Jubilación flexible: cobra pensión y sigue trabajando
Sep 6, 2026·1 min read·Graded Spanish · word-by-word audio
Read along
Free preview — playback stops here. Full audio comes with Plus.
La nueva jubilación flexible en España permite a los jubilados volver a trabajar mientras cobran su pensión. Esta modalidad ofrece dos opciones: trabajar como autónomo o con un contrato a tiempo parcial como asalariado.
Una de las claves de esta nueva fórmula es que el jubilado recibirá un extra en la parte de la pensión que percibe, según el porcentaje de jornada laboral que realice. Es decir, si trabaja más horas, la pensión que recibe será mayor. Esto incentiva a los mayores a mantenerse activos y contribuir a la economía.
La medida se presenta como una solución para el futuro de las pensiones. Los expertos señalan que los futuros jubilados podrían recibir más del doble de lo que cotizaron a la Seguridad Social. Por eso, la jubilación flexible se convierte en una opción atractiva para quienes quieren seguir trabajando sin perder ingresos.
Go Plus
You've reached the end of the free preview.
Plus unlocks everything on SpanishReadingDaily:
Every article in full — no daily limit
Word-by-word audio read-along
Smart review that brings saved words back until you own them
Free full article every day — see today's. No card needed.
Have a Plus activation code?
Watch out, English speaker
Spanish 'permitir' often requires an indirect object pronoun (e.g., 'permite a los jubilados trabajar'), while English 'allow' can omit the object or use 'allow someone to do'. English speakers may forget the 'a' before the person, saying 'permite los jubilados' instead of 'permite a los jubilados'. Also, unlike English 'allow working', Spanish 'permitir' is rarely followed by a gerund; use the infinitive.
In Spanish, 'si' clauses with present tense take a future tense in the main clause (e.g., 'Si trabaja más, recibirá más'). English often uses present tense in both clauses ('If he works more, he receives more') or 'will' in the main clause. Learners may incorrectly use the present subjunctive after 'si' (e.g., 'si trabaje') or use the future tense after 'si' (e.g., 'si trabajará'), which is wrong in standard Spanish.
Key vocabulary
jubilaciónf.
retirement; pension
“La jubilación flexible permite trabajar y cobrar pensión.”— Flexible retirement allows you to work and collect a pension.
Pattern jubilación flexible flexible retirement
Compare retiro (m.)
Plural: jubilaciones
💡 From the verb jubilar (to retire), -ción is a noun suffix.
pensiónf.
pension, retirement pay
“Él cobra una pensión cada mes.”— He collects a pension every month.
Pattern cobrar una pensión to receive a pension
Compare subsidio (m.)
Plural: pensiones
💡 Cognate with English pension, note the pronunciation of ñ in Spanish.
autónomoadj./m.
self-employed; freelancer
“María trabaja como autónoma en su propio negocio.”— María works as a freelancer in her own business.
Pattern trabajar como autónomo to work as a self-employed person
Compare independiente (adj.)
Feminine: autónoma; plural: autónomos
💡 Composed of auto- (self) + -nomo (rule), refers to a self-employed person.
contratom.
contract
“Firmó un contrato a tiempo parcial.”— He signed a part-time contract.
Pattern contrato a tiempo parcial part-time contract
Compare acuerdo (m.)
Plural: contratos
💡 From Latin contractus, cognate with English contract.
asalariadoadj./m.
salaried; employee
“Los asalariados tienen derecho a vacaciones.”— Salaried workers are entitled to vacations.
Pattern trabajador asalariado salaried worker
Compare empleado (m.)
Feminine: asalariada; plural: asalariados
💡 Composed of a- + salario (salary) + -ado, indicates a person who receives a salary.
medidaf.
measure, step
“El gobierno tomó medidas para mejorar la economía.”— The government took measures to improve the economy.
Pattern tomar medidas to take measures
Compare acción (f.)
Plural: medidas
💡 Note the relation to medir (to measure), but medida is more often used for abstract measures.
aprovecharv.
to take advantage of, make the most of
“Debemos aprovechar la experiencia de los mayores.”— We must take advantage of the experience of older people.
