Trabajo, estudios y responsabilidades
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common workplace and school items, roles, and tasks, and describe a typical schedule.
- Express obligation and necessity with tener que and deber plus the infinitive.
- Use indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, les) to say who receives, sends, or is given something.
- Recognize and begin to use reciprocal meaning with pronominal verbs such as ayudarse and saludarse.
- Use professional courtesy language appropriately with usted in workplace and academic settings.
- Talk about documents, deadlines, and responsibilities using accurate agreement and vocabulary.
Communication Scenario
Diego has started a new job and is meeting with his supervisor, la señora Ibarra, to review his first-week schedule and responsibilities. He needs to understand what documents he must submit, what tasks he owes to different colleagues, and how to ask politely for help without overstepping professional norms.
- In English, think of three obligations you have this week at work, school, or home.
- What phrases do you already know in Spanish for talking about things you have to do?
Core Vocabulary
This chapter's vocabulary lets you talk about work and school responsibilities, the documents connected to them, and the people you interact with in professional settings.
Trabajo y estudios
| Palabra | Meaning |
|---|---|
| el trabajo | the job / work |
| la oficina | the office |
| el/la jefe/a | the boss |
| el/la supervisor/a | the supervisor |
| el/la compañero/a de trabajo | the coworker |
| la reunión | the meeting |
| el horario | the schedule |
| la tarea | the task / homework |
| el proyecto | the project |
| la fecha límite | the deadline |
| el/la profesor/a | the professor / teacher |
| la clase | the class |
Documentos y trámites
| Palabra | Meaning |
|---|---|
| el formulario | the form |
| el contrato | the contract |
| el informe | the report |
| la firma | the signature |
| el correo electrónico | the email |
| el archivo | the file |
| la solicitud | the application / request |
| la identificación | the identification |
Expresiones de cortesía profesional
| Expresión | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Podría ayudarme con...? | Could you help me with...? |
| Le agradezco su tiempo. | I appreciate your time. |
| ¿Tiene un momento? | Do you have a moment? |
| Con gusto le envío el archivo. | I'll gladly send you the file. |
| Disculpe la molestia. | Sorry to bother you. |
| Quedo a su disposición. | I remain at your disposal. |
Pronunciation Focus
Many words in this chapter's vocabulary are cognates of English words, but their stress often falls on a different syllable: oficina is stressed on the third syllable (o-fi-CI-na), not the second as an English speaker might guess from "office." proyecto stresses the second syllable (pro-YEC-to). Practice these words slowly, following the written accent or the standard stress rule for words ending in a vowel, n, or s — stress falls on the next-to-last syllable unless a written accent says otherwise.
When two pronouns or a long ending attach to an infinitive, a written accent may be required to preserve the original stress: ayudarse needs no accent, but forms you will meet later when pronouns attach to commands or gerunds often do. For now, simply notice that ayudarse and saludarse keep their natural stress on the syllable before -se.
Práctica — lectura en voz alta: Tengo que entregar el informe antes de la fecha límite. Mi supervisora me pide el archivo por correo electrónico. Mis compañeros y yo nos ayudamos con los proyectos difíciles.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
Purpose: this chapter teaches you to express obligation with tener que and deber, to use indirect object pronouns to say who receives an action, and to recognize reciprocal meaning in pronominal verbs — all connected to talking about work, school, and professional responsibilities.
4.1 Obligación: tener que y deber
| Expresión | Función | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| tener que + infinitivo | a specific, often urgent obligation | Tengo que entregar el informe hoy. |
| deber + infinitivo | a general obligation, recommendation, or duty | Debo llegar a tiempo a la reunión. |
Tener que usually points to a concrete, specific requirement tied to a situation: Tengo que firmar el contrato antes del viernes (I have to sign the contract before Friday — a particular, pressing task). Deber often expresses a broader sense of duty, responsibility, or advisability, closer to English "should" or "must" in a general sense: Los empleados deben llegar puntualmente (Employees should/must arrive on time — a standing expectation, not one single event). The two overlap in many everyday sentences, and both are common; the distinction is a matter of nuance, not a strict rule with no exceptions.
- Tengo que enviar el formulario mañana.I have to send the form tomorrow. (specific task, specific deadline)
- Debemos respetar los horarios de la oficina.We should respect the office hours. (general duty)
4.2 Pronombres de objeto indirecto
| Pronombre | Meaning |
|---|---|
| me | to/for me |
| te | to/for you (tú) |
| le | to/for you (usted), him, her |
| nos | to/for us |
| les | to/for you all (ustedes), them |
Indirect object pronouns identify who receives, benefits from, or is affected by an action — often the person something is given, sent, said, or asked. They normally appear directly before a conjugated verb.
- Mi jefe me da instrucciones claras.My boss gives me clear instructions.
