A2 · ElementaryAdapted from Expansión

Flexible Retirement in Spain: Earn Pension + Salary

Jubilación flexible: cobrar pensión y salario

Aug 29, 20261 min readGraded Spanish · word-by-word audio

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En España, la jubilación flexible permite a las personas mayores trabajar y cobrar la pensión al mismo tiempo. Esta modalidad es nueva y tiene reglas especiales.

Con la jubilación flexible, el trabajador recibe una parte de su pensión. La cantidad depende de las horas de trabajo. Si trabaja más horas, recibe menos pensión. Si trabaja menos horas, recibe más pensión.

Esta opción es buena para las personas que quieren seguir activas y ganar dinero extra. También ayuda a las empresas porque pueden contar con trabajadores con experiencia. Es una forma de combinar trabajo y descanso.

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Watch out, English speaker

Spanish 'permitir' is often followed directly by an infinitive, as in 'permite trabajar'. English speakers might mistakenly insert 'to' or use a gerund, saying 'permits to work' or 'permits working'. Remember: no preposition, just the bare infinitive. In Spanish, 'si' clauses with present tense use present tense in both parts, e.g., 'Si trabaja más, recibe menos.' English speakers may automatically use 'will' in the main clause, saying 'If he works more, he will receive less.' But Spanish avoids future tense here. Spanish 'pensión' can mean both 'pension' and 'retirement benefit', but it's not the same as English 'pension' which often refers to a company pension. In Spain, 'pensión' typically refers to the state retirement pension. Also, 'jubilación' means both 'retirement' and 'pension', so context matters.

Key vocabulary

jubilaciónf.
retirement; pension
“La jubilación flexible es una opción nueva.”— Flexible retirement is a new option.
Pattern jubilación flexible flexible retirement
Compare pensión (pension)
plural jubilaciones
💡 From jubilar (to retire), -ción forms nouns, same root as 'jubileo'.
pensiónf.
pension
“Ella cobra una pensión cada mes.”— She collects a pension every month.
Pattern cobrar la pensión to collect the pension
Compare jubilación (retirement pension)
plural: pensiones
💡 From Latin pensio, meaning 'payment', related to 'pension'.
autónomom./f.
self-employed person
“Mi padre trabaja como autónomo.”— My father works as a self-employed person.
Pattern trabajar como autónomo to work as a self-employed person
Compare independiente (independent), trabajador por cuenta propia (self-employed)
plural autónomos / autónomas
💡 From Greek auto- (self) + nomos (law), meaning self-governing.
contratom.
contract
“Tiene un contrato a tiempo parcial.”— He has a part-time contract.
Pattern firmar un contrato to sign a contract
Compare acuerdo (agreement)
plural: contratos
💡 From Latin contractus, meaning 'agreement, contract', same origin as English contract.
a tiempo parcialadv.
part-time
“Trabaja a tiempo parcial en una tienda.”— She works part-time in a shop.
Pattern trabajar a tiempo parcial to work part-time
Compare media jornada (half-day)
no conjugation, fixed phrase
💡 tiempo time + parcial part-time, together meaning part-time, i.e. part-time work.
cantidadf.
amount
“La cantidad de dinero depende del trabajo.”— The amount of money depends on the work.
Pattern la cantidad de quantity; en cantidad in large quantities
Compare número (number), importe (amount)
plural cantidades
💡 From Latin quantitas, same origin as English quantity; note the pronunciation of ñ.
dependerv.
to depend
“El precio depende de la calidad.”— The price depends on the quality.
Pattern depender de to depend on
Compare estar condicionado por (to be conditioned by)
Present: dependo, dependes, depende, dependemos, dependéis, dependen
💡 From Latin dependere, de- down + pendere to hang, extended to mean 'to hang on' i.e. to depend on.
experienciaf.
experience
“Ella tiene mucha experiencia en este trabajo.”— She has a lot of experience in this job.
Pattern tener experiencia to have experience
Compare práctica (practice)
plural: experiencias
💡 From Latin experientia, same root as 'experimento' (experiment), emphasizing knowledge gained from practice.

Grammar spotlight

permitir + infinitive

permitir means 'to allow' and is directly followed by an infinitive to say that something allows someone to do something. The structure is permitir + infinitive. No preposition is needed between permitir and the infinitive.

“La jubilación flexible permite a las personas mayores trabajar y cobrar la pensión.”— Flexible retirement allows older people to work and collect their pension.

⚠️ Don't add 'a' or 'de' before the infinitive; permitir is followed directly by the infinitive, with no preposition.

Conditional sentences with si + present tense

Use si to introduce a conditional clause; both the main clause and the si clause are in the present tense to express a general condition or fact. For example, 'If he works more, he receives less pension.'

“Si trabaja más horas, recibe menos pensión.”— If he works more hours, he receives less pension.

⚠️ Remember that the si clause cannot use the future tense; use the present tense instead.

Sentence patterns to steal

Esta modalidad es nueva y tiene reglas especiales.
This type is new and has special rules.
Esta modalidad es + adj. y tiene + nounmodalidad can be replaced with other nouns such as opción or sistema; the adjective and noun can also be changed.
La cantidad depende de las horas de trabajo.
The amount depends on the hours of work.
La cantidad depende de + nouncantidad can be replaced with precio, resultado, etc.; depender de can be followed by a noun or an infinitive.
Es una forma de combinar trabajo y descanso.
It is a way of combining work and rest.
Es una forma de + infinitive + y + nounforma can be replaced with manera or modo; the verb and noun can also be changed.

Retirement Culture in Spain

The retirement age in Spain is usually 65, but it can be voluntarily delayed. The flexible retirement policy aims to encourage older people to stay involved in society while easing pressure on the pension system. Spaniards value family and leisure, and after retirement they often spend time with their families.

Source: Spanish Ministry of Social Security official website

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