About This Lesson
Use Returning to Work After a Break to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Te sientes listo para volver a trabajar?
teh SYEN-tehs LEE-stoh pah-rah bohl-VEHR ah trah-bah-HAHR? Do you feel ready to work again?
B
Me siento mejor ahora.
meh SYEN-toh meh-HOHR ah-OH-rah. I feel better now.
A
¿Volvemos al escritorio?
bohl-VEH-mohs ahl ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh? Should we go back to the desk?
B
El descanso terminó, así que vamos.
ehl dehs-KAHN-soh tehr-mee-NOH, ah-SEE keh BAH-mohs. The break is over, so let's get moving.
A
Necesito el archivo para la siguiente tarea.
neh-seh-SEE-toh ehl ar-CHEE-boh pah-rah lah see-GYEN-teh tah-REH-ah. I need the file for the next task.
B
Está sobre el escritorio.
ehs-TAH SOH-breh ehl ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh. It's on the desk.
A
Ahora puedo concentrarme mejor.
ah-OH-rah PWEH-doh kohn-sehn-TRAHR-meh meh-HOHR. I can focus better now.
B
Entonces, empecemos con el archivo.
ehn-TOHN-sehs, ehm-peh-SEH-mohs kohn ehl ar-CHEE-boh. Then let's start with the file.Word by Word
Te
In "Te sientes listo", "Te" marks the person who is experiencing the feeling: the person being asked about. It works with "sientes" in this expression about someone’s state. Use this pattern when asking another person how they feel.
sientes
In "Te sientes listo", "sientes" expresses feel as part of the question about readiness. The related dictionary form is sentirse; here it appears as "sientes" with "Te". This form is useful when asking about someone’s current condition or feeling.
listo
In "Te sientes listo para volver a trabajar", "listo" means ready for the return to work. It describes the person’s state in this situation. Use it after a feeling or state expression when talking about readiness for an action.
para
In "listo para volver", "para" introduces the action that the readiness is directed toward: returning. It connects the description of being ready with the following action. This is useful when saying someone is ready for an activity.
volver
In "volver a trabajar", "volver" means to return or go back to an activity. It appears after "para" and is followed by "a trabajar". Use this form when describing resuming something after a pause, such as returning to work after a break.
a
In "volver a trabajar", "a" links the return with the activity being resumed. Together with "volver", it introduces the action that starts again. This same connection is useful when talking about going back to an activity.
trabajar
In "volver a trabajar", "trabajar" means work and names the activity they are returning to. It follows "a" after "volver". Use it in this expression when saying that someone resumes work after a pause.
Me
In "Me siento mejor", "Me" marks the speaker as the person experiencing the feeling. It works together with "siento" to describe the speaker’s own state. Use this pattern when reporting how you feel.
siento
In "Me siento mejor", "siento" expresses feel for the speaker’s own condition. The related dictionary form is sentirse; here it appears as "siento" with "Me". This form is useful when describing your current physical or emotional state.
mejor
In "Me siento mejor ahora", "mejor" means better and shows that the speaker’s current state has improved compared with before. It describes the result of the break in this dialogue. Use it after a feeling expression when reporting an improved condition.
ahora
In "Me siento mejor ahora", "ahora" means now and places the feeling in the present moment. It highlights the speaker’s current state after the break. It is also used in "Ahora puedo concentrarme mejor" to place an action in the present.
Volvemos
In "¿Volvemos al escritorio?", "Volvemos" means we go back and asks whether the speakers should return together. The dictionary form is volver; here "Volvemos" is used as a question proposing the next action. A colleague can use this form when suggesting that both people move back to a place.
al
In "al escritorio", "al" means to the and combines the direction with the desk. It is the contraction of a and el before "escritorio". This form is useful in expressions about returning or going to a specific place.
escritorio
In "Volvemos al escritorio", "escritorio" means desk and names the place they are returning to. It is the destination after "al". Use it when talking about going back to a work desk or locating something there.
El
In "El descanso", "El" means the and introduces the specific break being discussed. The capital letter reflects its position at the start of the sentence. It is used before the noun when identifying this particular break.
descanso
In "El descanso terminó", "descanso" means the break or rest period. It names the period away from work that has just ended. Use it when referring to a pause before returning to an activity.
terminó
In "El descanso terminó", "terminó" says that the break ended. The related dictionary form is terminar; here "terminó" describes the break reaching its end. Use this form to announce that an event or period is over.
así que
As a whole, "así que" means so or therefore and connects the ended break with the decision to get moving. Within the expression, "así" contributes the idea of so or thus, while "que" completes the linking expression. Use "así que" when one fact leads naturally to a result or next action.
vamos
In "así que vamos", "vamos" means let’s go or let’s get moving and invites both speakers to act. The dictionary form is ir; here "vamos" is used as a joint prompt after the break. Use it when encouraging people to move on together.
