán
Seguir - To keep
Presente
- yo sigo
- tú sigues
- él/ella/Ud. sigue
- nosotros/as seguimos
- vosotros/as seguís
- ellos/ellas/Uds. siguen
Llevar - To carry
Presente
- yo llevo
- tú llevas
- él/ella/Ud. lleva
- nosotros/as llevamos
- vosotros/as lleváis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. llevan
Descansar - To rest
Futuro simple
- yo descansaré
- tú descansarás
- él/ella/Ud. descansará
- nosotros/as descansaremos
- vosotros/as descansaréis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. descansarán
Exercise 6: Los verbos "Llevar/Seguir" + Gerundio
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The verbs "Llevar/Seguir" + gerund
Show translation Show answersllevo corriendo, aprendiendo, Llevo, lleváis disfrutando, llevo trabajando, soñando, lleva, Sigo haciendo, seguimos buscando, seguimos viajando
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Ser to be Share Copied!
Futuro simple
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) seré | I will be |
| (tú) serás | you will be |
| (él/ella) será | he/she will be |
| (nosotros/nosotras) seremos | we will be |
| (vosotros/vosotras) seréis | you will be |
| (ellos/ellas) serán | they will be |
Descansar to rest Share Copied!
Futuro simple
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) descansaré | I will rest |
| (tú) descansarás | You will rest |
| (él/ella) descansará | he/she will rest |
| (nosotros/nosotras) descansaremos | we will rest |
| (vosotros/vosotras) descansaréis | You will rest |
| (ellos/ellas) descansarán | they will rest |
Dejar to leave Share Copied!
Futuro simple
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) dejaré | I will leave |
| (tú) dejarás | You will leave |
| (él/ella) dejará | he/she will leave |
| (nosotros/nosotras) dejaremos | we will leave |
| (vosotros/vosotras) dejaréis | you will leave |
| (ellos/ellas) dejarán | they will leave |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Spanish today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Talking About Retirement Activities with "Llevar" and "Seguir" + Gerund
This lesson focuses on expressing ongoing actions and time duration in Spanish, especially in the context of retirement and leisure activities. You will learn how to use the verbs llevar and seguir combined with the gerund form to talk about actions that have been happening for some time or are continuing.
Key Grammar Points
- Llevar + gerund: This structure indicates how long someone has been doing an activity. Example: "Llevo dos años disfrutando mucho." (I have been enjoying a lot for two years.)
- Seguir + gerund: This expresses that someone continues to do an action. Example: "Sigo haciendo ejercicio cada día." (I keep doing exercise every day.)
Useful Vocabulary and Expressions
- jubilación – retirement
- disfrutar – to enjoy
- ejercicio – exercise
- aprovechar – to take advantage of
- viajar – to travel
- actividades diarias – daily activities
- ocio – leisure/free time
- tiempo libre – free time
Sample Situations Included
- Dialogues between retirees sharing how they spend their time since retiring.
- Conversations in social centers about hobbies and daily routines.
- Chats in cafes discussing life changes and future plans after retirement.
Example Sentences
- "Llevo meses disfrutando mucho." – I have been enjoying a lot for months.
- "Sigo haciendo ejercicio cada día." – I keep doing exercise every day.
- "Llevo tiempo pensando en apuntarme a algo nuevo." – I’ve been thinking about signing up for something new.
Additional Notes: Differences and Useful Phrases
In Spanish, the verbs llevar and seguir with gerunds are commonly used to emphasize duration and continuation of actions, which can differ from English constructions. While English often uses present perfect continuous or simple present for similar ideas, Spanish highlights the ongoing nature by combining these verbs with gerunds.
For example:
- Llevar + gerund: "Llevo años estudiando español" translates naturally to "I have been studying Spanish for years."
- Seguir + gerund: "Sigo aprendiendo" means "I keep learning" or "I am still learning."
Useful phrases to remember:
- Llevar + [time] + gerund – "to have been doing something for [time]"
- Seguir + gerund – "to continue doing something"
- Disfrutar de – "to enjoy" (used with leisure activities)
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
