Korean Vocabulary #14 – Jobs & Occupations: Essential Korean Words for Talking About Work

1️⃣ Introduction

Learn 15 useful Korean words for jobs and occupations you’ll hear every day.

Perfect for introducing yourself, talking about your dream job, or asking what someone does for a living!

---

2️⃣ Vocabulary List

No.	Korean	Pronunciation	Meaning
1	직업	ji-geop	job / occupation
2	회사원	hoe-sa-won	office worker
3	선생님	seon-saeng-nim	teacher
4	의사	ui-sa	doctor
5	간호사	ga-no-sa	nurse
6	경찰관	gyeong-chal-gwan	police officer
7	소방관	so-bang-gwan	firefighter
8	요리사	yo-ri-sa	chef / cook
9	학생	hak-ssaeng	student
10	운전기사	un-jeon-gi-sa	driver
11	가수	ga-su	singer
12	배우	bae-u	actor / actress
13	디자이너	di-ja-i-neo	designer
14	엔지니어	en-ji-ni-eo	engineer
15	통역사	tong-yeok-sa	interpreter

Example Sentences

💬 Example Sentences

1. 제 직업은 선생님이에요.(je ji-geo-beun seon-saeng-ni-mi-e-yo.)

   → My job is a teacher.

   
   

2. 저는 회사원이에요.(jeo-neun hoe-sa-wo-ni-e-yo.)

   → I am an office worker.

   
   

3. 제 친구는 의사예요.(je chin-gu-neun ui-sa-ye-yo.)

   → My friend is a doctor.

   
   

4. 제 언니는 간호사예요.(je eon-ni-neun ga-no-sa-ye-yo.)

   → My sister is a nurse.

   
   

5. 제 아버지는 경찰관이에요.(je a-beo-ji-neun gyeong-chal-gwa-ni-e-yo.)

   → My father is a police officer.

   
   

6. 제 형은 소방관이에요.(je hyeo-neun so-bang-gwa-ni-e-yo.)

   → My older brother is a firefighter.

   
   

7. 저는 요리사예요.(jeo-neun yo-ri-sa-ye-yo.)

   → I’m a chef.

   
   

8. 저는 학생이에요.(jeo-neun hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo.)

   → I am a student.

   
   

9. 제 삼촌은 운전기사예요.(je-sam-cho-neun un-jeon-gi-sa-ye-yo.)

   → My uncle is a driver.

   
   

10. 제 여동생은 가수예요.(je yeo-dong-saeng-eun ga-su-ye-yo.)

    → My younger sister is a singer.

    
    

11. 그 남자는 배우예요.(geu-nam-ja-neun bae-u-ye-yo.)

    → He is an actor.

    
    

12. 저는 디자이너예요.(jeo-neun di-ja-i-neo-ye-yo.)

    → I am a designer.

    
    

13. 제 남동생은 엔지니어예요.(je nam-dong-saeng-eun en-ji-ni-eo-ye-yo.)

    → My younger brother is an engineer.

    
    

14. 저는 통역사로 일해요.(jeo-neun tong-yeok-sa-ro il-hae-yo.)

    → I work as an interpreter.

    
    

15. 제 꿈은 선생님이에요.(je kku-meun seon-saeng-ni-mi-e-yo.)

    → My dream is to become a teacher.

---

3️⃣ Expression Tips & Cultural Notes

• In Korean, you often say “저는 [직업]이에요/예요” when introducing your job.

  
  

• 직업 literally means “occupation,” but it’s often used when asking “What’s your job?” → “직업이 뭐예요?”

  
  

• For professional jobs, you can use -사 suffix (의사, 요리사, 통역사) — meaning “specialist” or “person in a profession.”

  
  

• Honorifics matter: Always use 님 (like 선생님, 의사선생님) for polite address.

  
  

---

3️⃣ Mini Practice

Fill in the blanks.

1. 제 ________은 선생님이에요. (My job is a teacher)

   
   

2. 저는 ________이에요. (I am an office worker)

   
   

3. 제 친구는 ________예요. (My friend is a doctor)

   
   

4. 제 언니는 ________예요. (My sister is a nurse)

   
   

5. 제 아버지는 ________이에요. (My father is a police officer)

   
   

6. 제 형은 ________이에요. (My older brother is a firefighter)

   
   

7. 저는 ________예요. (I’m a chef)

   
   

8. 저는 ________이에요. (I am a student)

   
   

9. 제 삼촌은 ________예요. (My uncle is a driver)

   
   

10. 제 여동생은 ________예요. (My younger sister is a singer)

    
    

11. 그 남자는 ________예요. (He is an actor)

    
    

12. 저는 ________예요. (I am a designer)

    
    

13. 제 남동생은 ________예요. (My younger brother is an engineer)

    
    

14. 저는 ________로 일해요. (I work as an interpreter)

    
    

15. 제 꿈은 ________이에요. (My dream is to become a teacher)

Answers

1. 제 직업은 선생님이에요.(je ji-geo-beun seon-saeng-ni-mi-e-yo.)→ My job is a teacher.

   
   

2. 저는 회사원이에요.(jeo-neun hoe-sa-wo-ni-e-yo.)→ I am an office worker.

   
   

3. 제 친구는 의사예요.(je chin-gu-neun ui-sa-ye-yo.)→ My friend is a doctor.

   
   

4. 제 언니는 간호사예요.(je eon-ni-neun ga-no-sa-ye-yo.)→ My sister is a nurse.

   
   

5. 제 아버지는 경찰관이에요.(je a-beo-ji-neun gyeong-chal-gwa-ni-e-yo.)→ My father is a police officer.

   
   

6. 제 형은 소방관이에요.(je hyeo-neun so-bang-gwa-ni-e-yo.)→ My older brother is a firefighter.

   
   

7. 저는 요리사예요.(jeo-neun yo-ri-sa-ye-yo.)→ I’m a chef.

   
   

8. 저는 학생이에요.(jeo-neun hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo.)→ I am a student.

   
   

9. 제 삼촌은 운전기사예요.(je sam-cho-neun un-jeon-gi-sa-ye-yo.)→ My uncle is a driver.

   
   

10. 제 여동생은 가수예요.(je yeo-dong-saeng-eun ga-su-ye-yo.)→ My younger sister is a singer.

    
    

11. 그 남자는 배우예요.(geu-nam-ja-neun bae-u-ye-yo.)→ He is an actor.

    
    

12. 저는 디자이너예요.(jeo-neun di-ja-i-neo-ye-yo.)→ I am a designer.

    
    

13. 제 남동생은 엔지니어예요.(je nam-dong-saeng-eun en-ji-ni-eo-ye-yo.)→ My younger brother is an engineer.

    
    

14. 저는 통역사로 일해요.(jeo-neun tong-yeok-sa-ro il-hae-yo.)→ I work as an interpreter.

    
    

15. 제 꿈은 선생님이에요.(je kku-meun seon-saeng-ni-mi-e-yo.)→ My dream is to become a teacher.

---

📂 Download Practice File

📥 Download your “Jobs & Occupations Vocabulary Worksheet”

Practice talking about your job and dream career in Korean!

🎓 Learn More with Soona

Want to learn Korean grammar step by step with personalized feedback? 💬

Book a 1:1 Online Lesson with Soona

Want to describe your home and daily life in natural Korean? 🌸

Join Soona’s 1:1 Korean Lessons and learn how to talk about your world — politely and fluently.

Book Lesson