B1.31: Retirement plans

Planes de jubilación

Explore retirement dreams in Spain while mastering the verb structure "estar + gerundio" for talking about future plans, plus adverbial clauses of place, manner, cause, and purpose.

Listening & reading materials

Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.

B1.31.1 Cultura

El paraíso de la jubilación: extranjeros en la costa española

The retirement paradise: foreigners on the Spanish coast


Vocabulary (7)

 Jubilarse (to retire) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Jubilarse

Show

To retire Show

 El sueldo: The salary (Spanish)

El sueldo

Show

The salary Show

 La jubilación: Retirement (Spanish)

La jubilación

Show

Retirement Show

 Estable: Stable (Spanish)

Estable

Show

Stable Show

 La inversión: The investment (Spanish)

La inversión

Show

The investment Show

 Cotizar (to quote) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Cotizar

Show

To quote Show

 Anticipado: Early (Spanish)

Anticipado

Show

Early Show

Exercises

These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.

Exercise 1: El verbo "Estar"+ Gerundio para hablar del futuro

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Grammar: The verb "Estar" + Gerundio to talk about the future

Show translation Show answers

estaréis preparando, estaréis aprendiendo, estarás ganando, estaremos estudiando, estará completando, estaré pagando, estaremos haciendo, estarán trabajando

1. Preparar:
Ustedes ... los exámenes finales.
(You will be preparing the final exams.)
2. Ganar experiencia:
Tú ... experiencia en tus prácticas
(You will be gaining experience in your work placement)
3. Trabajar:
Ellos ... en el aula del colegio.
(They will be working in the classroom at school.)
4. Pagar:
Yo ... la matrícula esta semana.
(I will be paying the tuition fee this week.)
5. Aprender:
Vosotros ... nuevas habilidades académicas.
(You will be learning new academic skills.)
6. Estudiar:
Nosotros ... en la academia toda la tarde.
(We will be studying at the academy all afternoon.)
7. Hacer prácticas:
En septiembre nosotros ... las prácticas escolares.
(In September we will be doing the school placements.)
8. Completar:
Ella ... su curso en una hora.
(She will be finishing her course in an hour.)

Exercise 2: Oracones subordinadas adverbiales de: lugar, modo, causa, finalidad

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Grammar: Adverbial subordinate clauses of: place, manner, cause, purpose

Show translation Show answers

donde, ya que, al lugar en que, como, a fin de que, de la forma en que

1. Modo:
El sueldo se pagará ... se haya acordado con los empleados para garantizar una relación estable.
(The salary will be paid in the manner agreed with the employees to ensure a stable relationship.)
2. Lugar:
El trabajador se mudó ... podrá jubilarse de forma anticipada.
(The worker moved to the place where he will be able to retire early.)
3. Final:
La empresa organiza cursos de educación financiera ... los empleados sepan cómo cotizar de forma adecuada para su jubilación.
(The company organises financial education courses so that employees know how to contribute properly for their retirement.)
4. Lugar:
La empresa construirá su nueva oficina ... la inversión sea más rentable.
(The company will build its new office where the investment is more profitable.)
5. Modo:
Los nuevos procedimientos se implementarán ... el director los establezca para mantener la empresa estable.
(The new procedures will be implemented in the manner the director establishes to keep the company stable.)
6. Causal:
Los trabajadores no aceptaron la propuesta ... no incluía la opción de jubilarse de forma anticipada.
(The workers did not accept the proposal as it did not include the option to retire early.)
7. Lugar:
El equipo se reunirá ... se celebró la última conferencia.
(The team will meet where the last conference was held.)
8. Modo:
Se deben cotizar los pagos ... lo establece la ley para asegurar una jubilación justa.
(Payments must be quoted as established by law to ensure a fair retirement.)

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.

Enroll now!

Retirement Plans: Living the Dream on the Spanish Coast

This lesson explores the charming lifestyle of foreigners who choose the Spanish coast as their retirement paradise. You will deepen your understanding of expressing future actions and relationships in Spanish through specific grammar structures and vocabulary.

Key Grammar Focus

  • The verb Estar + Gerund: This structure is used to talk about ongoing or future actions, for example, "Estoy planeando" (I am planning), making it essential to describe future retirement plans and activities.
  • Adverbial Subordinate Clauses: Learn how to use clauses of place, manner, cause, and purpose to provide more detailed information about circumstances and reasons, such as "donde" (where), "como" (how), "porque" (because), and "para que" (so that).

Vocabulary Highlights

  • Jubilación: retirement – a key noun related to the topic.
  • Paraíso: paradise – often used to describe ideal living locations.
  • Costa española: Spanish coast – the geographical setting for retirement.
  • Action verbs in gerund form like planeando (planning), disfrutando (enjoying), useful for discussing ongoing or future activities.

Context and Usage

This lesson integrates practical language for discussing retirement plans, emphasizing natural expressions to talk about where and how things happen, cause-effect relationships, and objectives. You will get comfortable constructing complex sentences to describe scenarios precisely and fluently.

Differences Between English and Spanish

English often uses simple future tense or "going to" constructions, while Spanish frequently employs the verb estar + gerund to describe ongoing or near-future actions. For example, English "I am planning to move" corresponds to Spanish "Estoy planeando mudarme." Also, adverbial subordinate clauses are more explicitly marked in Spanish with conjunctions like para que (so that), which often require the subjunctive mood—something less common in English.

Useful phrases to remember include:

  • Estoy jubilándome – I am retiring
  • Donde vivo – Where I live
  • Porque me gusta – Because I like it
  • Para que disfrutes – So that you enjoy

These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