Talking about your job in Japanese — the one particle that trips everyone日本語で仕事について話す みんながつまずく1つの助詞
To say where you work in Japanese, use a workplace + で + 働いています. To explain what you do, add a job title or a short description of your responsibilities. Choose the particle with the verb: で works with 働く, while に can be correct with other expressions about employment.
The basics
Talking about work becomes easier when you separate three things: your occupation, your workplace, and your actual duties. English can put all three into a sentence such as “I work in sales at a software company.” In Japanese, you can begin with one short sentence and add details only when someone asks. You do not need a complete professional biography to keep a conversation going.
Start with your occupation
The simplest pattern is occupation + です. If the conversation is already about you, there is usually no need to repeat 私は, meaning “as for me.” Include it when introducing yourself or when the topic needs clarification.
私は会社員です。 — I am a company employee.
会社員（かいしゃいん）describes your employment category, not your department or specific role. It is a useful first answer, but someone may still ask what kind of work you do. A designer, accountant, and salesperson could all be 会社員.
日本語の教師です。 — I am a Japanese language teacher.
教師（きょうし）names an occupation. 先生 is commonly used to address or refer to a teacher, whereas 教師 is a straightforward choice when stating your own occupation. You do not need to attach an honorific to your own job title.
Use で for the place where you work
働く（はたらく）means “to work.” When you name the place where that activity happens, mark the place with で. The place can be a company, a shop, a hospital, a city, or your home.
会社で働いています。 — I work at a company.
東京で働いています。 — I work in Tokyo.
病院で働いています。 — I work at a hospital.
These sentences identify a workplace or location. The hospital sentence does not tell the listener whether you are a doctor, receptionist, cleaner, or administrator. Add your role separately when it matters.
For an ongoing job, 働いています is a useful default. It describes your current employment; it does not necessarily mean you are performing a task at this exact moment. 働きます is also grammatical and can describe a habit, schedule, or future action, depending on context. If someone asks about your current job, however, 働いています makes that continuing situation explicit.
Match your answer to the question
| What the speaker wants to know | Useful question | Answer pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Your occupation | お仕事は何ですか。 | 会社員です。 |
| Your workplace or location | どこで働いていますか。 | 東京で働いています。 |
| The kind of work you do | どんな仕事をしていますか。 | 営業の仕事をしています。 |
| Whether work is busy | お仕事は忙しいですか。 | 少し忙しいです。 |
The お in お仕事 makes the question more polite. You can simply say 仕事 when describing your own work. These questions are alternatives that fit different conversations, not a fixed sequence that everyone follows.
For a wider introduction that includes your name and interests, see how to introduce yourself in Japanese. Add a work sentence only when it suits the setting.
Beyond the basics
Explain your role without translating every word of your title
A long English job title may not have a neat everyday equivalent. Begin with a recognizable field or activity. 営業（えいぎょう）means sales work, especially work involving customers and business relationships. The pattern noun + の仕事をしています lets you describe your field without claiming that the noun is a formal job title.
営業の仕事をしています。 — I work in sales.
会社でウェブサイトを作っています。 — I make websites at a company.
The second example describes a responsibility. It can be easier to understand than a specialized title. 作る（つくる）means “to make,” and ウェブサイトを marks what you make. Notice that 会社で and ウェブサイトを do different jobs: one gives the setting, and the other gives the object of the action.
You can also mention a company type using の to connect it to 会社. For example, ソフトウェアの会社 means a software company. A listener often needs this general description more than the exact company name, particularly if the organization is unfamiliar to them.
ソフトウェアの会社で働いています。 — I work at a software company.
Explain remote work and freelance work
Working from home uses the same location pattern. 自宅（じたく）means your own home and is useful when describing your work arrangements.
普段は自宅で働いています。 — I usually work from home.
普段（ふだん）means “usually” or “ordinarily.” It leaves room for exceptions, such as visiting an office on some days. The sentence tells the listener where you normally work, but it does not say whether you are employed or self-employed.
フリーランスのデザイナーです。 — I am a freelance designer.
フリーランス describes freelance status, while デザイナー identifies the occupation. Keep these ideas separate from location: a freelancer can work at home or elsewhere, and a company employee can also work from home.
Why に is sometimes correct in a work sentence
The rule is not “work always takes で.” The more reliable rule is to learn a particle together with the expression it belongs to. With 働く, the location of the activity takes で. With 勤める（つとめる）, which describes being employed at an organization, the employer takes に.
会社に勤めています。 — I am employed at a company.
This is a natural work sentence. It does not contradict 会社で働いています because the verb and the grammatical relationship have changed. 勤める is useful recognition vocabulary here; you can keep using 働いています in your own beginner conversations.
Also, に does more than mark a destination. It can mark the location of someone or something with いる or ある, and it has other uses, including time expressions. Compare the following workplace sentences.
会社に行きます。 — I go to the office.
今、会社にいます。 — I am at the office now.
会社で働いています。 — I work at a company.
The first describes going somewhere, the second describes being somewhere, and the third describes working somewhere. English “at” cannot choose the particle for you. For more comparisons, read で versus に for places and actions.
