Managing Back Pain from Desk Work | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: At home after a desk-heavy day, two adults discuss back pain, screen position, gentle stretching, and when to seek professional help..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Managing Back Pain from Desk Work to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Me duele la parte baja de la espalda después de estar sentado en mi escritorio todo el día.

meh DWEH-leh lah PAR-teh BAH-hah deh lah ehs-PAL-dah dehs-PWEHS deh ehs-TAR seh-TAH-doh en mee ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh TOH-doh el DEE-ah. My lower back hurts after sitting at my desk all day.
B

Puede que tu silla no te dé suficiente apoyo.

PWEH-deh keh too SEE-yah noh teh DEH soo-fee-SYEN-teh ah-POH-yoh. Your chair might not be giving you enough support.
A

También me inclino hacia delante porque mi monitor está demasiado lejos.

tahm-BYEN meh een-KLEE-noh AH-syah deh-LAHN-teh POR-keh mee moh-nee-TOR ehs-TAH deh-mah-SYAH-doh LEH-hos. I also lean forward because my monitor is too far away.
B

Acercar la pantalla podría reducir un poco la presión en tu espalda.

ah-sehr-KAR lah pahn-TAH-yah poh-DREE-ah reh-doo-SEER oon POH-koh lah preh-SYON en too ehs-PAL-dah. Moving the screen closer could take some pressure off your back.
A

Estaba pensando en estirarme durante los descansos cortos.

ehs-TAH-bah pehn-SAHN-doh en ehs-tee-RAR-meh doo-RAHN-teh lohs dehs-KAHN-sohs KOR-tohs. I was thinking about stretching during short breaks.
B

Los estiramientos suaves pueden ayudar, pero detente si aumentan el dolor.

lohs ehs-tee-rah-MYEN-tohs SWAH-behs PWEH-dehn ah-yoo-DAR, PEH-roh deh-TEN-teh see ow-MEN-tahn el doh-LOR. Gentle stretching may help, but stop if it increases the pain.
A

Si el dolor continúa, probablemente debería consultar a un profesional.

see el doh-LOR kohn-tee-NOO-ah, proh-bah-BLEH-men-teh deh-beh-REE-ah kohn-sool-TAR ah oon proh-feh-syoh-NAHL. If it continues, I should probably see a professional.
B

Esto es especialmente importante si el dolor se extiende o empieza a afectar tu sueño.

EH-stoh es es-peh-SYAL-men-teh eem-por-TAHN-teh see el doh-LOR seh ehs-TYEN-deh oh ehm-PYEH-sah ah ah-fek-TAR too SWEH-nyoh. Especially if the pain spreads or starts affecting your sleep.
A

Esta semana, puedo hacer pequeños ajustes y llevar un registro de si me ayudan.

EH-stah seh-MAH-nah, PWEH-doh ah-SER peh-KEH-nyohs ah-HOOS-tehs ee yeh-BAR oon reh-HEES-troh deh see meh ah-YOO-dahn. This week, I can make small adjustments and track whether they help.
B

Los cambios que se mantienen suelen ser más fáciles de evaluar que un solo cambio grande.

lohs KAHM-byohs keh seh mahn-TYEH-nehn SWEH-lehn sehr mahs fah-SEE-lehs deh eh-bah-loo-AR keh oon SOH-loh KAHM-byoh GRAHN-deh. Consistent changes are usually easier to judge than one big change.

