The 20 Most Common Spanish Verbs and How to Use Them at Work
- Arianna Mason
- 1 day ago
- 14 min read
Every language has a core set of verbs that carry the weight of everyday communication. In Spanish, a relatively small number of verbs appear across virtually every conversation, every workplace interaction, every clinical exchange, every job site instruction, and every professional meeting. Learning these verbs well, not just their basic present tense forms but their most important uses, their key constructions, and the sentences that come up most in real professional communication, is the highest-leverage investment a workplace Spanish learner can make.
This guide covers the 20 most common Spanish verbs in workplace communication. For each verb, you will find the core meaning, the most important constructions that make the verb productive, and real workplace sentences across healthcare, construction, education, and management contexts.
How These 20 Verbs Were Selected
The verbs in this guide were selected based on three criteria: frequency in everyday Spanish conversation, frequency in professional and workplace communication specifically, and functional range, meaning the number of different communicative functions the verb serves. The result is a list that covers the foundational action vocabulary every workplace Spanish learner needs before moving into industry-specific vocabulary.
The verbs are grouped by function to make the patterns clearer and the learning more efficient.
The Core Being Verbs
1. Ser — To Be (Identity and Definition)
Ser defines what something is at its core: identity, origin, occupation, relationships, characteristics, time, and the location of events. It is one of the two Spanish verbs that translate as "to be."
Key workplace sentences:
I am your nurse today. → Soy su enfermero/a hoy.
He is the supervisor. → Es el supervisor.
The meeting is at three. → La reunión es a las tres.
The training is mandatory. → La capacitación es obligatoria.
She is a specialist in cardiology. → Es especialista en cardiología.
What time is the shift? → ¿A qué hora es el turno?
The meeting is in the conference room. → La reunión es en la sala de conferencias.
2. Estar — To Be (States and Conditions)
Estar describes current states, conditions, locations, and progressive actions. It is the second Spanish "to be" verb and covers everything ser does not.
Key workplace sentences:
How are you feeling? → ¿Cómo se siente? / ¿Cómo está?
The patient is in room 4. → El paciente está en el cuarto 4.
We are behind schedule. → Estamos atrasados.
The equipment is dirty. → El equipo está sucio.
She is working right now. → Está trabajando ahora mismo.
The results are ready. → Los resultados están listos.
Are you okay? → ¿Está bien?
3. Haber — To Have (Auxiliary) / There Is / There Are
Haber is the auxiliary verb used to form all perfect tenses in Spanish. In its impersonal form hay, it expresses existence: there is / there are.
Key workplace sentences:
There is a problem. → Hay un problema.
There are no materials left. → No hay materiales.
I have finished the report. → He terminado el informe.
She has worked here for ten years. → Ha trabajado aquí por diez años.
There was an accident on the job site. → Hubo un accidente en la obra.
Is there a doctor available? → ¿Hay un médico disponible?
There will be a meeting tomorrow. → Habrá una reunión mañana.
The Core Action Verbs
4. Tener — To Have (Possession and More)
Tener expresses possession, age, physical sensations, obligation (tener que), and dozens of essential idiomatic expressions. It is one of the highest-frequency verbs in Spanish.
Key workplace sentences:
Do you have insurance? → ¿Tiene seguro?
I have to finish this by Friday. → Tengo que terminar esto para el viernes.
How old is the patient? → ¿Cuántos años tiene el paciente?
Are you in pain? → ¿Tiene dolor?
We have a meeting tomorrow. → Tenemos una reunión mañana.
You have to wear your safety equipment. → Tiene que usar su equipo de seguridad.
Do you have any questions? → ¿Tiene alguna pregunta?
Be careful. → Tenga cuidado.
5. Hacer — To Make / To Do
Hacer covers both "make" and "do" in English. It also expresses weather, time duration, and appears in dozens of essential expressions.
Key workplace sentences:
What are you doing? → ¿Qué está haciendo?
Make the measurements before you cut. → Haga las medidas antes de cortar.
It is very hot today. → Hace mucho calor hoy.
How long have you been working here? → ¿Hace cuánto tiempo trabaja aquí?
