Spanish Professions and Jobs: DELE A1 Complete Guide

By SpanishGram

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Want to practice first? Try a General Professions Quiz!

  • Learn common profession and job titles in Spanish
  • Master “ser” for professions and occupations
  • Understand workplace and career vocabulary
  • Learn masculine/feminine job title variations
  • Essential for DELE A1 personal information sections

Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish professions and jobs vocabulary, essential for talking about work, careers, and personal information on the DELE A1 exam. This vocabulary is crucial for describing yourself and others in speaking and writing sections.

Common Professions

Essential Job Titles

SpanishEnglishExample Sentence
el/la médicothe doctorMi madre es médica
el/la profesor(a)the teacherMi padre es profesor
el/la estudiantethe studentSoy estudiante de español
el/la ingeniero(a)the engineerMi hermano es ingeniero
el/la abogado(a)the lawyerElla es abogada

DELE A1 Tip: Use “ser” with professions, not “trabajar como.” Say “soy médico” not “trabajo como médico” for stating your profession.

Service Industry Jobs

Common Service Professions

SpanishEnglishExample Sentence
el/la cocinero(a)the cook/chefEl cocinero prepara la comida
el/la camarero(a)the waiter/waitressLa camarera trabaja en el restaurante
el/la dependiente(a)the shop assistantEl dependiente ayuda en la tienda
el/la conductor(a)the driverMi tío es conductor de autobús

Professional Occupations

Office and Professional Jobs

SpanishEnglishExample Sentence
el/la secretario(a)the secretaryLa secretaria trabaja en una oficina
el/la contablethe accountantEl contable lleva las cuentas
el/la jefe(a)the bossMi jefa es muy amable
el/la gerentethe managerEl gerente dirige la empresa

Gender in Professions

Masculine and Feminine Forms

MasculineFeminineEnglish
el profesorla profesorathe teacher
el médicola médicathe doctor
el abogadola abogadathe lawyer
el ingenierola ingenierathe engineer

Gender-Neutral Professions

  • el/la estudiante (the student)
  • el/la artista (the artist)
  • el/la dentista (the dentist)

Workplace Vocabulary

Common Workplace Terms

SpanishEnglishExample
el trabajothe work/jobMi trabajo es interesante
la oficinathe officeTrabajo en una oficina
el horariothe scheduleMi horario es de 9 a 5
el sueldothe salaryEl sueldo es bueno

Using Professions in Sentences

Basic Sentence Structures

  • Soy + profesión (I am + profession)
  • Trabajo como + profesión (I work as + profession)
  • Estudio para ser + profesión (I study to be + profession)

Example Sentences

  • Soy estudiante de medicina
  • Trabajo como camarero en un restaurante
  • Estudio para ser ingeniero
  • Mi hermana es abogada

DELE A1 Exam Practice

Speaking Section Examples

  • Introduce your profession: “Soy estudiante de español”
  • Talk about family jobs: “Mi padre es médico y mi madre es profesora
  • Discuss work plans: “Quiero ser ingeniero
  • Describe workplaces: “Trabajo en una oficina

Writing Section Examples

  • Write about your job or studies
  • Describe your family members’ professions
  • Write about your dream job
  • Create a personal introduction with profession

Common Questions About Work

DELE A1 Profession Questions

  • ¿A qué te dedicas? (What do you do for work?)
  • ¿Qué estudias? (What do you study?)
  • ¿Dónde trabajas? (Where do you work?)
  • ¿Qué quieres ser? (What do you want to be?)

Career and Education

Study and Career Vocabulary

  • la universidad (university)
  • la carrera (university degree)
  • los estudios (studies)
  • el empleo (employment)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Wrong verb: ❌ “trabajo médico” ✅ “soy médico
  • Wrong gender: ❌ “ella es profesor” ✅ “ella es profesora

Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!

Ready to check your understanding of Spanish professions and jobs?

Take our DELE A1 Spanish Professions Quiz here to confirm you’re ready for this part of the exam.

What’s Next in Your DELE A1 Journey?

  • Ready for daily life? Study Spanish Daily Routine Vocabulary
  • Need workplace terms? Review Spanish Workplace Vocabulary
  • Practice all A1 vocabulary? Take a Full A1 Vocabulary Test

Good luck with your DELE A1 preparation!