How to answer "Dónde trabaja usted?"

Question

When you answer "Dónde trabaja usted?" You would answer "(Yo) trabajo en un periódoco/restaurante,.... etc. right?

When you say "(Yo) trabajo en una escuela", wouldn't it be OK to say "(Yo) trabajo en la escuela" too? Wouldn't it mean the same thing? Or would it change the meaning or tone of the sentence?

I wish I could choose everyone, but sadly, SpanishDict won't allow me... thank you! - Saphire, Oct 8, 2010

Answer 1

Well, in English, you would say 'I work in a school' unless you were:

a) close to the actual school and able to point to it at the moment in which you're talking

b) living in a village, possibly, where there is only one school, so if you said 'the school', it would give that person more information than just saying a school.

Let's see if any kind person can confirm whether or not it's the same in Spanish!

Nice question.

I guess no one would say that "I work in THE school", huh..? - Saphire, Oct 8, 2010

Not in Engish as Galsally correctly asserts unless it is clear from the context the school to which you are referring or if there is only on school it could possiibly be. I Hope this helps :) - FELIZ77, Oct 8, 2010

Answer 2

I used to work in s Primary school and I would usually respond to my Spanish speaking friends

"Trabajo en una escuela primera" in response to questions like yours:

"¿Dónde trabajas?"

It is highly unlikely, from my knowledge and in my experience, that you would use the Spanish definite article ' la' meaning 'the school' unless:

1 You had already referred to a particular school in the sentence and the context made it clear that you were talking about the same school again

or

2 The school was being pointed out as you spoke

I work in the school over there = Trabajo en la escuela ahí

but you would probably say instead : "Trabajo en esta escuela, ahí"

= I work in 'that' school (over) there

3 You are referring to a specific school " Trabajo en la escuela enfrente el parque de bomberos" = I work in the school opposite the fire station

I hope that helps

Answer 3

Looks like it depends on what you are trying to say. I looked definite and indefinite articles up in the reference section. Here's what it says about when to use and not use indefinite articles:

Use: 1. To describe a person using a noun 2. To describe an (approximate) amount of something

Do not use: 1. To describe an unknown amount of something 2. When not referring to a specific item, but rather the idea of the thing. 3. When the noun is preceded by: cierto/a, medio/a, tal(es), otro/a, or mil

The reference section has much more information on definite and indefinite articles that may serve to help you in distinguishing when to use.

Hope that was somewhat helpful.

Ciao!!