We need to do an inspection. → Necesitamos hacer una inspección.
She is making her rounds. → Está haciendo sus rondas.
He did a great job. → Hizo un gran trabajo.
Do me a favor and call the supervisor. → Hágame el favor de llamar al supervisor.
6. Ir — To Go
Ir expresses movement and forms the most common future construction in Spanish: voy a + infinitive (I am going to do something).
Key workplace sentences:
Go to the waiting room. → Vaya a la sala de espera.
I am going to take your blood pressure. → Voy a tomarle la presión.
We are going to start the project on Monday. → Vamos a empezar el proyecto el lunes.
Where are you going? → ¿A dónde va?
She left early. → Se fue temprano.
How is the project going? → ¿Cómo va el proyecto?
Let's go. → Vamos.
I was going to call you but forgot. → Iba a llamarle pero se me olvidó
7. Poder — Can / To Be Able To
Poder expresses ability, possibility, and permission. The conditional podría is the most important polite request form in professional Spanish.
Key workplace sentences:
Can you help me? → ¿Puede ayudarme?
Could you help me? (polite) → ¿Podría ayudarme?
I cannot finish this today. → No puedo terminar esto hoy.
She managed to finish on time. → Pudo terminar a tiempo.
We will be able to start Monday. → Podremos empezar el lunes.
Could you explain that again? → ¿Podría explicar eso de nuevo?
Can anyone cover this shift? → ¿Alguien puede cubrir este turno?
If we had more time, we could finish. → Si tuviéramos más tiempo, podríamos terminar.
8. Querer — To Want / To Love
Querer expresses desire and affection. The imperfect subjunctive form quisiera is the most important polite request expression in Spanish.
Key workplace sentences:
What do you want to do? → ¿Qué quiere hacer?
I would like to schedule a meeting. → Quisiera programar una reunión.
I want you to come to the meeting. → Quiero que venga a la reunión.
The patient wants to speak with the doctor. → El paciente quiere hablar con el médico.
I would like more information. → Quisiera más información.
She refused to sign the document. → No quiso firmar el documento.
I love you. (affection) → Te quiero.
I accidentally deleted the file. → Borré el archivo sin querer.
9. Saber — To Know (Facts and Skills)
Saber expresses knowing facts, information, and learned skills. It is one of the two Spanish verbs that translate as "to know."
Key workplace sentences:
Do you know the policy? → ¿Sabe la política?
I do not know. → No sé.
Do you know how to operate this machine? → ¿Sabe operar esta máquina?
She knows how to speak Spanish. → Sabe hablar español.
He found out this morning. → Lo supo esta mañana.
I know that the meeting is tomorrow. → Sé que la reunión es mañana.
Does anyone know where the supervisor is? → ¿Alguien sabe dónde está el supervisor?
10. Conocer — To Know (People and Places)
Conocer expresses familiarity with people, places, and things. Its preterite means "to meet" (for the first time).
Key workplace sentences:
Do you know the supervisor? → ¿Conoce al supervisor?
I met the new employee today. → Conocí al nuevo empleado hoy.
She knows this hospital well. → Conoce bien este hospital.
He does not know anyone here. → No conoce a nadie aquí.
Do you know this part of town? → ¿Conoce esta parte de la ciudad?
She knows this type of case. → Conoce este tipo de caso.
The Essential Communicative Verbs
11. Necesitar — To Need
Necesitar is a regular -ar verb that expresses need and necessity. It is one of the highest-frequency verbs in professional communication because it drives requests, instructions, and requirements across every context.
Key workplace sentences:
I need to speak with you. → Necesito hablar con usted.
We need more time. → Necesitamos más tiempo.
She needs to rest for 48 hours. → Necesita descansar 48 horas.
Do you need help? → ¿Necesita ayuda?
He needs to complete the training. → Necesita completar la capacitación.
We need you to sign this. → Necesitamos que firme esto.
What do you need? → ¿Qué necesita?
The machine needs to be serviced. → La máquina necesita recibir mantenimiento.
