N4 · 40 words

Work and the office

Meetings, documents, overtime and the people above and below you.

In a Japanese office people are named by their position more often than by their name: a section chief is addressed as 課長(かちょう), not as Mr Tanaka. Who joined first — the 先輩(せんぱい) — and who joined later — the 後輩(こうはい) — shapes how people speak to each other, so these words carry more than their English glosses suggest. Many work words are nouns that become verbs with する: 残業(ざんぎょう)する, 出張(しゅっちょう)する.

The words

Verb (5)

通うto go regularly; to commuteVerbN4

毎日(まいにち)電車(でんしゃ)で会社(かいしゃ)に通(かよ)っています。I go to work by train every day.

For going somewhere again and again: work, school, a clinic.

頑張るto keep at it; to do one's bestVerbN4

新(あたら)しい仕事(しごと)を頑張(がんば)っています。I am working hard at my new job.

頑張(がんば)ってください is the everyday way to wish someone well with a task.

任せるto leave (to someone); to entrustVerbN3

この仕事(しごと)はあなたに任(まか)せます。I will leave this job to you.

間違えるto make a mistake; to get wrongVerbN4

数字(すうじ)を一(ひと)つ間違(まちが)えてしまいました。I got one of the figures wrong.

辞めるto quit; to leave (a job)VerbN4

姉(あね)は去年(きょねん)会社(かいしゃ)を辞(や)めました。My sister left her company last year.

For giving up a job or a post; stopping a habit is usually written やめる.

This list belongs to Work and careers — nine lists and 356 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.