JLPT N5 Conversational: Talk About Jobs and Work
This article will help you start talking about jobs and work in Japanese, preparing you for the JLPT N5 exam. We’ll focus on practical phrases and vocabulary you can use in real-life situations. Don’t worry too much about complex grammar – our goal is to get you speaking!
Essential Vocabulary
Here are some key words you need to know:
- 仕事 (shigoto): Job, work
- 会社 (kaisha): Company
- アルバイト (arubaito): Part-time job
- 正社員 (seishain): Full-time employee
- パート (paato): Part-timer
- 給料 (gyouryou): Salary, wages
- 時間 (jikan): Time
- 仕事内容 (shigoto naiyo): Job content/description
- 資格 (shikaku): Qualification / Certificate
Common Phrases
Let’s look at some phrases you’ll use often:
- 私は…です。 (Watashi wa … desu.): I am… (Example: 私は学生です。(Watashi wa gakusei desu.) – I am a student.)
- 仕事をしています。 (Shigoto o shiteimasu): I work. (More polite version of “shigoto shimasu”)
- どんな仕事が好きですか？(Donna shigoto ga suki desu ka?) : What kind of job do you like?
- …について話しましょう。 (… ni tsuite hanashimashou.): Let’s talk about ….
- お給料はいくらですか？(Ogyouyou wa ikura desu ka?) : How much is the salary?
Dialogue Example 1: Introducing Yourself and Your Job
Person A: こんにちは！ (Konnichiwa! – Hello!)
Person B: こんにちは！私は田中です。(Konnichiwa! Watashi wa Tanaka desu. – Hello! I’m Tanaka.)
Person A: 私は李です。私は学校の先生です。(Watashi wa Li desu. Watashi wa gakkou no sensei desu. – I’m Lee. I am a teacher at school.)
Person B: え、先生？すごいですね！(E, sensei? Sugoi desu ne! – Oh, a teacher? That’s amazing!)
Mistake/Correction: Notice Person A initially said just “shigoto shimasu” (work). It’s more polite and common to say “shigoto o shiteimasu” (I work). It translates roughly to ‘I do work’.
Dialogue Example 2: Asking About Salary
Person A: あなたの仕事は何ですか？(Anata no shigoto wa nan desu ka? – What is your job?)
Person B: 私は会社で働いています。ソフトウェアエンジニアです。(Watashi wa kaisha de hataraiteimasu. Sofutowea enjinia desu. – I work in a company. I’m a software engineer.)
Person A: お給料はいくらですか？(Ogyouyou wa ikura desu ka? – How much is your salary?)
Person B: 年収は５００万円です。(Nensyuu wa gohachinman yen desu. – My annual income is 5 million yen.)
Important Note: “年収 (nensyuu)” refers to annual income, not monthly salary. It’s a very common phrase in Japan.
Practice Questions
- Translate: “I am a student and I work part-time.”
- What does “資格” mean? (Give the Japanese word).
- Ask someone how much their salary is.
Good luck with your Japanese studies! Keep practicing these phrases and words, and soon you’ll be confidently talking about jobs.
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