Posts tagged with "business"

Business Spanish – The Job Interview in Spanish – Describing Motivation and Drive

Posted by Adir 2 Comments
Oct 25 2010

When we’re in a job interview, the interviewer may ask us about our motivation and drive. Here are some sentences for you to practice.

¿Cómo describiría su ética y desempeño en el trabajo comparados a los de sus colegas? – How would you describe your work ethic and performance compared to your colleagues?

¿Cómo evalúa su propio éxito? – How do you measure your personal success?

¿Cómo juzga usted su propio rendimiento? – How do you judge your own performance?

¿Cuáles cree que son las características comunes de las personas con mayor éxito? – What do you think are the common characteristics of highly successful people?

¿Cuáles son algunos de sus objetivos laborales? – What are some of your personal job-related goals?

¿Cuáles son sus objetivos y perspectivas a largo plazo? – What are your long-term goals and objectives?

¿Cuáles son sus tres objetivos laborales más importantes? – What are your three top job-related goals?

¿De qué cambios y adelantos le gustaría ser responsable en su puesto dentro de dos años? – What changes and improvements would you like to be responsible for in your position in the next two years?

¿Cuáles cree que son los tres principios más importantes para alcanzar el éxito profesional? – What do you believe are the three most important principles needed to achieve job success?

¿Qué hace actualmente para mejorar su rendimiento general en el trabajo? – What are you currently doing to improve your overall job performance?

¿Qué me puede decir sobre su persona que mejor ilustre su empeño y motivación personales? – What can you tell me about yourself that best illustrates your personal drive and motivation?

¿Qué situaciones le estimulan y motivan? – What situations excite and motivate you?

This is it for today, nos vemos prontito.

Business Spanish – Arranging to meet someone in Spanish

Posted by Adir 2 Comments
Oct 18 2010

Hello, there! Today we’re going to learn (or review!) useful expressions when you arrange to meet someone in a business context, in Spanish.

Let’s start by proposing a time or a place.

¿Cuál sería un buen día para usted? – What day’s good for you?

¿Puedo agendar para el viernes? – Can I put you down for Friday?

¿Qué tal el viernes para usted? – How’s Friday for you?

¿Y el lunes? – How about Monday?

¿Qué tal un un desayuno? – Does breakfast sound good?

¿Por qué no nos encontramos en …? – Why don’t we meet in/at…?

¿A las 9:00? – Say 9:00?

Si por algún motivo no puede, llámeme al móvil/celular. – If for any reason you can’t make it, just give me a call on my cell phone.

Sometimes you can’t go, so you might say some of the following sentences:

Creo que está un poco apretado. ¿Qué tal…? – That might be pushing it, I think. How about…?

Lo siento. No puedo. – Sorry, I can’t.

Tengo que… el viernes. – I have to … on Friday.

Estoy ocupadísimo esta semana. – I’m fully booked this week.

Tengo mil cosas que hacer. – I have a thousand things to do.

Tengo que consultar mi agenda. – I need to check my schedule.

¿Puedo llamarle? – Can I call you?

If you can go, you can use:

Está excelente. –Sounds good.

Muy bien. Nos vemos, entonces. – Ok, see you then.

Now, if you accept but something comes up and you can’t go, you can cancel:

Oiga, voy a tener que cancelar nuestro encuentro. – Listen, I have to cancel our meeting.

Ha surgido un imprevisto. – Something came up.

Discúlpeme. – Sorry about that.

No tuve cómo escapar. – There was no way I could get out of it.

Espero que usted entienda. – I hope you understand.

¿Vamos a dejarlo para la próxima semana? – How about getting together next week?

Eso es todo por hoy. Nos vemos prontito.

Santiago Calatrava and the World Trade Center

Posted by Magda No Comments
May 20 2010

Part of the rebuilding project for the World Trade Center includes a new transportation hub for lower Manhattan, known as the PATH station. It is scheduled to be completed in 2013, and the architect in charge is Santiago Calatrava.

Born in Valencia, Spain, Calatrava is one of the most renowned contemporary architects and one of the pioneers of a revival of artistic design in a field dominated by budgets, deadlines, and practicality. He has brought to life a vast number of innovative projects all over Europe and the US. His most recognized work in Spain is La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) in Valencia. This is a complex made up of several buildings including museums, an aquarium, an opera hall, and a planetarium. Other significant works are the Milwaukee Museum, the James Joyce Bridge in Dublin, Lyon St-Exupéry Station, or the Turning Torso in Malmö.

