スタッフ
sutaffu[sɨ̥ta̠ɸːɯ̟]
The English word staff is translated into Japanese as スタッフ (sutaffu). Wiktionary also lists 職員 (shokuin).
Meaning: employees of a business (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| スタッフ | sutaffu | [sɨ̥ta̠ɸːɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 職員 | shokuin | [ɕo̞kɯ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) |
Both スタッフ and 職員 are used to refer to the people employed by a business or organization.
Which one should you use?
スタッフ is the general loanword for staff. In contrast, 職員 is a formal term used specifically for personnel or employees of public institutions, schools, hospitals or large organizations. Other specialized terms include 従業員, which refers to workers within a company or organization and 社員, which denotes a member of a company.
How do you pronounce it?
sutaffu
Did you know?
- The use of スタッフ has expanded in Japan to include any group of people supporting an event, even if they are unpaid volunteers rather than paid employees.
- While スタッフ is a general term, Japanese people often use the word メンバー ('member') to describe staff members in a way that feels more inclusive and less hierarchical.
- In Japanese media and film sets, スタッフ is used as a collective noun to refer to the entire crew, but it is almost never used to describe the actors.
Examples in context
- その火事は職員が帰宅した後で起こった。The fire broke out after the staff went home.This sentence shows the use of 職員 to refer to employees.Tatoeba #211943 by bunbuku, translation #23808 by CK
- スタッフ全員が出席したわけではありません。Not all of the staff was present.This sentence shows the use of スタッフ to refer to staff members.Tatoeba #214677 by bunbuku, translation #51970 by CK
- きっとスタッフが帰った後に火が出たんだよ。The fire must have broken out after the staff had gone home.Tatoeba #10514389 by bunbuku, translation #266798 by CC
- このイベントには熟練したスタッフが関わっています。Experienced staff members are involved in this event.
- 当社の従業員は一丸となって取り組んでいます。Our employees are working together as one.
- あの店員さんがとても親切でした。That staff member was very kind.
- アルバイトの仲間たちと一緒に楽しく働いています。I am working happily with my part-time colleagues.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman is asking a man about the personnel at a local cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariこのカフェのスタッフは優しいですか？Kono kafe no sutaffu wa yasashii desu ka?Are the staff at this cafe kind?
- 蓮 Renはい、スタッフはみんな親切ですよ。Hai, sutaffu wa minna shinsetsu desu yo.Yes, the staff are all very kind.
- 陽葵 Himariそれは安心しました。Sore wa anshin shimashita.That is a relief.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんもきっと気に入りますよ。Himari-san mo kitto ki ni irimasu yo.You will surely like it too, Himari.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “staff” translations and entries スタッフ, 職員, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