Necesitar que + subjunctive (needing someone to do something):
I need you to arrive by six. → Necesito que llegue a las seis.
She needs the crew to finish today. → Necesita que la cuadrilla termine hoy.
We need you to sign the form. → Necesitamos que firme la forma.
12. Deber — Should / Must / Ought To
Deber expresses moral obligation, duty, and strong recommendation. It is one of the most important modal verbs in Spanish and essential for giving instructions, setting expectations, and communicating requirements.
Deber (present) — must / have to (strong obligation):
You must wear your safety equipment. → Debe usar su equipo de seguridad.
Everyone must attend the training. → Todos deben asistir a la capacitación.
Patients must sign the consent form. → Los pacientes deben firmar el formulario de consentimiento.
You must report any safety violations. → Debe reportar cualquier violación de seguridad.
Debería (conditional) — should / ought to (recommendation):
You should rest more. → Debería descansar más.
She should speak with HR. → Debería hablar con recursos humanos.
We should review the policy. → Deberíamos revisar la política.
He should not work with that injury. → No debería trabajar con esa lesión.
Deber de (probability):
He must be in a meeting. → Debe de estar en una reunión.
She must be the new employee. → Debe de ser la nueva empleada.
13. Decir — To Say / To Tell
Decir is one of the most irregular and most frequently used verbs in Spanish. It expresses both saying and telling, and its command form diga is essential for professional communication.
Key workplace sentences:
What did you say? → ¿Qué dijo?
Tell me what happened. → Dígame lo que pasó.
She said the results were negative. → Dijo que los resultados eran negativos.
Please say it again more slowly. → Por favor dígalo de nuevo más despacio.
He told me the meeting was cancelled. → Me dijo que la reunión fue cancelada.
Do not say anything until I arrive. → No diga nada hasta que yo llegue.
What does this say? → ¿Qué dice esto?
They say the project will be delayed. → Dicen que el proyecto se retrasará.
Decir que + indicative vs. subjunctive:
She says that he is here. → Dice que está aquí. (indicative — factual)
She says for him to come here. → Dice que venga aquí. (subjunctive — instruction)
14. Venir — To Come
Venir expresses movement toward the speaker's location. It is the counterpart to ir (to go away from) and essential for giving directions, scheduling, and coordinating arrivals.
Key workplace sentences:
Come to the meeting room. → Venga a la sala de reuniones.
When are you coming? → ¿Cuándo viene?
She came in early today. → Vino temprano hoy.
He is coming from the main office. → Viene de la oficina principal.
Can you come to my office? → ¿Puede venir a mi oficina?
They will come tomorrow. → Vendrán mañana.
Where did you come from? → ¿De dónde viene?
Come with me. → Venga conmigo.
15. Llevar — To Carry / To Take / To Have Been (Duration)
Llevar is a versatile verb that expresses carrying, taking something somewhere, wearing, and most importantly, expressing how long someone has been doing something.
Llevar for carrying and taking:
Carry this to the patient's room. → Lleve esto al cuarto del paciente.
She took the documents to the office. → Llevó los documentos a la oficina.
He is carrying the equipment. → Está llevando el equipo.
Llevar for wearing:
Wear your hard hat. → Lleve su casco.
She is wearing gloves. → Lleva guantes.
Everyone must wear a badge. → Todos deben llevar una identificación.
Llevar + time + gerund (how long someone has been doing something):
I have been working here for five years. → Llevo cinco años trabajando aquí.
She has been a nurse for ten years. → Lleva diez años siendo enfermera.
He has been waiting for twenty minutes. → Lleva veinte minutos esperando.
How long have you been in pain? → ¿Cuánto tiempo lleva con dolor?
We have been on this project for six months. → Llevamos seis meses en este proyecto.
16. Poner — To Put / To Place
Poner expresses placing or putting something somewhere and appears in a number of essential workplace instructions and fixed expressions.
Key workplace sentences:
Put this here. → Ponga esto aquí.
Where do I put the equipment? → ¿Dónde pongo el equipo?
Put on your safety glasses. → Póngase los lentes de seguridad.
