Jobs and Occupations Vocabulary in English: Words, Examples and Quiz
From teacher and nurse to electrician and accountant: the words you need to say what you do and ask about other people's work, with pronunciation, simple definitions, Turkish translations and real example sentences.
53 words · By LearnLingo Team · Updated
Tap to hear a word. Pronunciation is American English. Levels follow the CEFR scale. Turkish translations are given as a quick check.
Common jobs
The jobs you hear about every day. Many job names end in -er or -or: teach, teacher; drive, driver; act, actor.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
teacher ⁄ˈtiːtʃɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who helps students learn, usually in a school My mother is a math teacher. | öğretmen |
doctor ⁄ˈdɑːktɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who looks after sick people and gives them medicine You should see a doctor about that cough. | doktor |
nurse ⁄nɝːs⁄ · noun A1 | a person who cares for sick people, usually in a hospital The nurse checked my temperature. | hemşire |
engineer ⁄ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪr⁄ · noun A2 | a person who designs or builds machines, roads, bridges or systems She's an engineer at a car company. | mühendis |
police officer ⁄pəˈliːs ˌɔːfɪsɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person whose job is to keep people safe and stop crime A police officer helped us find the station. | polis memuru |
driver ⁄ˈdraɪvɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person whose job is to drive a bus, taxi or truck The bus driver said good morning to everyone. | şoför, sürücü |
cook ⁄kʊk⁄ · noun A1 | a person who makes food, at home or as a job He works as a cook in a small cafe. | aşçı |
waiter ⁄ˈweɪtɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who brings food and drinks to tables in a restaurant; also called a server in American English The waiter brought us the menu. | garson |
salesperson ⁄ˈseɪlzˌpɝːsən⁄ · noun A2 | a person who sells things in a store or for a company; called a shop assistant in British English when they work in a shop The salesperson showed me three different phones. | satış elemanı |
farmer ⁄ˈfɑːrmɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who grows food or keeps animals on a farm My grandfather was a farmer in a small village. | çiftçi |
dentist ⁄ˈdɛntɪst⁄ · noun A1 | a doctor who looks after people's teeth I go to the dentist twice a year. | diş hekimi |
actor ⁄ˈæktɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who plays a part in a movie, play or TV show She's a famous actor from Canada. | oyuncu, aktör |
singer ⁄ˈsɪŋɚ⁄ · noun A1 | a person who sings, often as a job He's the singer in a rock band. | şarkıcı |
Public service, health and travel
Jobs that keep people healthy, safe and moving. Modern English prefers words that work for men and women: firefighter, police officer, flight attendant, mail carrier.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
firefighter ⁄ˈfaɪɚˌfaɪtɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person whose job is to stop fires and help people in danger The firefighters saved the family's dog. | itfaiyeci |
pharmacist ⁄ˈfɑːrməsɪst⁄ · noun B1 | a person who prepares and sells medicine Ask the pharmacist which medicine is best for a cold. | eczacı |
vet ⁄vɛt⁄ · noun A2 | a doctor for animals; the full word is veterinarian in American English and veterinary surgeon in British English We took the cat to the vet. | veteriner |
pilot ⁄ˈpaɪlət⁄ · noun A2 | a person who flies a plane The pilot said we will land in ten minutes. | pilot |
flight attendant ⁄ˈflaɪt əˌtɛndənt⁄ · noun A2 | a person who looks after passengers on a plane The flight attendant brought me some water. | kabin memuru |
soldier ⁄ˈsoʊldʒɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who is in an army Her brother is a soldier. | asker |
lawyer ⁄ˈlɔɪɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who knows the law and helps people with legal problems You should talk to a lawyer before you sign. | avukat |
judge ⁄dʒʌdʒ⁄ · noun B1 | the person who makes decisions in a court of law The judge listened to both sides. | hakim, yargıç |
mail carrier ⁄ˈmeɪl ˌkæriɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who brings letters and packages to homes; called a postman or postwoman in British English The mail carrier comes at about ten every morning. | postacı |
Office and business jobs
Jobs you find in offices, shops and companies. For more office words, see office and workplace.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
manager ⁄ˈmænɪdʒɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who controls a team, a shop or part of a company I'd like to speak to the manager, please. | müdür, yönetici |
