El chico trabaja.

El is the definite article in Spanish, like the in English.

So el chico means the boy.

It is used because chico is a masculine singular noun, and the article has to match it:

• el chico = the boy
• la chica = the girl

In this sentence, el is not optional if you want to say the boy.

These are two different words:

• el = the
• él = he

The accent mark changes the meaning.

So:

• El chico trabaja. = The boy works / is working.
• Él trabaja. = He works / is working.

In your sentence, el has no accent because it is the article.

Chico usually means boy, but depending on context it can also mean:

• young guy
• lad
• sometimes just guy in informal speech

In a basic sentence like El chico trabaja, the most natural meaning is the boy works.

In Spain, chico is a very common everyday word.

Because trabaja is the form that matches he / she / it or a singular noun like el chico.

The infinitive is trabajar = to work.

Here is the present tense:

• yo trabajo = I work
• tú trabajas = you work
• él / ella trabaja = he / she works
• nosotros trabajamos = we work
• vosotros trabajáis = you all work
• ellos / ellas trabajan = they work

Since el chico is third person singular, you use trabaja.

Spanish often does not use subject pronouns when they are not needed.

That is because the verb ending already gives information about the subject:

• trabaja already tells you it is he/she/it or a singular noun
• and el chico clearly says who is doing the action

So El chico trabaja is completely natural.

Spanish usually avoids unnecessary pronouns unless you want emphasis or contrast.

Yes, often it can.

The Spanish present tense can express:

• a habitual action: The boy works
• an action happening right now, depending on context: The boy is working

So El chico trabaja can mean either one, depending on the situation.

If you want to make is working very explicit, Spanish can also use:

• El chico está trabajando.

But the simple present is still very common.

A simple approximation is:

• CHI-ko

Details:

• ch sounds like the ch in church
• i sounds like the vowel in machine
• c before o sounds like a hard k
• stress falls on the first syllable: CHI-co

So: CHI-ko

A rough pronunciation is:

• tra-BA-ha

Important points:

• tr is said together, with a tapped Spanish r
• j in Spain is a strong throaty sound, not an English j
• stress falls on the middle syllable: tra-BA-ja

So the key thing for English speakers is that j in trabaja sounds more like a strong breathy/throaty sound, not like the j in job.

Yes, you could say Trabaja el chico, but it sounds different.

• El chico trabaja. = neutral, standard word order
• Trabaja el chico. = more marked; it may sound literary, emphatic, or context-dependent

For a beginner, the normal order to learn first is:

• subject + verb
• El chico trabaja.

So the original sentence is the most natural basic version.

Your sentence is singular:

• el = singular
• chico = singular
• trabaja = singular verb form

To make it plural, all the parts change:

• Los chicos trabajan. = The boys work / are working

Notice:

• el → los
• chico → chicos
• trabaja → trabajan

Spanish usually marks number clearly on articles, nouns, and verbs.

Yes. Trabajar is a regular -ar verb.

That means it follows the normal pattern for present tense -ar verbs:

• hablar → habla
• estudiar → estudia
• trabajar → trabaja

So this is a very useful model sentence for learning basic conjugation.

Yes, it is completely natural and grammatical in Spain.

It is a very simple, basic sentence, the kind you often see in beginner materials because it clearly shows:

• article + noun: el chico
• present-tense verb: trabaja

In real conversation, native speakers would also use this structure naturally.