Add one manageable follow-up
Busy workdays are an easy topic when both speakers are comfortable discussing work. 忙しい（いそがしい）means “busy,” and 少し（すこし）means “a little.”
最近、仕事が少し忙しいです。 — Work has been a little busy lately.
最近（さいきん）means “recently” or “lately.” In response to a question about being busy, 少し忙しいです is a clear short answer. Just 少し can also work when the context makes the rest obvious, although the complete phrase is easier to practice first.
You do not need to discuss your employer, salary, or contract details to answer politely. A broad description of your field is enough for many casual introductions. Let the setting and the other person guide how much detail you share.
Common mistakes
Using に with 働く because English says “at”
For the intended meaning “I work at a company,” choose 会社で働いています rather than 会社に働いています. The problem is the particle-verb combination. Do not extend this correction into a ban on に in all sentences about jobs: 会社に勤めています is correct.
A practical memory aid is to learn で働く as a small unit. When changing the verb, check the pattern again instead of carrying over the particle automatically.
Treating 会社員 as a precise job title
会社員 tells the listener that you are a company employee. It does not mean salesperson, and it does not necessarily describe the tasks you perform. If someone asks どんな仕事をしていますか, add something such as 営業の仕事をしています. A second short sentence is often clearer than one overloaded sentence.
Translating “do work” as 仕事を働きます
働く does not take 仕事 as its direct object in this expression. Use 働いています for “I work” or 仕事をしています for “I am working” or “I do work,” depending on context. With する, 仕事を is a natural object; with 働く, it is not the pattern you need.
Assuming 働いています only means “right now”
The English translation of a Japanese form depends on the verb and context. When you introduce your job, 働いています commonly describes ongoing employment. Someone can say it on a day off. Avoid replacing it with 働きます solely because you are not currently at your desk.
Making every answer start with 私は
私は is useful, but repeating it in every answer can make a short conversation feel mechanical. After the other person asks about your work, the topic is usually clear. Start directly with your occupation, workplace, or role. Restore the topic when you switch to discussing someone else or when the meaning would otherwise be unclear.
Practice
Try these nine questions before opening the answers. For the translation questions, more than one wording may be possible; the answers show simple models using the patterns in this article. Read the completed sentence aloud, then replace its workplace or occupation with something true for you.
1. Fill in the workplace particle: 会社（ ）働いています。
Show answer
で. 会社で働いています。 — I work at a company. With 働く, で marks where the activity takes place.
2. Translate: “I work in Tokyo.”
Show answer
東京で働いています。 — I work in Tokyo. A city can be the location marked by で.
3. Which question asks about your workplace: お仕事は何ですか or どこで働いていますか?
Show answer
どこで働いていますか。 — Where do you work? お仕事は何ですか asks about your occupation.
4. Translate: “I work in sales.” Use の仕事をしています.
Show answer
営業の仕事をしています。 — I work in sales. 営業 identifies the field of work.
5. Complete the sentence with 勤めています: 会社（ ）勤めています。
Show answer
に. 会社に勤めています。 — I am employed at a company. Learn に with 勤める rather than applying the pattern for 働く.
6. Correct this sentence meaning “I work”: 仕事を働いています。
Show answer
働いています。 — I work. Remove 仕事を when using 働く this way. Alternatively, use 仕事をしています with する.
7. Translate: “I usually work from home.”
Show answer
普段は自宅で働いています。 — I usually work from home. 自宅 is the location, so it takes で with 働く.
8. Does 会社員です tell the listener that your role is sales? Explain briefly.
Show answer
No. It means that you are a company employee. Add 営業の仕事をしています if you want to specify sales work.
9. Introduce yourself as a Japanese language teacher who works from home. Use two short sentences.
Show answer
日本語の教師です。自宅で働いています。 — I am a Japanese language teacher. I work from home. The first sentence gives the occupation; the second gives the location.
To practice your own work introduction with a teacher, Book a trial lesson · $13 and prepare with the speaking practice activities.
FAQ
How do I ask someone what they do for work?
How do I ask someone what they do for work?
お仕事は何ですか is a straightforward polite question about occupation. どんな仕事をしていますか asks what kind of work the person does and invites a description. Neither requires the person to name an employer. In a social conversation, follow their lead rather than treating work questions as a required introduction ritual.
Should I use 働きます or 働いています for my current job?
Should I use 働きます or 働いています for my current job?
働いています is a useful default for describing your current ongoing employment. 働きます can describe a regular action or a future work arrangement when the surrounding sentence supports that meaning. The difference is not simply polite versus casual: both forms here are polite.
Is 会社に勤めています incorrect because it uses に?
Is 会社に勤めています incorrect because it uses に?
No. に is the normal particle for the employing organization with 勤める. 会社で働いています uses a different verb and presents the company as the setting for the work. Learn each expression as a complete pattern, especially when an English translation makes them look interchangeable.
Can I say I am not working at the moment?
Can I say I am not working at the moment?
