Japanese Word for Work: Jobs and Office Talk

Work: jobs, the office and お疲れ様です

お疲れ様です acknowledges the other person’s effort. Use it with colleagues; with customers, stay with こんにちは and ありがとうございます.

Short answer: to say what you do, use your job + です (会社員です, “I work for a company”) or where you work + で働いています. Japanese offices run on set phrases: お疲れ様です greets colleagues all day, よろしくお願いします opens any request, and お先に失礼します excuses you when you leave before others. Business cards (名刺) are exchanged at every first meeting.

Jobs

Japanese often names the employer rather than the job title: 会社員 (company employee) covers most office jobs.

Saying what you do

ています for ongoing work, です for a job title.

お仕事おしごとoshigotoyour workはwa(topic)何なんnanwhatですかdesu kais?

Oshigoto wa nan desu ka.“What do you do?”Why: お makes 仕事 polite: “your work”.

ITアイティーaitīITのno(link)会社かいしゃkaishacompanyでdeat働いていますはたらいていますhataraite imasuam working

Aitī no kaisha de hataraite imasu.“I work at an IT company.”Why: で for the workplace; ている for ongoing work.

看護師かんごしkangoshinurseですdesuam

Kangoshi desu.“I’m a nurse.”Why: Job title + です.

Office words

Words you will see on schedules and in email.

Phrases of the working day

Each has a moment and usually a reply.

Any time, to colleagues

Asking for anything

Leaving first

Entering an office

Job hunting

Japanese job hunting (就職活動, shūkatsu) has its own vocabulary and rituals.

In an interview

Standard questions and polite answers.

Interviewer

自己紹介じこしょうかいjiko shōkaiself-introductionをo(object)お願いしますおねがいしますonegai shimasuplease

Jiko shōkai o onegai shimasu. · “Please introduce yourself.”The first question in most interviews.

You

スミスSumisuSmithとto(quote)申しますもうしますmōshimasuam called

Sumisu to mōshimasu. · “My name is Smith.”Humble 申します.

Interviewer

志望動機しぼうどうきshibō dōkimotivationをo(object)教えてくださいおしえてくださいoshiete kudasaiplease tell

Shibō dōki o oshiete kudasai. · “Why do you want to work here?”志望動機: reason for applying.

You

御社おんしゃonshayour companyのno’s製品せいひんseihinproductsにniin興味きょうみkyōmiinterestがga(subject)ありますarimasuhave

Onsha no seihin ni kyōmi ga arimasu. · “I’m interested in your company’s products.”御社: “your company” in speech.

Kinds of employment

Japanese distinguishes clearly between types of contract.

Word	Meaning	Note
seishain	full-time employee	permanent contract
keiyaku shain	contract employee	fixed term
haken shain	agency worker	through an agency
arubaito	part-time job	students, hourly
furīransu	freelance	self-employed

Check yourself

Say each one in Japanese, then open the answer to check and hear it.

What do you do for work?
Show answer
Oshigoto wa nan desu ka.
I work at a bank.
Show answer
Ginkō de hataraite imasu.
(greeting colleagues)
Show answer
Otsukaresama desu.
(leaving before others)
Show answer
Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu.
I have a meeting at three.
Show answer
San-ji ni kaigi ga arimasu.
I’m Smith from Tokyo Trading. (humble)
Show answer
Tōkyō Shōji no Sumisu to mōshimasu.

Exchanging business cards

Present your card with both hands, text facing the other person, and say your company and name. Take theirs with both hands and read it before putting it away.

You

さくら商事さくらしょうじSakura ShōjiSakura TradingのnoofスミスSumisuSmithとto(quote)申しますもうしますmōshimasuam called (humble)

Sakura Shōji no Sumisu to mōshimasu. · “I’m Smith from Sakura Trading.”申します is the humble “I am called”, used in business.

Host

頂戴しますちょうだいしますchōdai shimasuI humbly receive

Chōdai shimasu. · “Thank you (taking your card).”Formal phrase for receiving something.

You

よろしくyoroshikukindlyお願いいたしますおねがいいたしますonegai itashimasuI ask (humble)

Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. · “I look forward to working with you.”いたします is the humble form of します.