What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 私 (watashi – I/me), の (no – possessive particle) and 仕事 (shigoto – work/job).
Which one should you use?
While 私の仕事 is the standard form, other variations exist depending on the speaker's gender and the desired level of politeness. For example, わたくしのおしごと is a polite version, while 僕の仕事 and 俺の仕事 are masculine forms used in different social settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
わたくしのおしごと is a polite way to express "my job". In casual or semi-formal settings, male speakers often use 僕の仕事. For very casual or rough speech, men may use 俺の仕事. Conversely, the word 仕事 alone can be used to convey the idea of "my job" in casual conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, the possessive "my" (私の) is often omitted if the context makes it clear that you are talking about your own job.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi no shigoto
Did you know?
- The word 仕事 is composed of two kanji: 仕 meaning 'to serve' and 事 meaning 'matter' or 'thing'. This reflects a historical cultural view of a job as a form of service to a superior or the public.
- In professional settings, Japanese speakers often describe their 'job' by mentioning the company they work for rather than their specific role. Saying 'I am [Company Name]' is often more natural than saying 私の仕事は… (my job is…).
- Depending on the context, a Japanese person might describe their 'job' using the term なりわい (nariwai). This word carries a nuance of 'means of survival' or 'livelihood' rather than just a professional title.
Examples in context
- それは私の仕事です。It's my job.This sentence shows how to use 私の仕事 to identify a specific task.Tatoeba #1245212 by bunbuku, translation #433521 by CK
- 私の仕事は月曜からだよ。My job begins on Monday.This sentence demonstrates using 私の仕事 to describe when work begins.Tatoeba #10557915 by small_snow, translation #9001497 by CK
- 車を売るのが私の仕事です。Selling cars is my job.This sentence illustrates how to define a job using 私の仕事.Tatoeba #148928 by bunbuku, translation #503055 by CK
- 人々の役に立つことが、わたくしのおしごとです。Assisting people is my job.
- 私の職業は研究者です。My job is being a researcher.
- 仕事は忙しいけれど、やりがいがあります。My job is busy, but it's fulfilling.
- 僕はIT企業で働いています。I work at an IT company.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking about their careers over lunch.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんは、今の仕事は好きですか？Ren-san wa, ima no shigoto wa suki desu ka?Ren, do you like your current job?
- 蓮 Renはい。でも、私の仕事はとても忙しいです。Hai. Demo, watashi no shigoto wa totemo isogashii desu.Yes. But my job is very busy.
- 結衣 Yui大変そうですね。応援していますよ。Taihen sou desu ne. Ouen shite imasu yo.That sounds tough. I'm rooting for you.
- 蓮 Renありがとうございます、結衣さん。Arigatou gozaimasu, Yui-san.Thank you, Yui.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
