Quick and useful: this lesson helps you start and manage short chats at work without taking too much time. Practice the phrases, listen to a short conversation, then say them aloud.
Level B1: In this lesson you'll practice everyday workplace small talk — asking about current tasks, mentioning recent news, and politely checking whether it's a good time to chat. The phrases are CEFR-aligned and focused on friendly, professional interactions you can use with coworkers in person or at the office.
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Ask and answer light questions about current work and recent events.
Politely start and end short conversations at work.
Use natural Spanish phrases to mention small successes and shared news.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
Las cosas han estado bastante ___ últimamente.
Things have been pretty ___ lately.
Meaning: Comment on a busy or stressful period
When to use: Use this sentence to say work has been busy or stressful recently; fill the blank with an adjective like 'movidas', 'estresantes' or 'intensas'.
Tip: No combines 'bastante' with 'muy' (e.g., 'bastante muy'). Choose one intensifier and pick an adjective that matches the context.
Las cosas han estado bastante movidas últimamente; tenemos muchos proyectos.
Things have been pretty busy lately; we have many projects.
Las cosas han estado bastante estresantes últimamente con el cierre del mes.
Things have been quite stressful lately with month-end.
¿Siempre está así de ___ por aquí?
Is it always this ___ around here?
Meaning: Make a friendly comment about the workplace atmosphere
When to use: Ask this when you want to comment on how busy, quiet, or noisy the workplace usually is; finish the blank with an adjective like 'tranquilo' or 'movido'.
¿Siempre está así de tranquilo por aquí los viernes?
Is it always this quiet around here on Fridays?
¿Siempre está así de movido por aquí durante la temporada alta?
Is it always this busy here during peak season?
¿Supiste lo de ___?
Did you hear about ___?
Meaning: Start light conversation about shared news or updates
When to use: Use this to ask a coworker if they heard about some news, update, or announcement. Fill the blank with the topic.
¿Supiste lo de la reunión con marketing?
Did you hear about the meeting with marketing?
¿Supiste lo de la nueva política de viajes?
Did you hear about the new travel policy?
Por fin descubrí cómo ___.
I finally figured out how to ___ .
Meaning: Mention a small personal success at work
When to use: Say this when you want to share a small win or that you finally figured something out; finish the blank with the task or tool.
Por fin descubrí cómo usar la nueva herramienta.
I finally figured out how to use the new tool.
Por fin descubrí cómo configurar el informe automático.
I finally discovered how to set up the automatic report.
Qué gusto por fin conocerte en persona.
It's nice to put a face to the name.
Meaning: Make a friendly comment when meeting someone known by name
When to use: Use this when you meet in person someone you already know by email or name; it's warm and polite.
Qué gusto por fin conocerte en persona, Laura; hablamos por correo antes.
Nice to finally meet you in person, Laura; we spoke by email before.
Qué gusto por fin conocerte en persona después de tanto tiempo en videollamadas.
Great to finally meet you in person after so many video calls.
Avísame si interrumpo.
Let me know if I'm interrupting.
Meaning: Politely check whether it is okay to start chatting
When to use: Say this when you approach someone at their desk and want to be sure you're not interrupting their work.
Tip: With close coworkers this is fine; with managers some speakers prefer the slightly more formal 'avíseme'.
Avísame si interrumpo, ¿estás en medio de algo?
Tell me if I'm interrupting; are you in the middle of something?
Avísame si interrumpo; puedo volver más tarde.
Let me know if I'm interrupting; I can come back later.
No te quiero quitar tiempo de tu trabajo.
I don't want to keep you from your work.
Meaning: Politely end a chat so the other person can continue working
When to use: Use this to close a short conversation so the other person can get back to their tasks.
No te quiero quitar tiempo de tu trabajo, paso solo cinco minutos.
I don't want to take time from your work, I'll just be five minutes.
No te quiero quitar tiempo de tu trabajo; hablamos luego por email.
I don't want to take your work time; we'll talk later by email.
¿Cómo te fue con ___?
How did ___ go?
Meaning: Ask a coworker casually about the result of a recent work event or task
When to use: Use this to ask how something went — a meeting, presentation, or delivery. Fill the blank with the event.
¿Cómo te fue con la presentación de ayer?
How did it go with your presentation yesterday?
¿Cómo te fue con la entrega del proyecto?
How did it go with the project delivery?
¿Estás trabajando en algo interesante ahorita?
Are you working on anything interesting right now?
Meaning: Start light workplace small talk by asking about a coworker's current work
When to use: Use this to ask what someone is working on right now. Note: 'ahorita' is common in some regions; 'ahora' is more neutral.
Tip: Some learners overuse 'ahorita' without knowing regional tone; 'ahora' is a safe alternative if you're unsure.
¿Estás trabajando en algo interesante ahorita o puedo preguntarte?
Are you working on something interesting right now or can I ask you?
¿Estás trabajando en algo interesante ahorita sobre el nuevo cliente?
Are you working on something interesting right now about the new client?
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
Quick office chat by a coworker's desk
What did David say about how work has been recently?
Anna
Avísame si interrumpo.
Tell me if I'm interrupting.
David
No, para nada. ¿Estás trabajando en algo interesante ahorita?
No, not at all. Are you working on something interesting right now?
Anna
Más o menos. ¿Supiste lo de la reunión con ventas?
Sort of. Did you hear about the meeting with sales?
David
Sí, y por fin descubrí cómo preparar el informe que pidieron.
Yes, and I finally figured out how to prepare the report they asked for.
Anna
Qué gusto por fin conocerte en persona.
Nice to finally meet you in person.
David
Igualmente. Las cosas han estado bastante movidas últimamente.
Same here. Things have been pretty busy lately.
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
Which Spanish phrase asks whether someone heard about shared news?
Which phrase do you use to politely check if you're interrupting someone's work?
How would you say 'Nice to finally meet you in person' in Spanish?
Which sentence asks about someone's current work?
When I arrive at Carla's desk I say: 'Tell me if I'm interrupting.'
Al llegar al escritorio de Carla digo: '___'.
After the presentation I asked: 'How did it go with your presentation?'
Después de la presentación le pregunté: '___'.
I met Marta after months of video calls and said: 'Nice to finally meet you in person.'
Conocí a Marta después de meses de videollamadas y le dije: '___'.
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
Say this phrase out loud:
Las cosas han estado bastante ___ últimamente.
Things have been pretty ___ lately.
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Siempre está así de ___ por aquí?
Is it always this ___ around here?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Supiste lo de ___?
Did you hear about ___?
Say this phrase out loud:
Por fin descubrí cómo ___.
I finally figured out how to ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Qué gusto por fin conocerte en persona.
Nice to finally meet you in person.
Say this phrase out loud:
Avísame si interrumpo.
Tell me if I'm interrupting.
Say this phrase out loud:
No te quiero quitar tiempo de tu trabajo.
I don't want to take time from your work.
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Cómo te fue con ___?
How did it go with ___?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Estás trabajando en algo interesante ahorita?
Are you working on something interesting right now?
