Essential English Vocabulary for Work, Sports, and Life
Work and Career Vocabulary
Paid peanuts: Ganar una miseria (to earn very little money). Get sacked: Despedido (to be fired). Show you the ropes: Enseñar como funciona (to teach someone how to do a job). Pulling your weight: Cumplir con tu parte del trabajo (contributing fairly to a team effort). Making a living: Ganarse la vida (earning enough money to live). Deliver: Entregar (to provide or achieve what is expected). Dare: Atreverse (to be brave enough to do something). Share: Parte (a portion of something). Like clockwork: Como un reloj (happening regularly and predictably). Split: Dividir (to divide into parts). Sort: Ordenar (to organize). Income: Ingresar (money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments). Slack off: Aflojar (to reduce effort). Regardless of: A pesar de (without being affected by). Take pride in: Enorgullecerse de (to feel satisfaction in something). Take your time: Tomate un tiempo (don’t hurry). Take for granted: Dar por hecho (to assume something is true without questioning it). Take sides: Tomar partido (to support one person or group against another). Take advantage of: Aprovecharse de (to make use of an opportunity). Run wild: Actuar sin control (to behave in an uncontrolled way). Run short of: Corto de (to have very little of something). Run an errand: Hacer un recado (to go out to buy or do something). Run the show: Dirigir (to be in charge). Valve: Capaz de (capable). Fast learner: Aprender muy rapido (someone who learns quickly). Take initiative: Tomar la iniciativa (to be proactive).
People skills: Habilidades sociales (the ability to communicate and interact well with others). Work well under pressure: Trabajar bien bajo presion (to perform effectively in stressful situations). Good at multitasking: Bueno haciendo varias cosas a la vez (able to do several things at the same time). In charge of: Responsable de (responsible for). Resign: Dimitir (to quit a job). Shifts: Turno (a period of work). Run a business: Llevar un negocio (to manage a company). Minimum wage: Salario minimo (the lowest legal wage). Commute: Viajar diariamente (to travel regularly between home and work). Fired: Despedido (dismissed from a job). Field: Campo o sector (an area of work or study). Starting salary: Sueldo incial (the initial pay). Rise: Aumento (an increase in salary). Job hunting: Buscar trabajo (looking for employment). Landed a job: Conseguir un trabajo (to get a job). Hold down a job: Conservar un empleo (to keep a job). Out of a job: Sin trabajo (unemployed). Job offers: Ofertas de trabajo (proposals of employment). On the job: Trabajando (while working).
Idioms and Expressions
On the ball: Estar al tanto (to be alert and competent). Keep your eye on the ball: No perder de vista lo principal (to stay focused). In your corner: Apoyarte (supporting you). Jump the gun: Precipitarse (to act prematurely). Hitting below the belt: Dar un golpe bajo (to act unfairly). Get a head start: Tener ventaja (to gain an early advantage). Background: Experiencia (experience). Gift: Don, talento (a natural ability). Hold me back: Retener a alguien (to prevent someone from progressing). Keep track of: Llevar la cuenta de (to monitor). Stunning: Impresionante-sensacional (extremely impressive). Move: Traslado (relocation). Tell apart: Distinguir (to differentiate). Flee: Huir de (to run away from). Can’t help: No poder evitar (unable to stop oneself). Accomplishment: Logro (achievement). Language barrier: Barrera de idioma (difficulty communicating due to language differences). Devote: Dedicarse (to dedicate). Guidance: Orientacion (advice or help). Excel: Destacar (to be very good at something).
Sports Vocabulary
Teammate: Compañero de equipo (a fellow member of a team). Stamina: Resistencia (the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort). Draw: Empate (a tie). Self-esteem: Autoestima (confidence in one’s own worth). Defeat: Derrota (loss). Willpower: Fuerza de voluntad (determination). Referee: Arbitro (the official in a sports game). Sportsmanship: Espiritu deportivo (fair play). Let down: Decepcionar (to disappoint). Catch up with: Alcanzar a (to reach someone who is ahead). Beat: Ganar (to win). Sit out: No participar en (to not participate). Enhance: Mejorar (to improve). Try out for: Intentar pasar las pruebas de/para (to attempt to join a team). Go in for: Practicar (to participate in). A good sport: Tomarse algo con deportividad (to accept defeat gracefully). Time out: Tiempo de descanso (a break). Put up a fight: Oponer resistencia (to resist strongly). A bad loser: Mal perdedor (someone who reacts badly to losing). In the lead: En cabeza (ahead in a competition).
Example Sentences
- Nadie afloja: Nobody slacks off in our team, so our profits are always split equally.
- Me despidieron: I was fired because I wasn’t good at multitasking or working well under pressure.
- Hice que: I had my books packed in boxes.
- Estos paquetes: These packages need to be/have to be started as soon as possible.
- Mucha gente: Many people feel that the minimum wage must be raised.
- Debió decepcionar: He must have been disappointed when the other player beat him, but he was a good sport.
- Es una lástima: It’s a pity he didn’t try out for the team because he would have succeeded.
- Sin fuerza: Without willpower and stamina, an athlete can’t excel.
- No debo: I mustn’t let my coach down after all the guidance he has given me.
- Deberías: You should take some time out to rest because it might be a while before you have an opportunity.
More Example Sentences
- It’s the first time she’s been to a circus.
- He asked the guard how long the journey would take.
- Since the accident, he hasn’t been able to work.
- There were twice as many guests as they expected.
- Neither of them is married.
- That’s the cat whose owner feeds it.
- He said, ‘How about going to the theatre?’
- How long have you been with the broken arm?
- A great deal of money was given to the earthquake disaster fund.