Self-introduction at work: Explaining your role and previous job

💬 With 働きます, the workplace takes で, not に. For example, 東京で働きます means "I'll work in Tokyo". The ます form covers both "I work" and "I will work", so context tells you which one is meant.

💬 Said with a falling tone, this shows you're listening and taking the information in, not asking a question. A rising tone sounds like surprise: "Oh, really?"

💬 Put どんな in front of a noun to ask "what kind of". For example, どんな人 means "what kind of person" and どんな音楽 means "what kind of music".

💬 していました describes something you did steadily over a stretch of time in the past, not a single action. It is the natural way to talk about a past job.

💬 前 (mae) on its own here means "before" or "previously". The は after it is said (wa).

💬 In casual speech the い often drops out, so 働いていました sounds like (hataraitemashita).

💬 Put ぐらい after an amount to mean "about". For example, 何時間ぐらい (nan-jikan gurai) means "about how many hours".

💬 でも goes at the start of a sentence to mean "but". It is the easy spoken choice.

💬 初めて (hajimete) means "for the first time". Use 〜は初めてです to say it's your first time with something, as in 日本は初めてです "it's my first time in Japan".

🇯🇵 Admitting you're new to something comes across as modest and sincere in Japan. It also invites your coworkers to help you.

💬 The よ at the end adds warm reassurance, a bit like "don't worry".

💬 Put a verb's plain form in front of こと (koto) to turn it into "things that…". For example, やること (yaru koto) means "things to do".

💬 聞く (kiku) means both "to listen" and "to ask". The ね at the end makes the request sound friendly.

🇯🇵 Senior colleagues often say this to newcomers. Taking them up on it is expected and not seen as a burden.

💬 こちら means "this side", so こちらこそ is literally "it's me who should say so". Use it to turn a thank-you or greeting back to the other person.

🇯🇵 Saying this closes almost every workplace introduction in Japan. It's a request for goodwill in the relationship ahead, and English has no real equivalent.