accountant ⁄əˈkaʊntənt⁄ · noun A2 | a person who keeps and checks the money records of a person or company Our accountant helps us with taxes. | muhasebeci |
secretary ⁄ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri⁄ · noun A2 | a person in an office who answers phones, writes letters and plans meetings The secretary booked a meeting room for us. | sekreter |
receptionist ⁄rɪˈsɛpʃənɪst⁄ · noun A2 | a person who greets visitors and answers the phone at the front desk The receptionist gave me the key to my room. | resepsiyonist |
businessperson ⁄ˈbɪznəsˌpɝːsən⁄ · noun A2 | a person who works in business, often as an owner or a manager; also businessman or businesswoman He's a successful businessperson with three restaurants. | iş insanı |
programmer ⁄ˈproʊˌɡræmɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who writes code for computers and apps She's a programmer at a game company. | programcı, yazılımcı |
designer ⁄dɪˈzaɪnɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who plans how clothes, websites, rooms or products look My cousin is a fashion designer. | tasarımcı |
journalist ⁄ˈdʒɝːnəlɪst⁄ · noun A2 | a person who writes news for newspapers, websites, TV or radio The journalist asked the mayor a hard question. | gazeteci |
architect ⁄ˈɑːrkɪˌtɛkt⁄ · noun A2 | a person who designs buildings An architect designed our new school. | mimar |
cashier ⁄kæˈʃɪr⁄ · noun B1 | a person who takes money from customers in a shop or bank Pay the cashier at the front of the store. | kasiyer |
Hands-on jobs
Jobs where people make, fix or prepare things with their hands. Note the silent b in plumber.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
mechanic ⁄məˈkænɪk⁄ · noun A2 | a person who fixes cars and engines The mechanic says my car needs new brakes. | tamirci, oto tamircisi |
electrician ⁄ɪˌlɛkˈtrɪʃən⁄ · noun B1 | a person who puts in and fixes electric wires and lights We need an electrician. The lights keep going off. | elektrikçi |
plumber ⁄ˈplʌmɚ⁄ · noun B1 | a person who puts in and fixes water pipes, sinks and toilets The plumber fixed the kitchen sink in an hour. | tesisatçı |
builder ⁄ˈbɪldɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who builds or repairs houses and other buildings The builders are working on our new kitchen. | inşaat ustası |
hairdresser ⁄ˈhɛrˌdrɛsɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who cuts and styles hair; a barber cuts men's hair My hairdresser said short hair suits me. | kuaför |
chef ⁄ʃɛf⁄ · noun A2 | a trained cook, especially the most important cook in a restaurant The chef came out to say hello to us. | şef, aşçıbaşı |
baker ⁄ˈbeɪkɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who makes and sells bread and cakes The baker starts work at four in the morning. | fırıncı |
butcher ⁄ˈbʊtʃɚ⁄ · noun B1 | a person who cuts and sells meat I buy chicken from the butcher on the corner. | kasap |
cleaner ⁄ˈkliːnɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person whose job is to clean offices, homes or other buildings The cleaners come to the office every evening. | temizlikçi |
Talking about work
Words you need around the job title: where you work, who with, how much and how often.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
job ⁄dʒɑːb⁄ · noun A1 | the work you do regularly to earn money She has a new job at a bank. | iş, meslek |
work ⁄wɝːk⁄ · verb A1 | to do a job, usually for money I work from nine to five. | çalışmak |
company ⁄ˈkʌmpəni⁄ · noun A2 | a business that makes or sells things or services He works for a big software company. | şirket |
boss ⁄bɔːs⁄ · noun A2 | the person who is in charge of you at work My boss is very friendly. | patron, amir |
colleague ⁄ˈkɑːliːɡ⁄ · noun A2 | a person you work with I have lunch with my colleagues every day. | iş arkadaşı |
customer ⁄ˈkʌstəmɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a person who buys things or services The shop has a lot of customers on Saturdays. | müşteri |
salary ⁄ˈsælɚi⁄ · noun A2 | the money you get for your job, usually every month The job has a good salary and long holidays. | maaş |
full-time ⁄ˌfʊlˈtaɪm⁄ · adjective A2 | working all the normal hours of a work week She has a full-time job in a hospital. | tam zamanlı |
part-time ⁄ˌpɑːrtˈtaɪm⁄ · adjective A2 | working only some of the hours of a work week I have a part-time job in a cafe on weekends. | yarı zamanlı |
unemployed ⁄ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd⁄ · adjective B1 | without a job He was unemployed for six months. | işsiz |
self-employed ⁄ˌsɛlf ɪmˈplɔɪd⁄ · adjective B1 | working for yourself, not for a company My dad is a self-employed builder. | serbest çalışan |
retired ⁄rɪˈtaɪɚd⁄ · adjective A2 | no longer working because you are older My grandparents are retired and travel a lot. | emekli |
Useful phrases and collocations
What do you do?
