Working Across the EU: Your Rights Follow You

Key vocabulary

• trabajadorm.

  worker, employee

  “La UE ayuda a los trabajadores.”— The EU helps workers.

  Pattern trabajador móvil mobile worker

  Compare empleado employee

  plural trabajadores

  💡 From the verb trabajar (to work), with the suffix -dor meaning 'one who does something'

• seguridad socialf.

  social security

  “Quiero pedir la Seguridad Social en otro país.”— I want to apply for social security in another country.

  Pattern pedir la Seguridad Social to apply for Social Security

  Compare protección social social protection

  uncountable noun, no plural form

  💡 seguridad comes from Latin securitas, meaning 'safety'; social means 'social'

• segurom.

  insurance

  “El seguro de enfermedad es importante.”— Health insurance is important.

  Pattern seguro de enfermedad health insurance

  Compare póliza policy

  plural seguros

  💡 seguro can also be an adjective, meaning 'safe'

• documentom.

  document, ID

  “Recibo el documento por internet.”— I receive the document online.

  Pattern documento digital digital document

  Compare papel paper document

  plural documentos

  💡 From Latin documentum, meaning 'something that proves'

• medidaf.

  measure, step

  “Esta medida protege a los trabajadores.”— This measure protects workers.

  Pattern tomar medidas to take measures

  Compare acción action

  plural medidas

  💡 From the verb medir (to measure), originally meaning 'measurement result'

• empresaf.

  company, business

  “La empresa reduce el trabajo administrativo.”— The company reduces administrative work.

  Pattern trabajar en una empresa to work at a company

  Compare compañía company

  plural empresas

  💡 From the verb emprender (to start doing), originally meaning 'an undertaking'

• herramientaf.

  tool

  “Habrá una herramienta para comparar cualificaciones.”— There will be a tool to compare qualifications.

  Pattern herramienta digital digital tool

  Compare instrumento tool

  plural herramientas

  💡 From Latin ferramentum, originally meaning 'iron tool'

• mejoraf.

  improvement

  “Se esperan mejoras entre 2028 y 2030.”— Improvements are expected between 2028 and 2030.

  Pattern esperar mejoras to expect improvements

  Compare progreso progress

  plural mejoras

  💡 From the adjective mejor (better), with the suffix -a forming a noun

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• La Unión Europea quiere ayudar a los trabajadores que se mueven entre países.

  The European Union wants to help workers who move between countries.

  querer + infinitive + a + person/groupYou can replace the subject and the person/group helped, e.g., El gobierno quiere ayudar a los jóvenes.

• Con él, las personas pueden pedir y recibir documentos por internet.

  With it, people can apply for and receive documents online.

  Con + tool/means, + subject + poder + infinitiveYou can replace the tool and the action, e.g., Con la app, puedes pagar fácilmente.

• Se esperan mejoras entre 2028 y 2030.

  Improvements are expected between 2028 and 2030.

  Se esperan + noun + time frameYou can replace the noun and time, e.g., Se esperan cambios en los próximos años.