働いています
hataraite imasu
The English phrase "I work" is translated into Japanese as 働いています (hataraite imasu).
働いています is a statement used to say that a person has a job or is currently employed.
Which one should you use?
While 働いています can be translated as "I work" to describe a general state of employment, it is more literally translated as "I am working" to emphasize the ongoing nature of the job.
How do you pronounce it?
hataraite imasu
Did you know?
- Japanese has a concept called 社畜 (shachiku), which translates to 'company livestock'. It is a slang term for an employee who is so devoted to 働いています that they sacrifice their entire personal life.
- If you are a freelancer or self-employed, you might avoid 働いています and instead use 独立しています (dokuritsu shite imasu), which literally means 'I have become independent'.
- In Japanese, the subject 'I' is often omitted in the phrase 働いています because it is understood from the context. Adding 私は (I) can sometimes make you sound unnecessarily formal or even slightly unnatural in casual conversation.
Examples in context
- 銀行で働いています。I work for a bank.This sentence is useful for stating where you work, specifically using the form 働いています.Tatoeba #179594 by small_snow, translation #256979 by CK
- 工場で働いています。I work in a factory.Tatoeba #10098195 by small_snow, translation #2412764 by fjrjdk
- 領事館で働いています。I work at the consulate.Tatoeba #9930069 by small_snow, translation #9844134 by Ricardo14
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are talking about their careers at a social gathering.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんは今、何をされていますか。Daigto-san wa ima, nani o sarete imasu ka.Daigto, what are you doing for a living now?
- 大翔 Hiroto私はIT企業で働いています。Watashi wa ai-tii kigyou de hataraite imasu.I work for an IT company.
- 結衣 Yuiそうなんですね。大変そうですね。Sou nan desu ne. Taihen sou desu ne.I see. That sounds like hard work.
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、でもやりがいがあります。Hai, demo yarigai ga arimasu.Yes, but it is rewarding.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