- ¿Le envías el informe a la supervisora?Are you sending the report to the supervisor?
- Les explico el proyecto a mis compañeros.I explain the project to my coworkers.
Le and les can refer to more than one person (usted/él/ella, or ustedes/ellos/ellas), so Spanish often adds a clarifying phrase with a: Le doy el archivo a mi jefe makes clear who le refers to, even though the pronoun is already present.
4.3 Verbos recíprocos: nos ayudamos, se saludan
Some pronominal verbs describe an action that two or more people do to each other, not to themselves. This is called reciprocal meaning, and it uses the same pronouns as reflexive verbs.
- Mis compañeros y yo nos ayudamos con las tareas difíciles.My coworkers and I help each other with difficult tasks. (reciprocal, not reflexive)
- El jefe y la supervisora se saludan todas las mañanas.The boss and the supervisor greet each other every morning.
Context usually makes the reciprocal meaning clear: a plural subject and an action that naturally involves more than one person signal "each other" rather than "themselves." You will recognize and begin producing this pattern here; a fuller treatment of pronominal verb types continues in later chapters.
Práctica — Completa con tener que o deber:
- Yo _____ (tener que) entregar el informe antes del viernes.
- Los estudiantes _____ (deber) llegar a tiempo a clase.
- ¿Tú _____ (tener que) trabajar este fin de semana?
Práctica — Completa con el pronombre de objeto indirecto correcto:
- Mi supervisora _____ (a mí) explica el proyecto.
- Yo _____ (a ustedes) envío el formulario mañana.
- ¿_____ (a usted) puedo hacer una pregunta?
Aplicación comunicativa: Write three sentences about your own work, school, or household responsibilities using tener que or deber, and one sentence using an indirect object pronoun to say who you give, send, or explain something to.
Model Dialogue
Contexto: Diego habla con su supervisora, la señora Ibarra, en su primera semana de trabajo. Usan usted porque es una relación profesional formal.
Preguntas de comprensión:
- ¿Qué tiene que entregar Diego todos los viernes?
- ¿Qué debe hacer Diego los lunes?
- ¿Cómo le envía Diego el informe a la señora Ibarra?
- ¿Por qué usan Diego y la señora Ibarra la forma usted?
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following three short workplace announcements aloud, twice each. As you listen, note the obligation mentioned and who it is for.
1. "Atención, equipo: todos deben entregar el informe mensual antes del día quince. Por favor, envíenlo a la supervisora por correo electrónico."
2. "Recuerden que los nuevos empleados tienen que firmar el contrato en la oficina de recursos humanos esta semana."
3. "La reunión de equipo es a las nueve de la mañana. Los compañeros que llegan tarde deben avisar al jefe con anticipación."
| Anuncio | Obligación | ¿Para quién? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ______ | ______ |
| 2 | ______ | ______ |
| 3 | ______ | ______ |
Reading
Read the following short workplace memo, the kind of practical internal note you might find posted in an office or sent by email.
Recordatorio para el equipo
Buenos días a todos. Les escribo para recordarles algunas responsabilidades de esta semana. Primero, todos tienen que entregar el informe semanal antes del viernes a las cinco de la tarde. Segundo, deben revisar el nuevo formulario de solicitud y firmarlo si están de acuerdo. Tercero, la reunión de equipo es el lunes a las nueve; por favor, lleguen a tiempo.
Si tienen preguntas, pueden escribirme por correo electrónico o hablar conmigo directamente en la oficina. Como siempre, en este equipo nos ayudamos y nos apoyamos los unos a los otros. Gracias por su trabajo esta semana.
Preguntas de comprensión:
- ¿Qué tienen que entregar los empleados antes del viernes?
- ¿Qué deben revisar y firmar?
- ¿A qué hora es la reunión de equipo?
Writing Workshop: Mis responsabilidades
Your writing task for this chapter is a short professional message, similar to the reading model, that lists your responsibilities for the week and mentions at least one thing you owe to a colleague, classmate, or family member.
- Estudia el modelo. Reread the workplace memo above. Underline every use of tener que, deber, and every indirect object pronoun.
- Planifica. List at least four responsibilities (real or invented) and one person each responsibility is connected to.
- Escribe el primer borrador. Write at least six sentences in Spanish using tener que or deber for obligations and at least one indirect object pronoun.
- Revisa. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
- Escribe la versión final. Produce a clean final version.
Lista de revisión:
- I used tener que for specific obligations and deber for general duties.
- My indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, les) agree with the person receiving the action.
- I clarified le or les with an a phrase when the reference could be unclear.
- My articles, nouns, and adjectives agree in gender and number.
- My accents and punctuation follow Spanish conventions.
Speaking Practice
Práctica controlada
With a partner, take turns naming a responsibility and who it involves: Tengo que entregar el informe a mi jefe. / Debemos llegar a tiempo a la reunión.
