Hindi · Real conversations
How to respond to “आप क्या काम करते हैं?” in Hindi
A work question can be answered with a role, current study, a job search, or a polite change of topic.
What you might hear
आप क्या काम करते हैं?aap kya kaam karte hain?
What do you do for work?
Choose a reply that fits
मैं शिक्षक / शिक्षिका हूँ।main shikshak / shikshika hoon.
I work as a teacher.
Name a role without a long job description.
मैं विद्यार्थी हूँ।main vidyaarthi hoon.
I'm a student.
Use when studying is your current activity.
मैं काम ढूँढ़ रहा / रही हूँ।main kaam dhoondh raha / rahi hoon.
I'm looking for work.
Describe your current situation if you want to.
अभी मैं काम के बारे में बात नहीं करना चाहता / चाहती।abhi main kaam ke baare mein baat nahin karna chaahta / chaahti.
I'd rather not discuss work right now.
Set a boundary without inventing a job.
Two short exchanges
Meeting a new person
आप क्या काम करते हैं?aap kya kaam karte hain?
What do you do for work?
मैं शिक्षक / शिक्षिका हूँ।main shikshak / shikshika hoon.
I work as a teacher.
A casual work question
आप किस तरह का काम करते हैं?aap kis tarah ka kaam karte hain?
What kind of work do you do?
मैं विद्यार्थी हूँ।main vidyaarthi hoon.
I'm a student.
Your turn
Give a short honest answer about looking for work.
Reveal a sample reply
मैं काम ढूँढ़ रहा / रही हूँ।main kaam dhoondh raha / rahi hoon.
I'm looking for work.
This response guide in other languages
A note on speaking Hindi
These examples generally use respectful आप (aap). Familiar तुम (tum) changes the verb ending, and तू (tu) can sound too intimate or disrespectful in the wrong relationship. Where gender changes a first-person form, choose the version that describes the speaker.
Read the Devanagari alongside the romanization. Romanization is a reading aid rather than an exact description of every sound. Everyday Hindi can use familiar loanwords, while a literal English word order may sound unnatural.
