The Complete Guide to the Conjugation Chart of 'Trabajar' in Spanish

May 20th, 2023 - Vera

Introduction: The Spanish verb ‘trabajar,’ meaning ‘to work,’ is a fundamental verb used to express employment and engagement in professional activities. Mastering the conjugation of ‘trabajar’ across various tenses and moods is essential for effective communication in Spanish. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the conjugation chart of ‘trabajar’ in detail, providing a thorough understanding of its usage.

Trabajar in the Present Tense

In the present tense, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern for ‘-ar’ verbs:

Person Spanish
I work Yo trabajo
You (informal) work Tú trabajas
He/She/It works Él/Ella/Usted trabaja
We work Nosotros/Nosotras trabajamos
You (plural, informal) work Vosotros/Vosotras trabajáis
They work Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajan

Trabajar in the Preterite Tense

In the preterite tense, used to describe completed actions in the past, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person Spanish
I worked Yo trabajé
You (informal) worked Tú trabajaste
He/She/It worked Él/Ella/Usted trabajó
We worked Nosotros/Nosotras trabajamos
You (plural, informal) worked Vosotros/Vosotras trabajasteis
They worked Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajaron

Trabajar in the Imperfect Tense

In the imperfect tense, used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person Spanish
I used to work Yo trabajaba
You (informal) used to work Tú trabajabas
He/She/It used to work Él/Ella/Usted trabajaba
We used to work Nosotros/Nosotras trabajábamos
You (plural, informal) used to work Vosotros/Vosotras trabajabais
They used to work Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajaban

Trabajar in the Future Tense

In the future tense, used to express actions that will happen in the future, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person Spanish
I will work Yo trabajaré
You (informal) will work Tú trabajarás
He/She/It will work Él/Ella/Usted trabajará
We will work Nosotros/Nosotras trabajaremos
You (plural, informal) will work Vosotros/Vosotras trabajaréis
They will work Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajarán

Trabajar in the Conditional Tense

In the conditional tense, used to express actions that would occur under certain conditions, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person Spanish
I would work Yo trabajaría
You (informal) would work Tú trabajarías
He/She/It would work Él/Ella/Usted trabajaría
We would work Nosotros/Nosotras trabajaríamos
You (plural, informal) would work Vosotros/Vosotras trabajaríais
They would work Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajarían

Trabajar in the Subjunctive Mood

In the subjunctive mood, used to express desires, recommendations, or doubts, ‘trabajar’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person Spanish
I work Yo trabaje
You (informal) work Tú trabajes
He/She/It works Él/Ella/Usted trabaje
We work Nosotros/Nosotras trabajemos
You (plural, informal) work Vosotros/Vosotras trabajéis
They work Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes trabajen

Common Phrases with Trabajar

  1. Trabajo en una oficina: I work in an office.
  2. ¿Trabajas los fines de semana?: Do you work on weekends?
  3. Ellos trabajan muy duro: They work very hard.

Conclusion

Mastering the conjugation of ‘trabajar’ is crucial for effective communication in Spanish. By understanding its conjugation across different tenses and moods, you can express work-related actions accurately. Practice regularly to internalize the conjugations and enhance your proficiency in the Spanish language. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

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