Word by Word

Me Here, Me marks the person who feels the pain: Me duele la parte baja de la espalda means “My lower back hurts.” Reuse Me duele + a body part to describe a physical sensation.
duele In Me duele la parte baja de la espalda, duele expresses that something hurts. It is used with Me and the body part that causes the sensation; a common pattern is Me duele + body part.
la Here, la means “the” before the feminine noun parte in la parte baja. Reuse la before a feminine singular noun.
parte In la parte baja de la espalda, parte means “part” or “section.” The phrase identifies one section of the back; parte can be followed by de + a noun to specify what it belongs to.
baja Here, baja means “lower” in la parte baja de la espalda. It describes parte and helps specify the lower section of the back.
de In la parte baja de la espalda, de links the part to what it belongs to: “the lower part of the back.” Reuse de to express this type of relationship between nouns.
espalda Here, espalda means “back,” specifically in the body expression la parte baja de la espalda. Reuse espalda when naming the body area that hurts or feels pressure.
después Después means “after” in después de estar sentado. The pattern después de + an infinitive or noun places one event after another.
estar Here, estar means “to be” in the activity expression después de estar sentado. It is used with sentado to describe being in a seated position.
sentado In estar sentado, sentado means “sitting” or “seated.” Together, estar sentado describes remaining in a seated position; it can follow después de to describe what happened before the pain.
en Here, en marks the location in en mi escritorio, meaning “at my desk.” Reuse en before a place where an activity happens.
mi Mi means “my” in mi escritorio. It comes directly before the noun it describes and does not change for the noun’s number here.
escritorio Here, escritorio means “desk” in en mi escritorio. Reuse it after en when saying that an activity happens at a desk.
todo In todo el día, todo means “the whole” or “all.” This expression describes the complete day, and todo comes before el día.
el Here, el means “the” in el día. It forms the time expression todo el día with the masculine singular noun día.
día In todo el día, día means “day.” The full expression means that the sitting continued throughout the day.
Puede Puede introduces a possibility in Puede que tu silla no te dé suficiente apoyo: “Your chair may not be giving you enough support.” Reuse Puede que + a clause when presenting a possible explanation.
que In Puede que..., que introduces the situation being presented as possible. The whole pattern Puede que + clause expresses “It may be that...” rather than giving que an independent meaning here.
tu Tu means “your” in tu silla. It comes before the noun and identifies whose chair is being discussed.
silla Here, silla means “chair” in tu silla. Reuse it with a possessive or other description when talking about the chair someone uses.
no No negates the clause in tu silla no te dé suficiente apoyo. It comes before the verb phrase to express that the chair does not provide enough support.
te In te dé suficiente apoyo, te marks the person receiving the support: “give you enough support.” Reuse te with verbs that describe something being given or done for you.
dé In te dé suficiente apoyo, dé supplies the idea of giving support. Together with te and suficiente apoyo, te dé means “give you enough support”; the expression Puede que te dé presents this as a possibility.
suficiente Suficiente means “enough” in suficiente apoyo. It comes before the noun to show that the amount of support is adequate or inadequate depending on the sentence.
apoyo Here, apoyo means “support,” especially the support provided by the chair. Reuse dar apoyo or suficiente apoyo when describing support that someone or something provides.
También También means “also” and adds another fact in También me inclino hacia delante. It is useful at the start of a sentence when adding a related symptom or action.
inclino In me inclino hacia delante, inclino expresses “I lean.” With me, it describes the speaker leaning forward; reuse me inclino hacia + a direction or position.
hacia Hacia means “toward” in hacia delante. It introduces the direction of the movement or position.
delante In hacia delante, delante means “forward” or “ahead.” The full expression describes the direction in which the speaker leans.
porque Porque means “because” and introduces the reason in porque mi monitor está demasiado lejos. Reuse porque before a clause that explains why something happens.
monitor Here, monitor means “monitor,” the screen used at the desk. It is the subject of mi monitor está demasiado lejos.
está In mi monitor está demasiado lejos, está says where the monitor is located or what its position is. Reuse está + a place or position expression to describe location.
demasiado Demasiado means “too” or “excessively” in demasiado lejos. It strengthens lejos to show that the distance is greater than is useful or comfortable.
lejos Lejos means “far away” in está demasiado lejos. Reuse estar + lejos to describe the distance of a person or object.
Acercar Acercar means “to move or bring closer” in Acercar la pantalla. The pattern Acercar + object describes changing the object’s position so it is nearer.
pantalla Here, pantalla means “screen” in Acercar la pantalla. It is the object being moved closer to reduce pressure on the back.
podría Podría expresses a possible result in podría reducir un poco la presión: “could reduce some of the pressure.” Reuse podría + infinitive when suggesting a possible effect.
reducir Reducir means “to reduce” in podría reducir un poco la presión. It is used after podría and takes the thing being reduced as its object.
un In un poco de presión, un is part of the expression meaning “a little.” Reuse un poco de + noun to refer to a small amount of something.
poco Poco means “a little” in un poco de presión. The pattern un poco de + noun expresses a small amount.
presión Here, presión means “pressure,” specifically pressure on the back. It appears in reducir un poco la presión, meaning to reduce some of that pressure.
Estaba Estaba means “was” in Estaba pensando en estirarme. Together with pensando, it describes an idea that was in the speaker’s mind; reuse estaba pensando en + an action.
pensando In Estaba pensando en estirarme, pensando means “thinking.” The pattern estar pensando en + an action introduces something someone is considering doing.
estirarme Estirarme means “to stretch myself” in pensando en estirarme. The attached me refers back to the person doing the stretching; reuse pensar en + an action when discussing a planned activity.
durante Durante means “during” in durante los descansos cortos. It introduces the period when an activity takes place and is followed here by a noun phrase.
los Here, los means “the” in los descansos cortos. It comes before the plural noun descansos.
