German · People & Family
"What do you do? (for work)" in German: Was machst du beruflich?
Was machst du beruflich?
Note: formal: Was machen Sie beruflich?
What do you do in German is Was machst du beruflich? It asks about work, not hobbies. Formal note only: Was machen Sie beruflich?
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How to pronounce Was machst du beruflich?
Say it
vass MAKHST doo buh-ROOF-likh
/vas ˈmaxtst duː bəˈʁuːflɪç/
vass MAKHST doo buh-ROOF-likh. Soft ch in machst; beruflich stress ROOF.
"What do you do? (for work)" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Was machst du beruflich? | What do you do (for work)? Core du question. | Core du question. |
| Was machen Sie beruflich? | What do you do? (formal) Note only — Sie. | Note only — Sie. |
| Ich arbeite als… | I work as… Common answer. | Common answer. |
| Was ist dein Job? | What's your job? Casual. | Casual. |
How to use Was machst du beruflich? in real life
- 1Networking mixer
Kurz gefragt: Was machst du beruflich?
Quick question: What do you do for work?
Full du phrase.
- 2New neighbor
Was machst du beruflich, wenn ich fragen darf?
What do you do for work, if I may ask?
Softener added.
- 3After small talk
Nice to meet you — was machst du beruflich?
Nice to meet you — what do you do?
Code-switch into German question.
Mistakes English speakers make with Was machst du beruflich?
Incorrect: Was machst du? (only, wanting job)
Correct: Was machst du beruflich?
Without beruflich it can mean what are you doing right now.
Incorrect: Was bist du beruflich?
Correct: Was machst du beruflich? / Was bist du von Beruf?
Prefer machst du beruflich or von Beruf.
Good to know
Job talk comes earlier in some German networking settings than in English small talk. You can answer briefly, then ask back with Und du?
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a language exchange
ChatPal
Erzähl mal von dir.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
You
Klar. Was machst du beruflich?
Sure. What do you do for work?
ChatPal
Ich bin Designer. Und was machst du beruflich?
I'm a designer. And what do you do?
You
Ich arbeite im Marketing.
I work in marketing.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What do you do? (for work)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What do you do? (for work)" in German
How do you ask what someone does?
Was machst du beruflich?
Formal version?
Was machen Sie beruflich? — note only on this page.
Without beruflich?
It can mean what are you doing now.
How to answer?
Ich arbeite als… / Ich bin…
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