Tarea comunicativa: Revisa el horario
With a partner, role-play the scenario from the model dialogue: one of you is a new employee and the other is a supervisor reviewing the week's responsibilities. Include at least two obligations, one indirect object pronoun, and one professional courtesy expression. Use usted.
Alternativa individual
If you are studying independently: record a one-minute description of your responsibilities this week, naming at least four tasks, using tener que and deber correctly, and including at least one indirect object pronoun.
Culture and Communication
Workplace and academic norms vary considerably across Spanish-speaking communities, shaped by national labor practices, institutional culture, and individual workplaces rather than by a single shared pattern. In many professional settings, usted remains the expected address form between new colleagues, supervisors, and staff, even in countries or workplaces where tú is common among friends; some offices shift to tú once colleagues know each other well, while others maintain formal address indefinitely regardless of familiarity. Courtesy expressions such as con gusto, quedo a su disposición, and le agradezco su tiempo are widely used across many professional contexts to soften requests and close messages politely — avoid assuming that any single office culture or address pattern applies everywhere.
Common Mistakes
Error: Dropping que after tener — Tengo entregar el informe.
Correction: Tener requires que before the infinitive — Tengo que entregar el informe.
Error: Omitting the indirect object pronoun when it is required — Explico el proyecto a mis compañeros.
Correction: Spanish normally keeps the pronoun even when the a phrase is also present — Les explico el proyecto a mis compañeros.
Error: Treating a reciprocal action as reflexive without noticing the plural meaning — assuming se ayudan means "they help themselves" in every context.
Correction: With a plural subject and a mutual action, the meaning is usually reciprocal — Se ayudan normally means "they help each other."
Chapter Review
Parte A — Vocabulario
1. Nombra tres palabras relacionadas con el trabajo o los estudios.
2. Da dos expresiones de cortesía profesional.
Parte B — Gramática
1. Completa: Yo _____ (tener que) entregar el informe antes del viernes.
2. Completa: Los estudiantes _____ (deber) llegar a tiempo a clase.
3. Completa: Mi supervisora _____ (a mí) explica el proyecto.
4. Corrige: Explico el proyecto a mis compañeros. (add the indirect object pronoun)
Parte C — Lectura
1. ¿Qué tienen que entregar los empleados antes del viernes?
2. ¿A qué hora es la reunión de equipo?
Parte D — Escritura
1. Write your responsibilities message: at least six sentences, naming four responsibilities and using tener que, deber, and at least one indirect object pronoun.
Parte E — Conversación
1. With a partner, complete the schedule-review role-play from this chapter.
Chapter Performance Task
Tarea de desempeño
Trabajo, estudios y responsabilidades: revisión de horario
Complete a short conversation and a written message that together demonstrate this chapter's systems:
- Name at least four work, school, or household responsibilities using tener que or deber.
- Use at least two indirect object pronouns to say who receives, is sent, or is told something.
- Use at least one reciprocal pronominal verb to describe a mutual action.
- Use at least two professional courtesy expressions with usted.
- Submit a written responsibilities message of at least six sentences.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice — Completa con tener que o deber
1. tengo que 2. deben 3. tienes que
Grammar Practice — Completa con el pronombre de objeto indirecto correcto
1. me 2. les 3. Le
Listening
- 1 — entregar el informe mensual antes del día quince — todo el equipo
- 2 — firmar el contrato — los nuevos empleados
- 3 — avisar al jefe con anticipación — los compañeros que llegan tarde
Reading Comprehension
1. El informe semanal. 2. El nuevo formulario de solicitud. 3. El lunes a las nueve.
Chapter Review — Parte A
1. Answers will vary; e.g., la oficina, el horario, el proyecto. 2. Answers will vary; e.g., ¿Podría ayudarme con...?, Le agradezco su tiempo.
Chapter Review — Parte B
1. tengo que 2. deben 3. me 4. Les explico el proyecto a mis compañeros.
Chapter Review — Parte C
1. El informe semanal. 2. A las nueve de la mañana.
Chapter Review — Parte D, modelo
Esta semana tengo que entregar un informe y debo asistir a una reunión importante. Le envío el informe a mi supervisora los viernes. También debemos firmar un formulario nuevo… Other accurate, well-organized answers using tener que, deber, and indirect object pronouns are equally acceptable.
Chapter Review — Parte E, modelo
A: ¿Tiene un momento para revisar mi horario? B: Sí, claro. Usted tiene que entregar el informe los viernes y debe asistir a la reunión los lunes. Use this as a model, not as the only acceptable wording.
Looking Ahead
Lo que ya sabes
You can now talk about work, school, and household responsibilities using tener que and deber, use indirect object pronouns to say who receives an action, recognize and begin producing reciprocal meaning in pronominal verbs, and use professional courtesy language appropriately with usted.