She put the documents on the desk. → Puso los documentos en el escritorio.
Put the patient in room 3. → Ponga al paciente en el cuarto 3.
Put your name here. → Ponga su nombre aquí.
Do not put anything on that surface. → No ponga nada en esa superficie.
Ponerse + adjective (to become / to get):
He got nervous. → Se puso nervioso.
She got sick. → Se puso enferma.
The situation got complicated. → La situación se puso complicada.
17. Salir — To Leave / To Go Out
Salir expresses leaving a place or going out. It is distinct from irse (which emphasizes departing without a specific starting point) and is used when the starting location is the reference point.
Key workplace sentences:
What time does the shift end? → ¿A qué hora sale el turno?
She left at four o'clock. → Salió a las cuatro.
Do not leave the building without signing out. → No salga del edificio sin registrar su salida.
The results came out negative. → Los resultados salieron negativos.
He leaves work at six. → Sale del trabajo a las seis.
What time will you leave? → ¿A qué hora saldrá?
Exit through the main door. → Salga por la puerta principal.
18. Llamar — To Call
Llamar is a regular -ar verb that expresses calling (by phone or by name) and is one of the most essential verbs for communication, coordination, and emergency situations in any workplace.
Key workplace sentences:
Call 911. → Llame al 911.
Call me when you finish. → Llámeme cuando termine.
She called the patient's family. → Llamó a la familia del paciente.
Please call the supervisor. → Por favor llame al supervisor.
Did anyone call for me? → ¿Alguien llamó por mí?
I will call you back in five minutes. → Le llamo de regreso en cinco minutos.
Call us if anything changes. → Llámenos si algo cambia.
What is your name? → ¿Cómo se llama? (reflexive: llamarse)
Llamarse — to be called / to be named:
My name is [name]. → Me llamo [nombre].
What is your name? → ¿Cómo se llama?
The patient's name is María. → La paciente se llama María.
19. Trabajar — To Work
Trabajar is a regular -ar verb and one of the most fundamental workplace verbs. It expresses working in every sense and appears constantly in scheduling, capability, and status discussions.
Key workplace sentences:
Do you work here? → ¿Trabaja aquí?
I work the morning shift. → Trabajo el turno de mañana.
She has been working here for three years. → Lleva tres años trabajando aquí.
Can you work on Saturday? → ¿Puede trabajar el sábado?
He works very hard. → Trabaja muy duro.
We are working on the problem. → Estamos trabajando en el problema.
How long have you worked in healthcare? → ¿Hace cuánto tiempo trabaja en el área de salud?
Who is working tonight? → ¿Quién trabaja esta noche?
She used to work at the main hospital. → Trabajaba en el hospital principal.
20. Ayudar — To Help
Ayudar is a regular -ar verb and one of the most important verbs for workplace communication because it appears in virtually every type of professional interaction: offering assistance, requesting help, giving instructions, and describing collaborative work.
Key workplace sentences:
Can I help you? → ¿Puedo ayudarle?
Could you help me? → ¿Podría ayudarme?
I need help. → Necesito ayuda.
She helped the patient. → Ayudó al paciente.
He is helping the new employee. → Está ayudando al nuevo empleado.
Can anyone help me with this? → ¿Alguien puede ayudarme con esto?
We help each other on this team. → Nos ayudamos en este equipo.
How can I help you? → ¿En qué puedo ayudarle?
Thank you for helping me. → Gracias por ayudarme.
I will help you finish this. → Le ayudaré a terminar esto.
Ayudar a + infinitive (helping to do something):
I helped her fill out the form. → La ayudé a llenar la forma.
He is helping us understand the procedure. → Nos está ayudando a entender el procedimiento.
Can you help me move this? → ¿Puede ayudarme a mover esto?
The 20 Verbs in Real Workplace Conversations
Here is what these 20 verbs look like working together in real workplace conversations across the industries Momentum Spanish serves.
Healthcare:
I am your nurse today. I need to ask you some questions. Can you help me understand your symptoms? → Soy su enfermero/a hoy. Necesito hacerle algunas preguntas. ¿Puede ayudarme a entender sus síntomas?