descansos Descansos means “breaks” in durante los descansos cortos. It refers to short pauses taken during the workday.
cortos Cortos means “short” in los descansos cortos. It describes descansos and specifies that the breaks do not last long.
estiramientos Here, estiramientos means “stretching” or “stretches” in Los estiramientos suaves pueden ayudar. It names the physical activity being suggested during breaks.
suaves Suaves means “gentle” in los estiramientos suaves. It describes stretches that are not forceful, and it agrees with estiramientos.
pueden Pueden expresses possibility or ability in Los estiramientos suaves pueden ayudar: “Gentle stretching may help.” Reuse pueden + infinitive to say that something can have an effect.
ayudar Ayudar means “to help” in pueden ayudar. It follows pueden and describes the possible benefit of the gentle stretches.
pero Pero means “but” and introduces a limit or warning in pueden ayudar, pero detente. Reuse pero to connect a helpful suggestion with an important condition.
detente Detente tells one person to stop in detente si aumentan el dolor. Reuse detente si + a condition when telling someone to stop if a particular result occurs.
si Si means “if” in si aumentan el dolor and introduces the condition for stopping. Reuse si before a clause that describes when an action should happen.
aumentan In aumentan el dolor, aumentan means “increase” and describes the pain becoming greater. The expression can be used when an activity or condition makes pain more intense.
dolor Here, dolor means “pain” in el dolor and aumentan el dolor. Reuse dolor with expressions that describe whether it continues, spreads, increases, or affects daily life.
continúa Continúa means “continues” in Si el dolor continúa. It describes the pain remaining over time; reuse it with a subject such as el dolor.
probablemente Probablemente means “probably” in probablemente debería consultar a un profesional. It marks the advice as likely or sensible rather than completely certain.
debería Debería expresses what the speaker should probably do in debería consultar a un profesional. Reuse debería + infinitive when giving or considering advice.
consultar Consultar means “to consult” or “to seek advice from” in consultar a un profesional. Reuse consultar a + a person when seeking professional guidance.
a In consultar a un profesional, a marks the person being consulted. Reuse consultar a + person for the professional or advisor someone seeks out.
profesional Here, profesional means “professional” in consultar a un profesional. It refers to a qualified person who can give advice about the continuing pain.
Esto Esto means “this” and points to the situation or recommendation just mentioned in Esto es especialmente importante. Reuse esto to refer to an idea, situation, or fact rather than a specific noun.
es Es means “is” in Esto es especialmente importante. It links Esto with the description especialmente importante.
especialmente Especialmente means “especially” in Esto es especialmente importante. It emphasizes that the importance is greater under the conditions that follow.
importante Importante means “important” in Esto es especialmente importante. It describes the preceding situation or advice as something that deserves particular attention.
se In se extiende, se is part of the expression describing the pain spreading or extending. Together, el dolor se extiende means that the pain spreads rather than naming a separate object receiving the action.
extiende Extiende means “spreads” or “extends” in el dolor se extiende. Reuse se extiende when describing something such as pain reaching a wider area.
o O means “or” in se extiende o empieza a afectar tu sueño. It presents an alternative condition.
empieza Empieza means “starts” in empieza a afectar tu sueño. Reuse empieza a + infinitive to describe the beginning of an action or effect.
afectar Afectar means “to affect” in empieza a afectar tu sueño. It follows empieza a and takes tu sueño as the thing affected.
sueño Here, sueño means “sleep” in afectar tu sueño. The phrase describes pain beginning to interfere with someone’s sleep.
Esta Esta means “this” in Esta semana. It identifies the current week and comes before semana.
semana Semana means “week” in Esta semana. The expression refers to the period in which the speaker plans to make and observe small adjustments.
puedo Puedo expresses ability or possibility in puedo hacer pequeños ajustes. Reuse puedo + infinitive to say what you can do.
hacer Hacer means “to make” or “to do” in hacer pequeños ajustes. It follows puedo and takes pequeños ajustes as its object.
pequeños Pequeños means “small” in pequeños ajustes. It describes adjustments that are limited rather than one large change.
ajustes Ajustes means “adjustments” in hacer pequeños ajustes. Here, it refers to practical changes such as changing the screen position or work setup.
y Y means “and” in hacer pequeños ajustes y llevar un registro. It connects two actions the speaker can take.
llevar In llevar un registro de si me ayudan, llevar means “to keep” or “to maintain.” Reuse llevar un registro de + information when recording or tracking something over time.
registro Registro means “record” or “log” in llevar un registro. The full expression llevar un registro de si me ayudan means keeping track of whether the adjustments help.
ayudan In si me ayudan, ayudan means “help” and refers to the adjustments producing a benefit for the speaker. Reuse ayudar with a person pronoun to say whom something helps.
cambios Cambios means “changes” in Los cambios que se mantienen. It refers to modifications that are made to the work routine or setup.
mantienen In cambios que se mantienen, mantienen expresses that the changes are maintained or continue over time. This pattern describes changes that remain in place instead of being made only once.
suelen Suelen means “usually” or “tend to” in suelen ser más fáciles de evaluar. Reuse suelen + infinitive to describe a usual tendency.
ser Ser means “to be” in suelen ser más fáciles de evaluar. It follows suelen and links the changes with the comparison that follows.
más Más means “more” in más fáciles de evaluar. It introduces the comparative description, showing that one option is easier than another.
fáciles Fáciles means “easier” in son más fáciles de evaluar. It describes the changes and is followed by de + infinitive to say what is easier to do.
evaluar Evaluar means “to evaluate” or “to judge” in más fáciles de evaluar. The pattern fácil de + infinitive describes an action that can be done with little difficulty.
solo Solo means “single” or “one” in un solo cambio grande. It emphasizes that there is just one large change rather than several smaller changes.
grande Grande means “big” in un solo cambio grande. It describes the size or scale of the single change being compared with consistent changes.

