Jobs in GermanVocabulary List + Pronunciation

German jobs vocabulary isn't difficult to learn - many jobs in German actually sound a lot like their English counterpart. Here you'll find the most important German occupations, but also related vocab all around jobs & the working world.

German Jobs Vocabulary List 👩🏽‍🍳

We've divided the different jobs into general categories. Here is the table of contents:

If there is some vocabulary related to jobs & occupations that we've missed, don't hesitate to send us a quick mail. 😊

Common Jobs in German 👮🏻

Die Ärztin
Der Rentner
Die Lehrerin.
Der Student

Let's have a look at some very common jobs first. How would you ask to speak for the waiter? What if you need to find a doctor?

der Polizist
police man
der Kellner
waiter
der Lehrer
teacher
der Bäcker
baker
der Arzt
doctor
der Koch
chef
der Journalist
journalist
der Zahnarzt
dentist

Example Sentence

Ich arbeite gerade nebenbei als Kellner. Später möchte ich aber gerne Zahnarzt werden.

Blue Collar Jobs 👩🏼‍🚒

Now let's have a look at some of the most common blue collar jobs and the German vocabulary for these professions:

der Handwerker
craftsman
der Klempner
plumber
der Maler
painter
der Tischler
carpenter
der Bauer
farmer
der Mechaniker
mechanic
der Maurer
bricklayer, mason
der Elektriker
electrician

German vocabulary for blue collar jobs also involves a variety of adjectives and verbs. Common adjectives used to describe blue collar jobs include hart (hard), anstrengend (exhausting), schmutzig (dirty) and mühsam (laborious).

Common German verbs to describe blue collar work are arbeiten (to work), reparieren (to repair), aufräumen (to clean up), and montieren (to assemble).

These words can be used to describe blue collar jobs in order to convey the hard work, effort, and dedication required for these occupations.

Example Sentence

Mein Opa war Maler, mein Vater ist aber Tischler geworden - und ich auch!

Office Jobs 🧑🏽‍💻

Now let's have a look at German vocabulary for office jobs (including white collar jobs). People like software developers, bankers & architects:

der Softwareentwickler
software developer
der Steuerberater
accountant
der Bänker
banker
der Architekt
architect

Useful German verbs associated with white colloar professions are kommunizieren (communicate), delegieren (delegate), and koordinieren (coordinate).

Adjectives that might be associated with these professions are effizient (efficient), analytisch (analytical), and kreativ (creative).

Creative & Artistic Jobs 👩🏻‍🎨

Creative and artistic jobs in Germany often involve the use of unique and specific vocabulary. But first, let's see the actual German names for creative professions first:

der Musiker
musician
der Künstler
artist
der Schauspieler
actor
der Schriftsteller
writer
der Fotograf
photographer

For those working in the creative field such as artists, actors or writers, the following words may be especially useful.

Adjectives such as kreativ, bildlich, and fantasievoll are often used to describe artistic works or performances.

Verbs such as schreiben, malen, and spielen are also common, and refer to key actions often associated with these jobs.

Furthermore, words such as Kunstwerk and Theaterstück can be used to describe specific works and pieces.

Job Interview Vocabulary 💬

While it's useful to know job descriptions in German, you might be looking to apply for a job in Germany. It helps to know some key vocabulary to help you with jobs applications. This way, you will know your way around CV's, applications & interviews.

das Unternehmen
company
der Mitarbeiter
employee
der Lebenslauf
CV
die Bewerbung
application
das Vorstellungsgespräch
job interview

Knowing additional key words such as “Bewerbungsunterlagen” (application documents), “Stellenbeschreibung” (job description) and “Gehaltsvorstellungen” (salary expectations) can be especially useful in the job application process.

Additionally, adjectives or verbs that might make sense to learn here could be “verantwortungsvoll” (responsible), “motiviert” (motivated), “flexibel” (flexible) and “zuverlässig” (reliable).