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Japanese Versatility List

Studies and job hunting

Conversation phrases, Stage 2chunk 1 of 71Getting to know you

Talk about what you study or that you're between jobs.

Mix-ups ryuugaku (study abroad) vs ryokou (travel).

senkou wa?

polite senkou wa nan desu ka?

what's your major?; what are you studying?

Asked of university students; answer with the subject (keizai, nihon bungaku).

Nani benkyou shiteru no? asks the same more casually.

casual

daigakusei na n da. senkou wa?

Oh, you're at uni. What are you studying?

大学生なんだ。専攻は？

polite

daigakusei na n desu ne. senkou wa nan desu ka?

So you're a university student. What's your major?

大学生なんですね。専攻は何ですか？

Written 専攻は？ · せんこうは？ · 専攻は何ですか？Who you say it and hear itHeard 28× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

daigaku de ... o benkyou shiteru

polite daigaku de ... o benkyou shite imasu

I study ... at uni

Answer to senkou wa?; ... o senkou shiteru (I major in ...) is a bit more formal.

Casual speech often drops the o: keizai benkyou shiteru.

casual

daigaku de keizai o benkyou shiteru yo.

I'm studying economics at uni.

大学で経済を勉強してるよ。

polite

daigaku de keizai o benkyou shite imasu.

I'm studying economics at university.

大学で経済を勉強しています。

Written 大学で〜を勉強してる · だいがくで〜をべんきょうしてる · 大学で〜を勉強していますWho you say itHeard 14× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

ryuugaku shiteru

polite ryuugaku shite imasu

I'm here studying abroad; I'm an exchange student

Says you're in Japan to study; the school or country takes ni (... ni ryuugaku shiteru).

Ryuugakusei is the person: an international student.

casual

ima toukyou no daigaku ni ryuugaku shiteru n da.

I'm on exchange at a university in Tokyo.

今東京の大学に留学してるんだ。

polite

ima toukyou no daigaku ni ryuugaku shite iru n desu.

I'm studying abroad at a university in Tokyo.

今東京の大学に留学しているんです。

Written 留学してる · りゅうがくしてる · 留学していますWho you say itHeard 3× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles

ima wa shigoto sagashichuu

polite ima wa shigoto sagashichuu desu

I'm job hunting at the moment; I'm between jobs

A light way to say you're not working right now; ima wa marks it as temporary.

-chuu means 'in the middle of': kaigichuu (in a meeting).

casual

kaisha yamete, ima wa shigoto sagashichuu.

I quit my job, and now I'm looking for work.

会社辞めて、今は仕事探し中。

polite

kaisha o yamete, ima wa shigoto sagashichuu desu.

I left my company, and I'm looking for work now.

会社を辞めて、今は仕事探し中です。

Written 今は仕事探し中 · いまはしごとさがしちゅう · 今は仕事探し中ですWho you say itHeard too rare in film subtitles to count