How to Talk About Your Occupation

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Japanese by JapanesePod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about your occupation in Japanese.

For example, "I’m an investor." is

とうしかです。 (Tōshika desu)

Two passengers, Megumi Sasaki and Ken Kobayashi, are seated next to each other on a plane to Japan.

Before you hear their conversation, let's learn some of its key components.

がくせい

"student"

がくせい (enunciated)

がくせい

とうしか

"investor"

とうしか

Listen to the conversation, and focus on Ken’s response.

Ready?

こばやしさんはがくせいですか。 (Kobayashi-san wa gakusei desu ka.)

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

Once more with the English translation.

こばやしさんはがくせいですか。 (Kobayashi-san wa gakusei desu ka.)

"Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?"

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

"No, I'm not a student. I'm an investor."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Megumi asks,

"Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?"

こばやしさんはがくせいですか。 (Kobayashi-san wa gakusei desu ka.)

First is こばやしさん, "Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさん.

This starts with Ken’s family name, こばやし, "Kobayashi." こばやし. こばやし.

After this is さん, a polite suffix attached to a person’s name. It translates as "Mr." in Ken’s case. さ-ん. さん.

Note: This suffix can be used with any gender.

Together, こばやしさん, "Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさん.

After this is the particle, は, the topic-marking particle. は. は.

It marks "Mr. Kobayashi" as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for Mr. Kobayashi."

Together, it’s こばやしさんは, "as for Mr. Kobayashi." こばやしさんは.　

In Japanese, it’s more common and polite to address a person by his or her name and polite suffix rather than directly with "you."

After this is, がくせい, "student." がくせい (slow version - breakdown by syllable). がくせい.

Next is です. Here, it’s like the "are" in "are you." で-す. です.

Last is the particle, か, the question-marking particle. か. か.

This particle turns the sentence into a question.

All together, it’s こばやしさんはがくせいですか。This literally means "As for Mr. Kobayashi, student [you] are?" but it translates as "Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?"

こばやしさんはがくせいですか。

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Ken Kobayashi says,

"No, I'm not a student. I'm an investor."

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

First is いいえ, meaning, "no." い-い-え. いいえ.

It answers Megumi’s yes-or-no question, "Are you a student?" がくせいですか。

Next, Ken says,

がくせいではありません。"I'm not a student." がくせいではありません。

First is がくせい, "student." がくせい.

After this is ではありません. Here, it’s like the "am not" in "I am not." It’s a polite negative form of the linking verb. で-は-あ-り-ま-せ-ん. ではありません.

Note: ではありません comes from the linking verb, だ, "to be." だ.

All together, it’s がくせいではありません。This literally means "Student [I] am not," but it translates as "I’m not a student." がくせいではありません。

Note: the "I" is understood through context, as Ken is responding to the question.

Finally, Ken says,

とうしかです。"I'm an investor." とうしかです。

First is とうしか, "investor." とうしか. とうしか.

After this is です. Here, it’s like the "am" in "I am." です.

All together, it’s とうしかです。This literally means "Investor [I] am," but it translates as "I’m an investor." とうしかです。

Note: the "I" is understood through context.

All together, いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。"No, I’m not a student. I’m an investor."

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。

The pattern is

いいえ、OCCUPATION ではありません。ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

"No, I’m not OCCUPATION. I’m ACTUAL OCCUPATION.

いいえ、OCCUPATION ではありません。ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

Imagine you’re Emma Egawa, a student.

Ken asks you if you’re an "investor."

Say

"No, I'm not an investor. I'm a student."

Ready?

いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

"No, I'm not an investor. I'm a student."

いいえ、とうしか　ではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

Again, the pattern is

いいえ、OCCUPATION ではありません。ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

"No, I’m not OCCUPATION. I’m ACTUAL OCCUPATION.

いいえ、OCCUPATION ではありません。ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

"No, I'm not a student. I'm an investor."

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

"No, I'm not an investor. I'm a student."

いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。 (Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

いいえ、いしゃではありません。かがくしゃです。(Iie, isha de wa arimasen. Kagakusha desu.)

"No, I'm not a doctor. I'm a scientist."

いいえ、いしゃではありません。かがくしゃです。(Iie, isha de wa arimasen. Kagakusha desu.)

いいえ、かんごしではありません。いしゃです。 (Iie, kangoshi de wa arimasen. Isha desu.)

"No, I'm not a nurse. I'm a doctor."

いいえ、かんごしではありません。いしゃです。 (Iie, kangoshi de wa arimasen. Isha desu.)

いいえ、がくせいではありません。きょうしです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Kyōshi desu.)

"No, I'm not a student. I'm a teacher."

いいえ、がくせいではありません。きょうしです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Kyōshi desu.)

いいえ、バリスタです。(Iie, barisuta desu.)

"No, I'm a barista."

いいえ、バリスタです。(Iie, barisuta desu.)

Did you notice how the last speaker omits part of the response?

She says,

いいえ、バリスタです。(Iie, barisuta desu.)

" No, I’m a barista."

いいえ、バリスタです。

When directly responding to someone's question, it’s often possible to omit part of the response.

Here by simply answering いいえ, "no," there’s no need to say がくせいではありません。 "I’m not a student."

The pattern is

いいえ、ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

No, I’m ACTUAL OCCUPATION.

