ich arbeite bei
The English phrase "I work at" is translated into German as ich arbeite bei.
This phrase is used to name the specific company or organization that employs a person.
Which one should you use?
You should use bei when naming your employer or a company. In contrast, you would use in if you are referring to the physical location or the type of building, such as ich arbeite in einem Büro (I work in an office).
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition bei always requires the dative case for the noun that follows it.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use ich arbeite in to name a company. However, bei is the standard preposition to use when naming an employer.
Did you know?
- In casual conversation, Germans often omit the verb arbeite entirely and simply say ich bin bei [Company] to mean they work there.
- The preposition bei originally meant 'near' or 'at the side of' in Old High German, which explains why you are conceptually 'at the side of' your employer.
- While bei indicates who employs you, Germans use the preposition als to describe their role, such as ich arbeite als Lehrer for 'I work as a teacher'.
Examples in context
- Ich arbeite bei der Post.I work at the post office.This sentence is useful for naming a specific organization like the post office using ich arbeite bei.Tatoeba #3304042 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2544912 by CK
- Ich arbeite bei einer Bank.I work at a bank.This sentence is useful for naming a type of business like a bank using ich arbeite bei.Tatoeba #663091 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5858167 by CK
- Ich arbeite bei Chuck's Bar and Grill.I work at Chuck's Bar and Grill.This sentence is useful for naming a specific establishment like a bar and grill using ich arbeite bei.Tatoeba #8516770 by Luiaard, translation #4495928 by CK
- Ich arbeite bei der Firma XYZ.I work at company XYZ.
- Ich bin beschäftigt bei einer Bank.I am employed at a bank.
- Ich bin bei einer Werbeagentur.I work at an advertising agency.
- Ich arbeite bei einer IT-Firma.I work at an IT company.
- Ich bin beschäftigt bei einer internationalen Bank.I am employed at an international bank.
- Ich arbeite bei einem Verlag.I work at a publishing house.
- Ich bin bei einem Start-up beschäftigt.I work at a startup.
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are meeting for the first time at a party.
- LukasWas machst du beruflich, Julia?What do you do for a living, Julia?
- JuliaIch arbeite bei einer Versicherung.I work at an insurance company.
- LukasInteressant! Und wo arbeitest du?Interesting! And where do you work?
- JuliaIch arbeite bei einem Softwareunternehmen.I work at a software company.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