Yes. 今は働いていません is a simple way to describe that situation. In a conversation about employment, it means you are not currently working; other contexts could make it refer to activity at that moment. You can add that you are studying if it is relevant, but you do not owe the listener an explanation.
今は働いていません。 — I am not working at the moment.
Do I need to give my exact job title?
Do I need to give my exact job title?
No. A familiar occupation, a field such as 営業, or a short description of your duties is often enough. If the exact title matters in a professional setting, check the wording used by your employer or industry. In everyday conversation, prioritize an explanation the listener can understand.
Vocabulary from this article
These words appeared in the explanations and examples above. Learn the workplace words together with a complete sentence so that the particle stays connected to its verb.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning in this article |
|---|---|---|
| 仕事 | しごと | work; job |
| 会社員 | かいしゃいん | company employee |
| 会社 | かいしゃ | company |
| 働く | はたらく | to work |
| 教師 | きょうし | teacher as an occupation |
| 病院 | びょういん | hospital |
| 営業 | えいぎょう | sales work |
| 作る | つくる | to make |
| 自宅 | じたく | your own home |
| 普段 | ふだん | usually; ordinarily |
| 勤める | つとめる | to be employed at |
| 忙しい | いそがしい | busy |
| 少し | すこし | a little |
| 最近 | さいきん | recently; lately |
The same vocabulary is available below as tab-separated text for flashcard import: word, reading, and meaning.
仕事 しごと work; job 会社員 かいしゃいん company employee 会社 かいしゃ company 働く はたらく to work 教師 きょうし teacher as an occupation 病院 びょういん hospital 営業 えいぎょう sales work 作る つくる to make 自宅 じたく your own home 普段 ふだん usually; ordinarily 勤める つとめる to be employed at 忙しい いそがしい busy 少し すこし a little 最近 さいきん recently; lately
Sources
- Seiichi Makino and Michio Tsutsui, A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times. Reference for the particles で and に and the uses of the ている form.
- Eri Banno et al., GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I, Third Edition, The Japan Times Publishing. Reference for beginner introductions, occupation vocabulary, polite verb forms, and basic location patterns.
The example sentences and practice questions are original teaching examples, not quotations from these books or reports of an actual lesson.
ある生徒とのレッスンから書きました。営業の仕事をしている人です。特定されないように、内容は少し変えています。日本語の勉強を始めて半年くらいで、ひらがなとカタカナは読めましたが、声に出して話す機会はまだあまりありませんでした。
短く言うと、どこで働いているかを言うときに使う助詞は「で」です。「に」でも「を」でもありません。
わたしは かいしゃで はたらきます。 I work at my company.
わたしが教えたことがある生徒は、少なくとも一度はここでまちがえます。そして、いつも同じまちがい、「に」を選んでしまいます。
なぜ「に」が正しく感じるのに、そうではないのか
「に」は行き先、つまり「どこへ行くか」を表します。
とうきょうに いきます。 — I go to Tokyo.
働くことは、どこかへ行くことではありません。「で」は、行動が起きる場所 を表します。
スタジアムで サックスを えんそうしました。 — I played sax at the stadium. かいしゃで はたらきます。 — I work at my company.
「〜で」を「〜に」ではなく「その行動が起きる場所」として覚えると、丸暗記しなければいけないルールではなくなります。
続けて聞かれる3つの質問
レッスンでは、「仕事は何ですか」は1つの質問では終わりません。いつも3つの質問が、この順番で続きます。
| 日本語 | 英語 |
|---|---|
| しごとは なんですか？ | What's your job? |
| なんの しごとですか？ | What kind of work is it? |
| いそがしいですか？ | Is it busy? |
その生徒の答えは、順番にこうでした。かいしゃで はたらきます → セールス／えいぎょうです → すこし。
最後の答え、すこし（少し）は、見た目より価値があります。はい・いいえで答える質問に対する、完成された、自然な答えだからです。まだ文を組み立てる準備ができていないときに、それを助けてくれます。
このレッスンで出てきたことば
| 日本語 | 英語 |
|---|---|
| しごと | job, work |
| はたらく／はたらきます | to work |
| 〜で はたらく | to work at 〜 |
| セールス／えいぎょう | sales |
| いそがしい | busy |
| たぶん | maybe |
| しゅみ | hobby |
なぜこれを2番目にやるのか
最初にやるのは自己紹介です。2番目が仕事についてです。理由は、日本人が初対面の2分以内にほぼ必ず聞いてくる質問だから、そして「自分自身のこと」だからです。英語での答えはもう知っているので、それを日本語に置きかえるだけです。
そのあとは、しゅみ（趣味）の話に進みます。わたしの生徒の多くにとって、それはアニメの話になり、そこからレッスンが本当に始まります。
同じようなレッスンを自分でも受けてみたいですか？30分の体験レッスンで、あなたに本当に必要な質問がどれか、いっしょに見つけます。
More drills like the ones above, plus a timed JLPT-style mock test: Practice · N5上のような練習問題と、時間つきのJLPT形式のもぎ試験: 練習ページ · N5
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