Pattern aprovechar la oportunidad to seize the opportunity
Compare utilizar (v.)
Present: aprovecho, aprovechas, aprovecha...
💡 From provecho (benefit), prefix a- indicates direction.
sostenibilidadf.
sustainability
“La sostenibilidad del sistema de pensiones es un reto.”— The sustainability of the pension system is a challenge.
Pattern la sostenibilidad del sistema the sustainability of the system
Compare viabilidad (f.)
Plural: sostenibilidades
💡 From sostener (to sustain) + -bilidad (ability).
porcentajem.
percentage, proportion
“El porcentaje de jornada determina el extra.”— The percentage of working hours determines the extra amount.
Pattern un alto porcentaje a high percentage
Compare proporción (f.)
Plural: porcentajes
💡 Composed of por (per) + ciento (hundred) + -aje (noun suffix).
incentivarv.
to incentivize, encourage
“El gobierno incentiva a los jóvenes a trabajar.”— The government incentivizes young people to work.
Pattern incentivar a alguien a hacer algo to incentivize someone to do something
Compare motivar (v.)
Present: incentivo, incentivas, incentiva...
💡 From incentivo (incentive), cognate with English incentive.
cotizarv.
to contribute (to social security), to quote
“Los trabajadores cotizan cada mes.”— Workers contribute every month.
Pattern cotizar a la Seguridad Social to contribute to Social Security
Compare contribuir (v.)
Present: cotizo, cotizas, cotiza...
💡 From Latin quota (share), related to English quote.
Grammar spotlight
Verb permitir + infinitive
A2
Permitir means 'to allow' and is commonly used in the structure permitir a alguien + infinitive, meaning to allow someone to do something. The person allowed is preceded by the preposition a.
“La nueva jubilación flexible permite a los jubilados volver a trabajar.”— The new flexible retirement system allows retirees to return to work.
⚠️ Don't forget to add the preposition a before the person, e.g., permite a los jubilados.
Conditional sentences: si + present, future
B1
Used to express real conditions: if the condition is met, the result will happen. The structure is si + present indicative, with the main clause in the future tense.
“Si trabaja más horas, la pensión que recibe será mayor.”— If he works more hours, the pension he receives will be higher.
⚠️ The future tense cannot be used in the conditional clause; only the present or past tense is allowed.
Sentence patterns to steal
La nueva jubilación flexible en España permite a los jubilados volver a trabajar mientras cobran su pensión.
Spain's new flexible retirement system allows retirees to return to work while collecting their pension.
permite a alguien + infinitive + mientras + clauseReplace jubilación flexible with other systems or policies, and volver a trabajar with other actions.
Es una medida que busca aprovechar la experiencia de los mayores y reforzar la sostenibilidad del sistema de pensiones.
It is a measure that seeks to leverage the experience of older people and strengthen the sustainability of the pension system.
Es + un/una + noun + que busca + infinitiveReplace medida with other nouns, and aprovechar... with other purposes.
Una de las claves de esta nueva fórmula es que el jubilado recibirá un extra en la parte de la pensión que percibe, según el porcentaje de jornada laboral que realice.
One of the keys to this new formula is that the retiree will receive an extra portion of the pension they receive, according to the percentage of working hours they work.
Una de las claves de... es que...Replace claves with características, ventajas, etc., and fórmula with other things.
Esto incentiva a los mayores a mantenerse activos y contribuir a la economía.
This encourages older people to stay active and contribute to the economy.
incentivar a alguien a + infinitiveReplace mayores with other groups, and mantenerse activos with other actions.
Por eso, la jubilación flexible se convierte en una opción atractiva para quienes quieren seguir trabajando sin perder ingresos.
Therefore, flexible retirement becomes an attractive option for those who want to keep working without losing income.
convertirse en + noun + para quienes + clauseReplace jubilación flexible with other things, and opción atractiva with other descriptions.
Spain's Pension System
Spain's pension system is a pay-as-you-go system, meaning that contributions from current workers pay for the pensions of current retirees. In recent years, to address population aging, the government has been adjusting retirement policies, and flexible retirement is one such reform. This measure allows retirees to work part-time or as self-employed while receiving a pension.