Grammar Points

doler + pronombre indirecto: me duele + parte del cuerpo

Me duele la parte baja de la espalda.

meh DWEH-leh lah PAR-teh BAH-hah deh lah ehs-PAL-dah.

My lower back hurts.

Spanish uses an indirect object pronoun such as «me»; the body part is the grammatical subject.

imperativo afirmativo: detente / continúa

Detente si el dolor continúa.

deh-TEN-teh see el doh-LOR kohn-tee-NOO-ah.

Stop if the pain continues.

Affirmative commands use special verb forms, such as «detente» and «continúa».

Spanish Vocabulary

apoyo noun
ah-POH-yoh support

suficiente apoyo

dar verb
DAR to give dé

Puede que tu silla no te dé suficiente apoyo.

doler verb
doh-LER to hurt duele

Me duele la parte baja de la espalda.

escritorio noun
ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh desk

en mi escritorio

estar sentado phrase
eh-STAR seh-TAH-doh to be sitting

después de estar sentado en mi escritorio

hacia delante phrase
AH-syah deh-LAHN-teh forward

me inclino hacia delante

inclinarse verb
een-klee-NAR-seh to lean me inclino

También me inclino hacia delante.

la parte baja de la espalda phrase
lah PAR-teh BAH-hah deh lah ehs-PAL-dah lower back

Me duele la parte baja de la espalda.

lejos adv
LEH-hos far away

demasiado lejos

monitor noun
moh-nee-TOR monitor

mi monitor

silla noun
SEE-yah chair

tu silla

suficiente adj
soo-fee-SYEN-teh enough

suficiente apoyo

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

support

Show Answerapoyo

desk

Show Answerescritorio

to hurt

Show Answerduele

chair

Show Answersilla