Valencia - Museo della Scienza
Valencia, Museo de las Artes y las Ciencias” by Un ragazzo chiamato Bi

Calatrava is not just an architect. He is also a sculptor and engineer, and draws thousands of sketches for his projects. In his own words, “la arquitectura es una escultura donde se entra” (architecture is a sculpture you can walk into”). This concern with stylistic beauty can be appreciated by observing his bold and ambitious designs. As an artist, he was the perfect choice for bringing a symbolic meaning to the new World Trade Center project. The concept for the transportation hub is a dove being released from a child’s hand. In Calatrava’s mind, the poetic dimension is an essential part of architecture, and this building represents a tribute to the city, to life, a message of peace, and a door open to hope for future generations.

The World Trade Center Transportation Hub as seen from the street level
Courtesy of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Such a large project couldn’t be without pitfalls. Some of the features have had to be modified to comply with enhanced security regulations in the city, and the budget has ballooned beyond its initial estimation. Some people have criticized Calatrava as a result, but we have to remember that, at the end of the day, the hub will be more than just a station. It will be a work of art. Would you rather see another boring, lifeless, dull building in its place simply because it is more inexpensive? Do we care now whether the Sistine Chapel was completed within budget, or how much the Eiffel Tower cost?
In time, the new WTC will be a landmark for the city, and I’m looking forward to walking into this sculpture one day.

Vocabulario – En la oficina (at the office)

Posted by Adir 1 Comment
Feb 26 2010

Shall we learn some vocabulary related to the office?

el archivo – file cabinet
el armario – closet
el clip – paper clip
el escáner – scanner
el líquido borrador – whiteout
el ordenador / la computadora – computer
el pisapapeles – paperweight
el rotulador – marker
el sello fechador – date stamp
el sillón giratorio – swivel chair
el teléfono – telephone
la agenda – appointment book
la almohadilla – stamp damper
la calculadora – calculator
la carpeta – folder
la estantería – bookshelf
la grapadora – stapler
la impresora – printer
la máquina de escribir – typewriter
la papelera – paper basket

Business Spanish

Posted by Adir No Comments
Sep 29 2009

According to Ed Brodow in the book Negotiate with Confidence, Americans do business in a hurry. The following sentences will show businesspeople some ways to establish rapport, induce the other part to open first, explore the needs of the client, and then resist the first offer.

Bien, en primer lugar … – Well, first of all …
Gracias por haber venido. – Thank you for coming.
Les agradezco que hayan vendio a reunirse con nosotros hoy. – I would like to thank you for meeting with us today.
Gracias por venir en tan corto plazo. – Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Gracias por reunirse con nosotros en tan corto plazo. – Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice.
Gracias por haber tomado tiempo para reunirse con nosotros. – Thank you for taking time out to meet with us.
Hemos oído muchas cosas buenas sobre su empresa. – We’ve heard so many good things about your company.
Estoy seguro de que nos esperan buenos momentos en el futuro. – I’m sure so many good things lie ahead for us in the future.

Bien, ¿por qué no me dice lo que tiene en mente? – Right, why don’t you let me know what you have in mind?
¿Le gustaría empezar? – Would you like to begin?
Creo que usted debería empezar. – I think perhaps you should go first.
Es mejor que usted empiece con lo que había planeado y continuaremos de ahí. – It’s best if you start with what you had planned and then we’ll take it from there.
No, ¿por qué no empieza usted? – No, why don’t you go first?
No, por favor. Usted primero. – No, please. You go first.

¿Qué está usando ahora en términos de …? – What are you using now in terms of …?
¿Actualmente, qué están…? – What do you currently …?
¿Están satisfechos con su … actual? – Are you satisfied with your current …?
¿Qué le gusta más del producto? – What do you like the most about the product?
¿Qué le gusta menos en el producto? – What do you like the least about it?
¿Estaría en lo correcto si dijera…? – Would I be right in saying that …?

Muy bien, pero no era eso lo que tenía en mente. – OK. Well, that’s not exactly what I had in mind.
Mire, francamente yo esperaba … – Well, to be honest, I was hoping for …
Bien. Parece bueno, pero… – OK. Well, that sounds fine, but …
Nos gustaría un poco más de tiempo para pensar al respecto. – We’d like a little more time to think it over.
¿Y si …? – And what if …?
Aún tengo algunas dudas sobre … – I still have a few doubts about …

Back to the Top