You should be aware of this pattern, but for this lesson, we'll use the pattern

いいえ、OCCUPATION ではありません。ACTUAL OCCUPATION です。

"No, I’m not OCCUPATION. I’m ACTUAL OCCUPATION.

Let's review the key vocabulary.

きょうし. "Teacher when a teacher is talking about his or her own occupation." きょうし. きょうし.

Note: せんせい is also commonly used to mean "teacher," but when you talk about your own occupation, きょうし is commonly used.

かがくしゃ. "scientist." かがくしゃ. かがくしゃ.

かんごし. "Nurse." かんごし. かんごし.

いしゃ. "Doctor." いしゃ. いしゃ.

バリスタ. "Barista." バリスタ. バリスタ.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speakers, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say "investor?"

とうしか.

And how Ken says,

"I’m an investor."

とうしかです。

Do you remember how to say "student?"

がくせい.

And how Ken says,

"I’m not a student."

がくせいではありません。

Do you remember how to say,

"No."

いいえ.

Do you remember how Ken says,

"No, I’m not a student. I’m an investor."

いいえ、がくせいではありません。とうしかです。 (Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Tōshika desu.)

Do you remember how Megumi addresses Mr. Kobayashi?

こばやしさん.

Do you remember how to say the question-marking particle?

か.

And how Megumi asks,

"Mr. Kobayashi, are you a student?"

こばやしさんはがくせいですか。 (Kobayashi-san wa gakusei desu ka.)

Do you remember how to say "scientist?"

かがくしゃ.

And how to say "doctor?"

いしゃ.

Do you remember the word commonly used for "teacher" when talking about one’s own occupation?

きょうし.

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Megumi Sasaki and you’re a scientist, or かがくしゃ in Japanese.

Respond to Ken’s question.

Ready?

いしゃですか。 (Isha desu ka.)

いいえ、いしゃではありません。かがくしゃです。 (Iie, isha de wa arimasen. Kagakusha desu.)

Listen again and repeat.

いいえ、いしゃではありません。かがくしゃです。 (Iie, isha de wa arimasen. Kagakusha desu.)

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're Kana Kano, and you’re a teacher, or きょうし (Kyōshi) in Japanese.

Ready?

がくせいですか。(Gakusei desu ka.)

いいえ、がくせいではありません。きょうしです。(Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Kyōshi desu.)

Listen again and repeat.

いいえ、がくせいではありません。きょうしです。(Iie, gakusei de wa arimasen. Kyōshi desu.)

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Emma Egawa, and you’re a student, or がくせい (Gakusei) in Japanese.

Ready?

とうしかですか。 (Tōshika desu ka.)

いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。(Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

Listen again and repeat.

いいえ、とうしかではありません。がくせいです。(Iie, tōshika de wa arimasen. Gakusei desu.)

In this lesson, you learned how to talk about your occupation in Japanese. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of introducing yourself. Let’s review.

Do you remember how Megumi Sasaki says,

"I'm Megumi Sasaki."

わたしはささきめぐみです。

And do you remember how Megumi Sasaki says

"Nice to meet you. I’m Megumi Sasaki. Pleased to meet you."

はじめまして。わたしはささきめぐみです。よろしくおねがいします。

And do you remember how she says,

"I’m from Florida."

しゅっしんはフロリダです。

Do you remember how Ken Kobayashi asks,

"Where are you from?"

しゅっしんはどこですか。

Do you remember how to say "America?"

アメリカ (Amerika).

And how to say "American," as in an American person?"

アメリカ人 (Amerika-jin).

And do you remember how Megumi Sasaki says

"I'm American?"

アメリカじんです。 (Amerika-jin desu.)

Do you remember how to say the question-marking particle?

か (ka).

Do you remember how Ken Kobayashi asks,

"Are you American?"

アメリカじんですか。 (Amerika-jin desu ka.)

Imagine you're Jack Jones, a student from London, and your home country is England

Do you remember how to pronounce "Jack Jones" in Japanese?

ジョンズ・ジャック

Respond to Ken Kobayashi's self-introduction and follow-up questions.

Ready?

はじめまして。わたしはこばやしです。よろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Kobayashi desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.)

はじめまして。わたしはジョンズ・ジャックです。よろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Jonzu Jakku desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.)

Listen again, and repeat.

はじめまして。わたしはジョンズ・ジャックです。よろしくおねがいします。 (Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Jonzu Jakku desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.)

Do you remember how to say "London" in Japanese?

ロンドン

Now respond that you’re from London.

しゅっしんはどこですか。 (Shusshin wa doko desu ka.)

しゅっしんはロンドンです。 (Shusshin wa Rondon desu.)

Listen again and repeat.

しゅっしんはロンドンです。 (Shusshin wa Rondon desu.)

And do you remember how to say "England" in Japanese?

イギリス

Now respond that you’re English.

あ、イギリスじんですか。 (A, Igirisu-jin desu ka.)

はい、イギリスじんです。 (Hai, Igirisu-jin desu.)

Listen again and repeat.

はい、イギリスじんです。 (Hai, Igirisu-jin desu.)

Now, do you remember how to say "student" in Japanese?

がくせい

Respond that you're a student.

いしゃですか？

いいえ、いしゃではありません。がくせいです。

Listen again and repeat.

いいえ、いしゃではありません。がくせいです。

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Introduce Yourself unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

What's next?

Show us what you can do.

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You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like.

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Keep practicing — and move on to the next lesson!

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