How to Say ‘What work did you do before?’ in Traditional Chinese
您以前做什麼工作？
nín yǐ qián zuò shén me gōng zuò
[nín yǐqián zuò shénme gong-dzwaw]
💬 Usage Tip: Chinese verbs don't change for the past. Words like 以前 are what tell you the question is about earlier jobs.
Phrase Breakdown
您以前
nín yǐ qián
you, before
您 is the polite 'you'. 以前 means 'before' or 'in the past'.
您以前住哪裡？
Where did you live before?
Words in this phrase
您
nín
[nín]
you (polite)
Respectful form of 'you', used with customers or elders.
您要幾點來？
What time will you come?
以前
yǐ qián
[yǐqián]
before
Placed after a time to mean 'before/by that time'.
中午以前要付款。
Payment is due before noon.
做什麼工作？
zuò shén me gōng zuò
what work did (you) do?
This asks about someone's job. 什麼 is pronounced shénme.
你想做什麼工作？
What job do you want to do?
Words in this phrase
做
zuò
[zuò]
to do
A basic verb for performing an action or task.
你今天要做什麼？
What are you going to do today?
什麼
shén me
[shénme]
what
Question word for 'what'.
你想買什麼？
What do you want to buy?
工作
gōng zuò
[gong-dzwaw]
work; job
A job, profession, or the tasks you do as employment.
這份工作很適合剛畢業的人。
This job is very suitable for someone who just graduated.
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