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How to Say ‘What kind of work did you do before?’ in Japanese

前はどんな仕事をしていましたか。

mae wa donna shigoto o shi te i mashi ta ka

[mae wah dohn-nah shee-goh-toh oh shee te ee mah-shee tah kah]

💬 Usage Tip: していました describes an ongoing activity in the past, so it fits jobs you held for a while. Answer with the same form: ___をしていました.

Phrase Breakdown

前はどんな仕事を

mae wa donna shigoto o

before, what kind of job

前は (mae wa) means 'before / previously'. どんな (donna) means 'what kind of', and 仕事 (shigoto) means 'job'. を marks the object.

Example

前はどんな仕事を探していましたか。

What kind of job were you looking for before?

Words in this phrase

前

mae

[mae]

before

Means before, in time or order.

Example

その前に少し休みます。

Before that, I'll rest a little.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

どんな

donna

[dohn-nah]

what kind of

Used to ask for the type or nature of something.

Example

どんな感じですかと質問してみました。

I tried asking, 'What is it like?'

仕事

shigoto

[shee-goh-toh]

work; job; occupation

仕事 can mean your occupation, your tasks, or work in general. Very common in self-introductions.

Example

仕事は何ですか。

What is your job?

を

[oh]

object marker

The particle を marks the direct object of a verb.

Example

チケットを二枚ください。

Two tickets, please.

していましたか。

shi te i mashi ta ka

were you doing?

Here 仕事をする means 'to work at a job'. The whole sentence means 'What kind of work did you do before?'

Example

学生のとき、何をしていましたか。

What were you doing when you were a student?

Words in this phrase

し

shi

[shee]

し is the stem of する, meaning to do.

Example

予約しします。

I do the reservation.

て

[te]

te-form ending

Connects actions in sequence, like 'and' or 'then'.

Example

ドアが開いて、入ります。

The door opens, and then I go in.

い

[ee]

to be; ongoing state

Part of ている, which shows an ongoing condition or action.

Example

最近疲れているようです。

It seems you have been tired lately.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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