Latest / Learn German with Fexingo / German Professions - Was machst du?
Transcript
- Lucas: Hey Luna, ready for another episode of Learn German with Fexingo? Luna: Yeah, always! Last time we learned how to ask for directions. That was super useful. Lucas: Good. Today let's talk about jobs. You know, when you meet someone new, they often ask what you do for a living. Luna: Oh, like 'What do you do?' in English. How do you say that in German? Lucas: There are a few ways. The most common casual one is: Was machst du? Luna: Was machst du? Lucas: Yes, that's it. Was machst du? It means 'What do you do?' — in a general sense, often about work or study. Luna: Was machst du? Okay, I can ask that. And how do I answer? Lucas: You say: Ich bin... and then your job. For example, Ich bin Lehrer. Luna: Ich bin Lehrer. So 'Lehrer' means teacher? Lucas: Right. For a female teacher, it's Ich bin Lehrerin. But we'll keep it simple for now. Try saying 'I am a student.' Luna: Ich bin Student. Lucas: Perfect. Student means student. Now, more formally, you can ask: Was sind Sie von Beruf? That's the polite version. Luna: Was sind Sie von Beruf? That's a mouthful. Let me try: Was sind Sie von Beruf? Lucas: Great. And answer: Ich bin von Beruf... or just Ich bin... Both work. For example, Ich bin von Beruf Arzt. Luna: Arzt is doctor, right? So Ich bin von Beruf Arzt. Lucas: Exactly. Another common phrase is: Was machst du beruflich? That's a bit more specific — 'What do you do professionally?' Luna: Was machst du beruflich? Okay, let me repeat: Was machst du beruflich? Lucas: Good. And you can answer with: Ich arbeite als... which means 'I work as...' For example, Ich arbeite als Ingenieur. Luna: Ich arbeite als Ingenieur. So 'als' means 'as'. Lucas: Yes. Let's practice a short dialogue. I'll ask you: Was machst du? Luna: Ich bin Student. Und du? What do you do, Lucas? Lucas: Ich arbeite als Lehrer. See, that's natural. Now let's switch. You ask me casually. Luna: Was machst du? Lucas: Ich bin Sprachlehrer. I'm a language teacher. Luna: Oh, that makes sense for this show! So if I meet a stranger, I should use the formal version? Lucas: Yes, exactly. Was sind Sie von Beruf? is polite. Let's hear you say it. Luna: Was sind Sie von Beruf? Lucas: Perfect. And the answer: Ich bin von Beruf Arzt. Luna: Ich bin von Beruf Arzt. So 'von Beruf' is like 'by profession'. Lucas: Right. Now let's do a quick review. I'll say the English, you say the German. 'What do you do?' casually. Luna: Was machst du? Lucas: What do you do professionally? Luna: Was machst du beruflich? Lucas: What are you by profession? Luna: Was sind Sie von Beruf? Lucas: I am a doctor. Luna: Ich bin Arzt. Or Ich bin von Beruf Arzt. Lucas: I work as an engineer. Luna: Ich arbeite als Ingenieur. Lucas: You've got it. Now let's put it in a little scene. Imagine you meet someone at a party. They ask: Was machst du? Luna: Ich bin Student. Und du? Lucas: Ich bin Softwareentwickler. That's 'software developer'. See, you can use any job. Luna: Softwareentwickler — that's a long word! But I get it. Lucas: German loves compound words. But for now, stick with simple ones like Arzt, Lehrer, Student. Luna: Got it. So if someone asks 'Was machst du?', I can say 'Ich bin Student' or 'Ich arbeite als...'. Lucas: Exactly. And if you want to ask back, just say 'Und du?' or 'Und Sie?' for formal. Luna: Und du? That's easy. So today we learned: Was machst du? Was machst du beruflich? Was sind Sie von Beruf? Ich bin... and Ich arbeite als... Lucas: That's a solid set. By the way, if Fexingo has been helping you make progress with German, consider supporting the show. It keeps us ad-free and focused on teaching. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that makes a big difference. If today's episode was worth a coffee to you, that's the link: buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Right. And now, let's practise one more time. I'll ask, you answer. Was machst du? Luna: Ich bin Student. Und du? Lucas: Ich arbeite als Lehrer. Perfect. Keep practising these phrases when you meet German speakers. Thanks for joining us on Fexingo. See you next time!