What people do for a living, and the first words of working life.
Practise this list
From these 36 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Many job words are built with a suffix: 〜員 for a member of staff (会社員, 店員, 駅員) and 〜家 for someone with a craft or an art (音楽家, 漫画家). Asked what they do, people in Japan often name the place rather than the job: 銀行で働いています, "I work at a bank". A job followed by をしています says what someone works as: コックをしています.
The words
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Verb (1)
働くto workVerbN5
姉は病院で働いています。My older sister works at a hospital.
The workplace takes で.
Noun (34)
仕事work; jobNounN5
お仕事は何ですか。What do you do for a living?
With お when you ask about somebody else's work.
会社company; the officeNounN5
会社まで電車で一時間かかります。It takes an hour by train to get to the office.
会社員company employee; office workerNounN5
兄は会社員です。My older brother works for a company.
The plain answer to "what do you do?" for anyone with an office job.
サラリーマンsalaried worker; office workerNounN5
父は普通のサラリーマンです。My father is an ordinary office worker.
Made in Japan from English "salary" and "man", and mostly used of men.
主人owner (of a shop or inn); husbandNounN4
この店のご主人はとても親切です。The owner of this shop is very kind.
Also a husband: 主人 for your own, ご主人 for someone else's; many now prefer 夫 for their own.
医者doctorNounN5
熱が高いので、医者に行きます。I have a high temperature, so I am going to the doctor.
In conversation, often お医者さん; addressed as 先生.
店員shop assistant; member of staffNounN5
分からないときは、店員さんに聞いてください。If you are not sure, please ask a member of staff.
銀行員bank employeeNounN5
姉の夫は銀行員です。My older sister's husband works in a bank.
駅員station attendantNounN4
駅員さんに電車の時間を聞きました。I asked a station attendant about train times.
郵便局員post-office workerNounN4
郵便局員さんが荷物を届けてくれました。The post-office worker delivered the parcel to us.
警察署police stationNounN4
兄は駅の近くの警察署に勤めています。My older brother works at the police station near the station.
The small local police post on a street corner is a 交番.
警察官police officerNounN4
大学を出て、警察官になりました。After university I became a police officer.
The official word; in everyday speech, おまわりさん.
おまわりさんpolice officer (friendly)NounN5
道が分からなかったので、おまわりさんに聞きました。I did not know the way, so I asked a police officer.
Literally "the one who goes round"; a warm, everyday word.
コックcook; chefNounN5
兄はレストランでコックをしています。My older brother works as a cook in a restaurant.
ウェイターwaiterNounN4
ウェイターに水を頼みました。I asked the waiter for some water.
ウェイトレスwaitressNounN4
ウェイトレスがメニューを持ってきました。The waitress brought the menu.
アルバイトpart-time job; side jobNounN5
大学生のとき、本屋でアルバイトをしていました。When I was at university I had a part-time job in a bookshop.
From German Arbeit; often shortened to バイト.
サインsignature; autographNounN4
ここにサインをお願いします。Please sign here.
Also a verb, サインする. Many official forms want a seal, はんこ, instead.
主婦housewife; homemakerNounN4
母は主婦です。My mother is a homemaker.
ガイドguideNounN4
日本語のできるガイドを探しています。I am looking for a guide who speaks Japanese.
スタッフstaffNounN4
この店のスタッフは全部で十人です。This shop has ten staff in all.
モデルmodelNounN4
姉の友達はモデルをしています。A friend of my older sister's works as a model.
アイドルpop idolNounN4
あのアイドルは歌もダンスも上手です。That pop idol is good at both singing and dancing.
音楽家musicianNounN4
祖父は音楽家でした。My grandfather was a musician.
パン屋bakery; bakerNounN5
パン屋さんの朝はとても早いです。A baker's day starts very early.
Like every 〜屋, both the shop and the person who runs it; the person, politely, is パン屋さん.
魚屋fishmonger's; fishmongerNounN5
魚屋さんにおいしい魚を選んでもらいました。The fishmonger picked out a good fish for me.
カメラマンphotographer; cameramanNounN4
結婚式でカメラマンに写真を撮ってもらいました。We had a photographer take pictures at the wedding.
プロprofessionalNounN4
兄はプロのサッカー選手です。My older brother is a professional footballer.
Short for プロフェッショナル.
メモnote; memoNounN4
大事なことはメモしておいてください。Please make a note of anything important.
Also a verb, メモする; a notebook is ノート.
コンピューターcomputerNounN4
仕事では一日中コンピューターを使います。At work I use a computer all day.
Also written コンピュータ; the one on your desk is usually a パソコン.
リーダーleaderNounN4
山田さんはこのチームのリーダーです。Yamada-san is the leader of this team.
ラッシュアワーrush hourNounN4
ラッシュアワーの電車はとても混んでいます。Trains in the rush hour are very crowded.
Often just ラッシュ.
お休みday off; holiday (polite)NounN5
すみません、明日はお休みをいただきます。Excuse me, I will be taking tomorrow off.
The polite form of 休み; on a shop door it means closed. Said on its own at night, おやすみ is "good night".
オフィスofficeNounN4
新しいオフィスはとても明るいです。The new office is very bright.
na-adjective (1)
大変hard; tough; veryna-adjectiveN5
看護師の仕事は大変です。A nurse's job is hard work.
Before an adjective it simply means "very": 大変忙しい.
