Talking About Your Profession in German
What do you do for a living? It is one of the first questions people ask in German. In this lesson, Johannes from YourGermanTeacher shows you job titles, the questions you will hear and how to answer with arbeiten als, bei and in. You also learn the false friends that trip up many beginners.
Job Titles: Male and Female Forms
German job titles have a male and a female form. For most jobs, add -in to the male title to make the female one. A few male titles with a, o or u also get an umlaut.
| Male | Female | English |
|---|---|---|
| der Lehrer | die Lehrerin | teacher |
| der Architekt | die Architektin | architect |
| der Arzt | die Ärztin | doctor (umlaut) |
| der Koch | die Köchin | cook (umlaut) |
| der Friseur | die Friseurin | hairdresser |
| der Gärtner | die Gärtnerin | gardener |
| der Geschäftsmann | die Geschäftsfrau | businessman / businesswoman |
| der Hausmann | die Hausfrau | househusband / housewife |
Asking About a Job
| Formal (Sie) | Informal (du) |
|---|---|
| Was sind Sie von Beruf? | Was bist du von Beruf? |
| Was machen Sie beruflich? | Was machst du beruflich? |
| Wo arbeiten Sie? | Wo arbeitest du? |
Answering: sein or arbeiten als
The easiest answer uses sein, without an article: Ich bin Friseur. or Ich bin Friseurin. The second way is arbeiten als: Ich arbeite als Gärtner. If you use arbeiten, do not forget als. Without it, the sentence is wrong.
Wo arbeitest du? bei or in
The question Wo arbeitest du? is not precise. The person may want the company or the place. You can answer both ways:
| Use | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| arbeiten als | your job | Ich arbeite als Ingenieur. |
| arbeiten bei | your company | Ich arbeite bei Mercedes. |
| arbeiten in | city or country | Ich arbeite in Stuttgart. |
You can combine all three in one sentence: Ich arbeite als Ingenieur bei Mercedes in Stuttgart. Or with sein: Ich bin Programmiererin bei Siemens in München.
False Friends: Job, Student and Schüler
- Der Job is often understood as a side job, for example a student job to earn some money. It is often not a full-time position: Ich habe einen Job bei Starbucks.
- Der Student / die Studentin is only for university. If you are still at school, use der Schüler / die Schülerin. This works for every type of school: Ich bin Schüler.
Bonus Tips
- Ich mache ein Praktikum. is an internship, as everywhere in the world.
- Ich mache eine Ausbildung. is an apprenticeship, not an internship. For two to three years you work in a company, learn on the job, go to a vocational school for the theory, earn money and finish with a test. Then you are a certified professional.
- Studieren is only for university: Ich studiere Deutsch means German is your major. If you simply learn German, say Ich lerne Deutsch.
- Ich bin arbeitslos. is honest, but Ich bin auf Arbeitssuche. sounds better and has almost the same meaning.
Homework: answer in the comments. Was machst du beruflich? Und wo arbeitest du?
What to Learn Next
Next, practise how to talk about yourself in How to Introduce Yourself in German and check the question forms in Basic German Question Words Explained. To choose between formal and informal address, read Du or Sie? Formal vs Informal German.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ask about someone's job in German?
Ask Was sind Sie von Beruf? (formal) or Was bist du von Beruf? (informal). You can also say Was machen Sie beruflich? or Was machst du beruflich?
How do I say what I do for a living in German?
Say Ich bin Lehrer, or Ich arbeite als Lehrer. With arbeiten you must add als.
What is the difference between arbeiten als, bei and in?
Arbeiten als names your job, arbeiten bei names your company, and arbeiten in names the city or country.
What is the difference between Student and Schüler?
Student is only for university. Schüler is for every kind of school before that, from primary school to high school.
What is the difference between Praktikum and Ausbildung?
A Praktikum is an internship. An Ausbildung is a two to three year apprenticeship with paid work, vocational school and a final test.
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