This lesson is designed to help English speakers navigate professional environments and job interviews in Spanish-speaking contexts. Learning these expressions and cultural nuances will allow you to communicate more effectively, integrate better into teams, and understand native speakers in fast-paced professional settings.
The job interview
Essential vocabulary
In a formal setting, such as an interview, using the correct terminology is vital to sounding professional.
Postular: To apply for a position.
Candidatura: A formal application.
Remuneración: Salary or compensation.
Trayectoria: Professional career path.
Habilidades blandas: Soft skills (e.g., trabajo en equipo, liderazgo).
Key interview phrases
Introduction:
Buenos días, es un placer conocerle
Good morning, it is a pleasure to meet you
Discussing Experience:
He trabajado durante los últimos tres años en…
I have worked for the last three years in…
Highlighting Strengths:
Me considero una persona proactiva y organizada
I consider myself a proactive and organized person
Asking Questions:
¿Cómo describiría la cultura de la empresa?
How would you describe the company culture?
Idiomatic expressions for the workplace
Using idioms makes you sound more natural and fluent. Here are some of the most common workplace expressions:
Tener manga ancha
This refers to a boss or colleague who is very flexible or permissive with rules.
El jefe tiene manga ancha con los empleados y les permite salir antes los viernes.
The boss is lenient with employees and lets them leave early on Fridays.
Comerse los marrones
In a professional context, a “marrón” is a complicated or unpleasant situation. To “comerse los marrones” means to be the person who has to deal with these difficult problems.
Siempre soy yo el que se come los marrones cuando algo sale mal.
I’m always the one who takes the blame when something goes wrong.
Ponerse las pilas
A very common phrase in Latin America meaning to get energized, work harder, or increase productivity.
Tienes que ponerte las pilas si quieres aprobar el examen.
You need to get your act together if you want to pass the exam.
Ser un crack:
This is a high compliment. It means you are an expert or a “star” in your field.
Eres un crack resolviendo problemas técnicos.
You’re really good at solving technical problems.
Hacer la vista gorda
To intentionally ignore a mistake or a problem to avoid confrontation.
El profesor hizo la vista gorda con el retraso de los alumnos.
The teacher turned a blind eye to the students being late.
Meterle al curro
Used primarily in Spain, where “curro” is slang for work. It means to work hard or “get down to business”.
Tenemos que meterle al curro si queremos terminar hoy.
We need to get to work if we want to finish today.
Origins and native expressions
Here are the origins and nuances of some specific expressions.
Tirar la toalla (To throw in the towel):
This means to give up or abandon a project that seems unsolvable.
Origin: This comes from the world of boxing, where a trainer would literally throw a towel into the ring to signal that their fighter could not continue and was surrendering.
Ponerse las pilas
As mentioned, this means to “get moving” or “get focused”.
Origin: This refers to battery-operated toys or devices that only function when the “pilas” (batteries) are inserted. Metaphorically, it implies the person was “off” or “low energy” and needs to “power up.”
Curro/Currar:
The sources note that this is a colloquial term for work used in Spain.
Origin (External to sources): The word “curro” has roots in Caló (the language of the Romani people in Spain), where it meant “to work” or “to hit.” Over time, it became one of the most common informal ways to refer to a job in Spain.
Apretar las clavijas (To tighten the pegs): This is used when a boss demands more results or puts pressure on a team to meet deadlines.
Origin (External to sources): This refers to stringed instruments (like guitars or violins). You tighten the “clavijas” (tuning pegs) to increase the tension of the strings to reach the right pitch. In the office, it means increasing the “tension” or pressure to get the right results.
Cultural nuances
Usted vs. Tú: In Spain, interviews may start formally but can quickly shift to “tú” if the interviewer invites you. However, in countries like Mexico and Colombia, “usted” is often used for a much longer period to show respect for hierarchy. When in doubt, always use usted.
Punctuality: Arriving 10 minutes early is the standard for respect in both Spain and Latin America.
Personal Connection: Interviews in Spanish-speaking cultures tend to be more conversational and contextualized than “Anglo-Saxon” ones. Don’t be afraid to give slightly longer, more descriptive answers that build rapport.
Future Trends (2026): Current recruiters highly value candidates who can talk about AI integration (herramientas de IA) and their ability to work in distributed or remote teams (equipos distribuidos) while maintaining a “human touch”
Recourses
Exercises
Definitions
Match each word with the correct definition.
Quiz
Answer all the questions and test what you’ve learnt.