What do you do? I'm a nurse.
work as a, work as an
She works as an architect in Berlin.
work for a company
I work for a small travel company.
work in a hospital, school, bank
My brother works in a bank.
work at home, from home
I work from home on Fridays.
get a job
She got a job at the new hotel.
look for a job
He's looking for a job in marketing.
lose your job
Many people lost their jobs when the factory closed.
a part-time job
Lots of students have a part-time job.
work long hours
Doctors often work long hours.
earn a salary
Pilots earn a high salary.
be in charge of
The manager is in charge of twenty people.
How to learn these words
Learn job words with the place and the action: a nurse works in a hospital and looks after patients; a chef works in a restaurant and cooks food. Say each job out loud with one sentence about it, then review the list tomorrow and again in a week. Short, spaced reviews work better than one long session. See how to learn English vocabulary for a simple routine.
Always use a or an before a job: I'm a teacher, She's an engineer. Use an before a vowel sound: an actor, an architect, an electrician. Many languages leave out the article here, but English needs it. More on this in articles a, an and the.
To ask about a job, say What do you do? or What do you do for a living? Answer with the present simple: I work in a bank, I teach English. Use the present continuous for a temporary job: I'm working in a cafe this summer. See present simple.
Modern English uses job names for everyone: firefighter, police officer, flight attendant, chair or chairperson, and actor for both men and women. British and American English differ for some jobs: postman and mail carrier, shop assistant and salesperson or sales clerk.
Use the words: speaking and writing tasks
- Say what you do in three sentences: your job or studies, where you work or study, and one thing you do every day.
- Pick ten jobs from the list and say where each person works: A teacher works in a school.
- Describe the jobs of five people in your family. Use a or an correctly: My aunt is an accountant.
- Write five questions you could ask someone about their job, then answer them for your dream job.
- Role-play meeting someone new at a party: ask What do you do? and keep the talk going for two minutes. Ideas are in small talk in English.
Common mistakes
I am teacher.
I am a teacher.
In English, you need a or an before a singular job: I'm a teacher, she's an engineer. Many languages have no article here, so this mistake is very common.
What is your work?
What do you do?
What do you do? is the natural question about someone's job. What's your job? is also correct, but What is your work? sounds unusual.
She works as a engineer.
She works as an engineer.
Use an before a word that starts with a vowel sound: an engineer, an actor, an architect.
I'm work in a hotel.
I work in a hotel.
Do not use am and a main verb together in the present simple. Say I work, or I'm working for a temporary job.
My brother is unemployment.
My brother is unemployed.
Unemployed is the adjective for a person without a job. Unemployment is the noun for the general situation: Unemployment is high.
Practice quiz
10 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
1. A person who looks after people's teeth is a ___.
2. Choose the correct sentence.
3. A: What do you do? B: ___
4. Who fixes water pipes and toilets?
5. My dad doesn't work now. He's 70 and he's ___.
6. She works ___ an accountant.
7. A person you work with is your ___.
8. Which word is British English?
9. Who designs buildings?
10. I only work three days a week. I have a ___ job.
0 of 10 answered
Show all answers
- dentist
- She is a doctor.
- I'm a designer.
- a plumber
- retired
- as
- colleague
- postman
- an architect
- part-time
See what the A1 English course covers, or test your level first.
People also ask
How do you ask about someone's job in English?+
The most natural question is What do you do? You can also ask What do you do for a living? or What's your job? Answer with I'm a or an plus the job, or I work in or for a place.
Why do we say I'm a teacher and not I'm teacher?+
English needs an article before a singular countable noun, and job names are countable. So you say I'm a teacher and she's an engineer. With plurals there is no article: They're teachers.
What is the difference between job and work?+
Job is countable: I have a new job, she has two jobs. Work is usually uncountable and means the activity or the place: I have a lot of work, I go to work at eight.
Is it a cook or a chef?+
Both make food. A cook can be anyone who cooks, at home or in a cafe. A chef is a trained professional, often the person in charge of a restaurant kitchen.
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