How do you use chamba?
Use la chamba wherever English says "work" casually: the work you have, the job you're looking for, the place you're heading to. Chambear is the verb.
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Tengo mucha chamba.
I have a lot of work.
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Estoy buscando chamba.
I'm looking for a job.
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Ya me voy a la chamba.
I'm off to work.
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¿Cómo va la chamba?
How's work going?
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Hoy me toca chambear todo el día.
Today I have to work all day.
Is chamba formal?
No, chamba is informal: fine with friends, family and coworkers in a relaxed chat, but not for a job interview, a CV or an email to a client. There, trabajo ("work, job") and empleo ("employment") are the words, and they're what CiaoSpeak's lessons teach:
| Who you're talking to | Can you say it? |
|---|---|
| Friends, family, coworkers | Yes |
| Your boss, in a casual chat | Usually fine |
| A job interview, a CV, a work email | No: say trabajo or empleo |
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Tengo mucho trabajo.Unit 9
I have a lot of work.
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Trabajo desde casa.Unit 9
I work from home.
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conseguir trabajoUnit 16
to get a job
Which words go with chamba?
The words around chamba are chambear ("to work") and chambeador or chambeadora ("hard-working"), which is a compliment.
| Word | What it means | Who you can say it to |
|---|---|---|
| la chamba | work, a job | Friends, coworkers |
| chambear | to work | Friends, coworkers |
| chambeador / chambeadora | hard-working (a person); a compliment | Anyone, casually |
| el trabajo | work, a job | Anyone |
| el empleo | employment, a job (formal) | Anyone, in writing |
How can you practice Mexican Spanish out loud?
Practice it in short, real exchanges, out loud. CiaoSpeak's Spanish course is set in Mexico City: the lessons teach everyday words like trabajo and ahorita with a recording and a note on when to use them, and in the Speak tab a taco vendor, a taxi driver or your language-exchange partner Ana asks you one question at a time. You answer by voice (or typing), and the app tells you whether a person would understand you. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More words like this one: the Mexican slang list.
Frequently asked questions
Is chamba used outside Mexico?
Yes. Chamba is also heard in several other Latin American countries, such as Peru, with the same meaning, but it's best known as Mexican slang.
What does chambear mean?
Chambear means to work, casually: Hoy me toca chambear (I have to work today). A chambeador or chambeadora is a hard worker, and it's a compliment.
Can I say chamba in a job interview?
Better not. In an interview, a CV or a work email, say trabajo or empleo. Chamba is for chatting with friends and coworkers.