Necesito
In "Necesito el archivo", "Necesito" means I need and states the speaker’s requirement. The related dictionary form is necesitar; here "Necesito" is followed by the needed object. Use it to say what you need in order to continue a task.
archivo
In "Necesito el archivo", "archivo" means file and names the object needed for the next task. It is also the item they will begin with later in the dialogue. Use it when referring to a work file or document.
la
In "la siguiente tarea", "la" means the and introduces the specific task being identified. It comes directly before the description "siguiente" and the noun "tarea". Use it when referring to a particular task rather than an unspecified one.
siguiente
In "la siguiente tarea", "siguiente" means next or following and identifies the task that comes after the current one. It describes which task is needed for the next step. Use it before a noun when organizing activities in sequence.
tarea
In "la siguiente tarea", "tarea" means task and names the work item that comes next. It is the purpose for which the file is needed. Use it when referring to a specific piece of work to complete.
Está
In "Está sobre el escritorio", "Está" says that something is located somewhere; here it refers to the file from the previous line. The related dictionary form is estar; this exact form introduces the location information. Use it before a location phrase when telling someone where an object is.
sobre
In "sobre el escritorio", "sobre" means on or over and describes the file’s position relative to the desk. It introduces the surface or place where the object is located. Use it with a location expression when saying that something is on a surface.
puedo
In "Ahora puedo concentrarme mejor", "puedo" means I can or I am able to. The related dictionary form is poder; here it is followed by the action "concentrarme". Use it to say that you are able to perform an action.
concentrarme
In "puedo concentrarme mejor", "concentrarme" means to focus or concentrate, with the speaker as the person doing the action. It names what the speaker can do better after the break. Use it after "puedo" when describing your ability to focus.
Entonces
In "Entonces, empecemos con el archivo", "Entonces" means then or in that case and connects the previous statement with the next decision. It signals that starting the file follows from being able to focus. Use it when moving from a situation or conclusion to the next action.
empecemos
In "empecemos con el archivo", "empecemos" means let’s start and invites the speakers to begin together. The related dictionary form is empezar; here the thing they start with is introduced by "con". Use it when proposing that people begin an activity together.
con
In "empecemos con el archivo", "con" means with and identifies the file as the starting point. It follows the action of starting and introduces the object used first. Use it when saying what activity, item, or task to begin with.
Grammar Points
necesitar + infinitivo reflexivo
Necesito concentrarme.
neh-seh-SEE-toh kohn-sehn-TRAHR-meh.I need to focus.
With necesitar, the following verb stays in the infinitive. In concentrarme, the reflexive pronoun me is attached to the infinitive.
así que + resultado
Terminó el descanso, así que vamos.
tehr-mee-NOH ehl dehs-KAHN-soh, ah-SEE keh BAH-mohs.The break ended, so let's go.
Así que connects a situation with its result, similar to “so” or “therefore” in English.
Spanish Vocabulary
ahora
adv
ah-OH-rah
now
Me siento mejor ahora.
así que
conj
ah-SEE keh
so; therefore
Así que vamos.
descanso
noun
dehs-KAHN-soh
break; rest
El descanso terminó.
escritorio
noun
ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh
desk
¿Volvemos al escritorio?
ir
verb
EER
to go
vamos
Así que vamos.
listo
adj
LEE-stoh
ready
¿Te sientes listo para volver a trabajar?
mejor
adj
meh-HOHR
better
Me siento mejor ahora.
necesitar
verb
neh-seh-see-TAHR
to need
necesito
Necesito el archivo.
sentirse
verb
sehn-TEER-seh
to feel
sientes
¿Te sientes listo?
terminar
verb
tehr-mee-NAHR
to finish; to end
terminó
El descanso terminó.
trabajar
verb
trah-bah-HAHR
to work
volver a trabajar
volver
verb
bohl-VEHR
to return; to go back
volver a trabajar
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
I feel better now.
Show Answer
Me siento mejor ahora.Should we go back to the desk?
Show Answer
¿Volvemos al escritorio?The break is over, so let's get moving.
Show Answer
El descanso terminó, así que vamos.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to finish; to end
Show Answer
terminódesk
Show Answer
escritorioto return; to go back
Show Answer
volverbetter