How to Say ‘What fields have you worked in?’ in Japanese
どんな分野で働いてきましたか。
donna bunya de hatarai te ki mashi ta ka
[dohn-nah boon-yah deh hah-tah-rah-ee teh kee mah-shee tah kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [働いてきましたか] asks about experience up to now, not just one past job. This [...てきました] pattern is useful for career talk: [何年働いてきましたか]。
Phrase Breakdown
どんな分野
donna bunya
what kind of field
Used to ask about the area or industry of someone’s work experience.
どんな分野で働いてきましたか。
What field have you worked in?
Words in this phrase
どんな
donna
[dohn-nah]
what kind of
Used when asking someone to describe the type of field or industry they have experience in.
担当者がどんな業務をしてきたか知りたがっていました。
The representative wanted to know what kind of work I have done.
分野
bunya
[boon-yah]
field; area; industry
A field of work or expertise, such as marketing, education, or technology.
分野を変えて新しい仕事に挑戦したいです。
I want to change fields and take on a new job.
で働いてきましたか
de hatarai te ki mashi ta ka
have you worked in?
働いてきましたか asks about work experience up to now.
どこで働いてきましたか。
Where have you worked?
Words in this phrase
で
de
[deh]
in; at
Marks the field or place where one has worked.
医療で働く人の話を聞きました。
I listened to someone who works in healthcare.
働い
hatarai
[hah-tah-rah-ee]
worked
The working action, used here in asking about professional background.
大学の後は長く広告業界で働いていました。
After university, I worked in the advertising industry for a long time.
て
te
[teh]
and; -te form
Links the action of working with the rest of the grammar pattern.
海外で働いて視野が広がりました。
Working overseas broadened my perspective.
き
ki
[kee]
come; have been part
Shows that the experience has continued from the past until now.
同じ会社で経験を積んできました。
I have gained experience at the same company.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
polite past part
Part of a polite past expression used in formal questions and answers.
面接ではましを含む丁寧な表現を使いました。
In the interview, I used polite expressions that include this past-form part.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
Completes the polite past tense in this question about prior work experience.
経験したことをたくさん説明しました。
I explained many things I have experienced.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Used at the end of the sentence to politely ask a question.
担当者に希望の勤務地はありますかと聞かれました。
The representative asked me whether I have a preferred work location.
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