What you do for work
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 2 of 68Getting to know you
Ask about someone's job and describe your own.
- donna shigoto?what kind of work is it?; what do you do?
- ... de hataraiteruI work at ...; I work in ...
- doko de hataraiteru no?where do you work?
- ... kankei no shigoto o shiteruI work in ...; I do something to do with ...
- kaishain da yoI work for a company; I'm an office worker
Mix-ups de hataraiteru takes de for the workplace, while sunderu takes ni.
donna shigoto?
polite donna oshigoto desu ka?
what kind of work is it?; what do you do?
Follow-up when someone mentions their job or company; answer with a role or field.
Oshigoto adds polite o- when it's someone else's job.
kaishain na n da. donna shigoto?
Oh, you work for a company. What kind of work?
会社員なんだ。どんな仕事？
kaishain na n desu ne. donna oshigoto desu ka?
Oh, you work for a company. What kind of work do you do?
会社員なんですね。どんなお仕事ですか？
Written どんな仕事？ · どんなしごと？ · どんなお仕事ですか？Who you say it and hear itHeard 97× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
... de hataraiteru
polite ... de hataraite imasu
I work at ...; I work in ...
The basic answer to where you work; put the place or company before de.
Hataraku takes de for the place, but sumu takes ni.
ekimae no kafe de hataraiteru yo.
I work at the café by the station.
駅前のカフェで働いてるよ。
ekimae no kafe de hataraite imasu.
I work at the café by the station.
駅前のカフェで働いています。
Written 〜で働いてる · 〜ではたらいてる · 〜で働いていますWho you say itHeard 244× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
doko de hataraiteru no?
polite dochira de hataraite iru n desu ka?
where do you work?
Asks for the company or place; people often answer with the industry instead of a company name.
Shigoto nani shiteru no? (what do you do?) is the more common opener.
ima doko de hataraiteru no? mada ginkou?
Where are you working now? Still at the bank?
今どこで働いてるの？まだ銀行？
ima dochira de hataraite iru n desu ka?
Where are you working now?
今どちらで働いているんですか？
Written どこで働いてるの？ · どこではたらいてるの？ · どちらで働いているんですか？Who you say it and hear itHeard 6× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
... kankei no shigoto o shiteru
polite ... kankei no shigoto o shite imasu
I work in ...; I do something to do with ...
A handy vague answer when you don't want to explain your job; put the field first (ryokou kankei, kinyuu kankei).
Casual speech often drops the o: ... kankei no shigoto shiteru.
ryokou kankei no shigoto o shiteru yo.
I work in travel.
旅行関係の仕事をしてるよ。
ryokou kankei no shigoto o shite imasu.
I work in travel.
旅行関係の仕事をしています。
Written 〜関係の仕事をしてる · 〜かんけいのしごとをしてる · 〜関係の仕事をしていますWho you say itHeard 5× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
kaishain da yo
polite kaishain desu
I work for a company; I'm an office worker
The everyday vague answer about your job; expect donna shigoto? next.
Sarariiman is a near-synonym, used for men.
futsuu no kaishain da yo. jimu no shigoto.
Just an ordinary office worker. Admin work.
普通の会社員だよ。事務の仕事。
futsuu no kaishain desu. jimu no shigoto desu.
I'm just an ordinary office worker. I do admin work.
普通の会社員です。事務の仕事です。
Written 会社員だよ · かいしゃいんだよ · 会社員ですWho you say itHeard 21× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles