What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Was machst du beruflich? literally translates to "What do you do professionally?"
Which one should you use?
While Was machst du beruflich? is a standard way to ask, you might also hear Was bist du von Beruf?, which translates to "What are you by profession?" To avoid confusion with the question "What are you doing right now?", do not use Was machst du? by itself if your intention is to ask about someone's occupation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, you might hear the formal question Was sind Sie beruflich? instead of Was sind Sie von Beruf?
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people that you are on informal terms with, you should use the plural form Was macht ihr beruflich? For formal situations, always use the formal Sie form, such as in Was machen Sie beruflich? or Was sind Sie von Beruf?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you about your profession, a common way to respond is Ich bin [job title] von Beruf.
Did you know?
- Because German allows for the creation of long compound nouns, a person's answer to this question might be a single word of 20 letters or more that describes a very specific professional role.
- The distinction between du and Sie in these phrases is so strict that some friends may spend years using Sie before a mutual agreement allows them to switch to du.
- The word beruflich comes from 'der Beruf', which is closely tied to the concept of a 'calling' or a vocation, rather than just a job.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet at a social gathering.
- LukasSchön, dich zu sehen! Was machst du beruflich?Nice to see you! What do you do for a living?
- HannahIch bin Lehrerin. Und du?I am a teacher. And you?
- LukasIch arbeite als Ingenieur.I work as an engineer.
- HannahDas klingt sehr interessant!That sounds very interesting!