How are you feeling? Do you have pain? → ¿Cómo se siente? ¿Tiene dolor?
You need to rest. I am going to call the doctor. → Necesita descansar. Voy a llamar al médico.
The patient is in room 4. She has been waiting for thirty minutes. → La paciente está en el cuarto 4. Lleva treinta minutos esperando.
Tell me what happened. I know this is difficult. → Dígame lo que pasó. Sé que esto es difícil.
Could you come to the nurses station? → ¿Podría venir a la estación de enfermería?
She knows how to operate the equipment. She has been working here for five years. → Sabe operar el equipo. Lleva cinco años trabajando aquí.
Construction:
What are you doing? Put on your hard hat. → ¿Qué está haciendo? Póngase el casco.
I need you to come here. The foreman wants to speak with you. → Necesito que venga aquí. El capataz quiere hablar con usted.
We are going to start the pour tomorrow. Can you be here by six? → Vamos a empezar el vaciado mañana. ¿Puede estar aquí a las seis?
Do you know how to operate the crane? He has been working here for three months. → ¿Sabe operar la grúa? Lleva tres meses trabajando aquí.
There is a problem with the measurements. Tell me what happened. → Hay un problema con las medidas. Dígame lo que pasó.
Could you help me carry this? Be careful, it is heavy. → ¿Podría ayudarme a cargar esto? Tenga cuidado, está pesado.
Education:
How are you today? Do you need help with anything? → ¿Cómo estás hoy? ¿Necesitas ayuda con algo?
I know that you have been working hard. I want you to come to the conference. → Sé que has estado trabajando duro. Quiero que vengas a la conferencia.
She is a new student. She has been here for two weeks. → Es una estudiante nueva. Lleva dos semanas aquí.
Tell the students to put their phones away. → Diga a los estudiantes que guarden sus teléfonos.
Can you help me call the parent? She does not know the teacher yet. → ¿Puede ayudarme a llamar al padre? Todavía no conoce a la maestra.
Management:
There is a meeting tomorrow. Everyone must be there. → Hay una reunión mañana. Todos deben estar.
I need you to work on Saturday. Can you do it? → Necesito que trabaje el sábado. ¿Puede hacerlo?
She has been with the company for ten years. She knows the system well. → Lleva diez años en la empresa. Conoce bien el sistema.
I would like to discuss this with you. Could you come to my office? → Quisiera hablar de esto con usted. ¿Podría venir a mi oficina?
Tell me what happened and I will help you resolve it. → Dígame lo que pasó y le ayudaré a resolverlo.
You should speak with HR. They know the policy well. → Debería hablar con recursos humanos. Conocen bien la política.
A Quick Reference: The 20 Most Common Spanish Verbs at Work
Being and having:
Ser → to be (identity, definition, occupation, time, events)
Estar → to be (states, conditions, location, progressive)
Haber → to have (auxiliary) / there is / there are (hay)
Tener → to have (possession, age, sensations, tener que)
Core action:
Hacer → to make / to do / weather / time expressions
Ir → to go / going to (ir a + infinitive)
Poder → can / could / to be able to / permission
Querer → to want / to love / I would like (quisiera)
Saber → to know (facts and skills) / to find out
Conocer → to know (people and places) / to meet
Essential communication:
Necesitar → to need / I need you to (necesitar que)
Deber → must / should / ought to
Decir → to say / to tell
Venir → to come
Llevar → to carry / to wear / to have been doing for (duration)
Poner → to put / to place / to put on (ponerse)
Salir → to leave / to go out / to come out
Llamar → to call / to be called (llamarse)
Trabajar → to work
Ayudar → to help / to help to (ayudar a)
Start With These 20 and Build From There
These 20 verbs are not the limit of what workplace Spanish requires. They are the foundation. Once these verbs are automatic across their most important forms and uses, every new piece of vocabulary you add is something you can immediately deploy in real sentences because the structural framework is already in place. You know how to express being, having, going, needing, wanting, being able to, knowing, saying, calling, helping, and working. That is not a vocabulary list. That is a functional communication system.
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