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Illustration for “You work to live, you don't live to work”

Spanish dialogue with translation · B1 · 18 lines

Se trabaja para vivir, no se vive para trabajar You work to live, you don't live to work

Comic · 18 panels

Panel 1 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “We're already on our third coffee and nobody's getting up from the table.”
  1. Sergio

    Ya vamos por el tercer café y nadie se levanta de la mesa.

    We're already on our third coffee and nobody's getting up from the table.

Panel 2 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Look at what the newspaper says: most people prefer to have more time rather than more money (to several people).”
  1. Lucía

    Mirad lo que dice el periódico: la mayoría prefiere tener más tiempo que más dinero.

    Look at what the newspaper says: most people prefer to have more time rather than more money (to several people).

Panel 3 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Of course. I'm sure about it: you work to live, you don't live to work.”
  1. Pablo

    Normal. Yo lo tengo claro: se trabaja para vivir, no se vive para trabajar.

    Of course. I'm sure about it: you work to live, you don't live to work.

Panel 4 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “I'm with Pablo. Thinking about Monday when it's still Sunday makes me sick.”
  1. Sergio

    Yo estoy con Pablo. Me da asco pensar en el lunes cuando todavía es domingo.

    I'm with Pablo. Thinking about Monday when it's still Sunday makes me sick.

Panel 5 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Well, for me it's the other way around: Monday is my favorite day. To go far, you have to make sacrifices and not leave at five o'clock sharp.”
  1. Lucía

    Pues para mí es al revés: el lunes es mi día favorito. Para llegar lejos hay que sacrificarse y no salir a las cinco en punto.

    Well, for me it's the other way around: Monday is my favorite day. To go far, you have to make sacrifices and not leave at five o'clock sharp.

Panel 6 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “And what for? I'd prefer to live near the sea and not look at the clock.”
  1. Pablo

    ¿Y para qué? Yo preferiría vivir cerca del mar y no mirar el reloj.

    And what for? I'd prefer to live near the sea and not look at the clock.

Panel 7 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Pablo, you already live near the sea, and you're late for everything.”
  1. Sergio

    Pablo, ya vives cerca del mar y llegas tarde a todo.

    Pablo, you already live near the sea, and you're late for everything.

Panel 8 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “That's why I'm saying it: I leave the office late, and then I don't have time for anything.”
  1. Pablo

    Por eso lo digo: salgo tarde de la oficina y luego no me da tiempo a nada.

    That's why I'm saying it: I leave the office late, and then I don't have time for anything.

Panel 9 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “I work from eight to five so I can play the guitar in the afternoon. I wouldn't change that schedule for anything.”
  1. Dani

    Yo curro de ocho a cinco para poder tocar la guitarra por la tarde. No cambiaría ese horario por nada.

    I work from eight to five so I can play the guitar in the afternoon. I wouldn't change that schedule for anything.

Panel 10 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “You're a dreamer, Dani. I don't think a musician has stability or a steady income (to a man).”
  1. Lucía

    Eres un soñador, Dani. No creo que un músico tenga estabilidad ni ingresos seguros.

    You're a dreamer, Dani. I don't think a musician has stability or a steady income (to a man).

Panel 11 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “In fact, last month I got paid forty euros for playing at a bar. Split four ways, but I felt rich (man speaking).”
  1. Dani

    De hecho, el mes pasado cobré cuarenta euros por tocar en un bar. Entre los cuatro, pero me sentí rico.

    In fact, last month I got paid forty euros for playing at a bar. Split four ways, but I felt rich (man speaking).

Panel 12 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “My cousin is unemployed: he has all the time in the world and not even forty euros.”
  1. Sergio

    Mi primo está en paro: tiene todo el tiempo del mundo y ni cuarenta euros.

    My cousin is unemployed: he has all the time in the world and not even forty euros.

Panel 13 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “That's not what I'm saying. I want to make it clear that I like working, but calmly, instead of living in a rush.”
  1. Pablo

    Eso no es lo que digo. Quiero dejar claro que me gusta trabajar, pero con calma, en vez de vivir corriendo.

    That's not what I'm saying. I want to make it clear that I like working, but calmly, instead of living in a rush.

Panel 14 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “I take my profession seriously. Walking just for the sake of walking seems like a waste of time to me.”
  1. Lucía

    Yo me tomo en serio mi profesión. Pasear por pasear me parece perder el tiempo.

    I take my profession seriously. Walking just for the sake of walking seems like a waste of time to me.

Panel 15 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Not wasting time: gaining it. Is so much money worth it if you don't have peace of mind?”
  1. Pablo

    Perder el tiempo, no: ganarlo. ¿Merece la pena tanto dinero si no tienes tranquilidad?

    Not wasting time: gaining it. Is so much money worth it if you don't have peace of mind?

Panel 16 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “Ana, you're not saying anything. What would you do: more money or more time?”
  1. Sergio

    Ana, tú no dices nada. ¿Tú qué harías: más dinero o más tiempo?

    Ana, you're not saying anything. What would you do: more money or more time?

Panel 17 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “I think it depends on the day. Today, with this coffee, more time. When I have to make a real decision, we'll see.”
  1. Ana

    Creo que depende del día. Hoy, con este café, más tiempo. Cuando tenga que tomar una decisión de verdad, ya veremos.

    I think it depends on the day. Today, with this coffee, more time. When I have to make a real decision, we'll see.

Panel 18 of 18 for “You work to live, you don't live to work”: “The result of this conversation: nobody has convinced anybody, and the dishes are still on the table.”
  1. Sergio

    Resultado de esta conversación: nadie ha convencido a nadie y los platos siguen en la mesa.

    The result of this conversation: nobody has convinced anybody, and the dishes are still on the table.

Grammar for this text

No creo que un músico tenga… and Creo que depende… After no creo que the verb is in the subjunctive: tenga is the él form of tener (unit 24). After creo que it's the normal form: depende. "I don't think that" shows doubt; "I think that" shows you're sure.

Cuando tenga que tomar una decisión de verdad — cuando about the future takes the subjunctive (unit 20): "when I have to". Ana isn't promising anything: ya veremos — "we'll see".

¿Tú qué harías…?, Yo preferiría, No cambiaría — the conditional, "I would" (unit 4): harías from hacer, preferiría from preferir, cambiaría from cambiar. The question is asked directly, without "if".

Me da asco pensar en el lunes — it works like gustar: the person who is disgusted is me, and the thing that disgusts is the subject. It's a strong, informal phrase.

Pues para mí es al revés — "well, for me it's the other way around". Quiero dejar claro que me gusta trabajar — "I want to make it clear that…". Me tomo en serio mi profesión — "I take my profession seriously". No me da tiempo a nada — "I don't have time for anything".

Mirad — a command to several friends (vosotros): for mirar, the final -r changes to -d. Curro — informal "I work", from currar (unit 23).

Words and grammar of the unit: Debate your views at the table.

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