My First Month of Asking “Was machen Sie?” – Jobs in Germany

Okay, deep breath. It’s been a month since I moved to Munich, and let me tell you, the initial excitement of U-Bahn rides and pretzel stands is starting to wear off… slightly. What hasn’t worn off is the absolute terror of trying to, you know, do anything. And a huge part of that is figuring out how to talk about my job – or lack thereof, currently. German conversations about work are… intense. It’s not just “I’m a teacher.” It’s a whole process.

The Initial Confusion: “Was machen Sie?”

The very first time I needed to ask someone what they did, I blurted out, “Ich bin ein… etwas?” (I am a… something?). The woman I asked at the bakery, Frau Schmidt, stared at me, completely bewildered. Then she gently asked, “Was machen Sie?” – and I realized, in that moment of panic, that I wasn’t supposed to just say “Ich bin….” The correct, polite way to ask is “Was machen Sie?” – literally “What do you do?”. It’s always formal, even with people you just met. It feels so weird, but trust me, using “Sie” makes a massive difference.

I learned that quickly, after a particularly awkward encounter with a delivery guy. He asked me what I did, and I nearly answered with my complex dissertation on Victorian literature. He just blinked and said, “Okay, gut!” – clearly not understanding a word.

Profession Vocabulary – It’s More Than Just “Arbeit”

“Arbeit” (work) is the base word, but it’s not enough. I quickly discovered a huge range of vocabulary. For instance, if you’re an engineer, you’re a “Ingenieur”. If you’re a nurse, you’re a “Krankenschwester”. It’s much more specific than just saying “I work”.

Here’s a little list I’ve been using:

• der Künstler – artist
• der Lehrer – teacher
• der Student – student (important!)
• der Ingenieur – engineer
• der Verkäufer – salesperson
• die Ärztin – doctor (female)
• der Arzt – doctor (male)
• der Manager – manager
• das Personal – staff

I heard a colleague – Thomas – describe his job as a “Softwareentwickler” (software developer). That sounded incredibly complicated!

Sentence Order – It’s Not Always Like English!

This is where it gets really tricky. The sentence structure is different. You don’t just say “I am a teacher.” You have to put the profession after the verb “sein” (to be).

Example: “Ich bin Lehrer.” (I am a teacher.) – Literally, “I am teacher.”

Another example: “Sie sind Krankenschwester” (You are a nurse).

It felt incredibly unnatural at first, and I accidentally said, “Ich bin Lehrerin” (I am a female teacher) when I meant to ask someone about their profession. My German friend, Alice, patiently corrected me, saying, “No, no, Sie sagen ‘Ich bin Lehrer’.”

Real-Life Scenario: Asking at the Café

Yesterday, I was at a café trying to order a coffee and strike up a conversation. I wanted to ask the barista, Max, what he did.

Me: “Entschuldigung, was machen Sie?” (Excuse me, what do you do?)

Max: “Ich bin Barista.” (I am a barista.)

Me: “Ach, das ist… interessant.” (Oh, that is… interesting.) – Trying to sound polite and acknowledging it’s a slightly unusual job.

Max: “Ja, es ist gut!” (Yes, it’s good!) – He smiled, clearly relieved I wasn’t completely baffled.

A Small Victory (and a Lesson)

Later, I was talking to my landlord, Herr Müller. I wanted to ask him about his work. I managed to say, “Was machen Sie?” and he told me he was a “Bauingenieur” – a civil engineer. And, incredibly, he actually explained what he did! It was a tiny victory, but a hugely important one.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to slow down, listen carefully, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. And definitely, definitely, use “Sie”. My German is still very basic, but I’m getting there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice saying “Ich bin Student” one more time. Ich muss lernen! (I must learn!)