dedicarse a

to do for a living

dedicarse a(deh-dee-kahr-seh ah)

pronominal verb phrase

1. (to be employed as)

a. to do for a living

Se dedique a lo que se dedique en el futuro, seguro que lo hará bien, porque es una niña muy inteligente.

Whatever she does for a living in the future, I'm sure she'll do it well, because she's a very intelligent child.

b. to work as

Mi madre se dedicó toda la vida a la enseñanza.

My mother worked as a teacher all her life.

c. to be

Mi marido y mis hijos se dedican a la construcción.

My husband and my sons are builders.

d.

no direct translation

Yo me dedico a la restauración de muebles antiguos.

I restore antique furniture for a living.

Mi hermana siempre quiso dedicarse a la carpintería.

My sister always wanted to be a carpenter.

2. (to pass time)

a. to devote oneself to

Desde que se jubiló, se dedica a cuidar de sus nietos.

Since she retired, she's devoted herself to looking after her grandchildren.

b. to spend one's time

En lugar de buscarse un trabajo o hacer algo útil, se dedica a hacer el tonto.

Instead of looking for a job or doing something useful, she just spends her time messing around.