👔 What Do You Do? – How to Ask and Talk About Jobs in English2025.07.28

Have you ever wanted to ask someone about their job but weren’t sure how? Or maybe someone asked you and you didn’t know how to answer? Don’t worry! In today’s blog, we’ll help you learn how to ask about someone’s job and how to respond clearly and politely.

Let’s get started! 🗣️💼

🟦 How to Ask Someone About Their Job

Here are some common and polite ways to ask someone what they do for work:

🔹 Basic & Friendly

What do you do?

(This means: What is your job?)

What do you do for a living?

(This is a polite and professional way to ask.)

Where do you work?

(This asks for the place, not just the type of job.)

🔹 Casual Conversation Starters

So, what kind of work do you do?

Are you working or studying right now?

Do you have a job? What do you do?

🟩 How to Answer the Question

When someone asks, “What do you do?” you can answer in a few ways, depending on how formal or casual the situation is.

🔸 Simple Answer

I’m a teacher.

I work in a bank.

I’m a nurse.

I work as an engineer.

🔸 With More Detail

I’m a teacher at an elementary school.

I work as a graphic designer in a marketing company.

I’m a software developer. I work from home.

🔸 If You Don’t Work

I’m a student.

I’m currently looking for a job.

I’m a stay-at-home parent.

I’m retired.

I’m taking a break from work right now.

🗣 Example Conversation

Here’s a short dialogue:

A: Hi! Nice to meet you. What do you do? B: I’m a web designer. I work for a tech company in Makati. How about you? A: I’m an accountant. I work at a private firm.

💡 Tips for ESL Learners

✅ Practice with friends or classmates ✅ Use simple sentences when starting ✅ Be polite and smile when asking ✅ Try saying your job with confidence

✨ Final Thought

Talking about jobs is a great way to start a conversation and get to know people better. With a little practice, you’ll feel more confident asking and answering the question, “What do you do?”

So next time you meet someone new… try asking about their job! 💬

📌 What about you? Comment below: What do you do? Let’s practice together!