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How to Say ‘I do office work.’ in Japanese

じむをしています。

じむをしています。

💬 Usage Tip: Pattern: noun + [をしています] = “I do … / I work in …”. Very productive: [えいごを しています] is NOT natural, but jobs like [けんきゅう] work well.

🇯🇵 In Japan: For clarity, you can add the place: [かいしゃで じむを しています].

Phrase Breakdown

じむじむ

office work; clerical work

Short for 事務. Refers to administrative/clerical duties (paperwork, coordination, etc.).

Example

じむのしごとです。

It’s office/clerical work.

object marker

Marks じむ as what you do (the activity).

Example

うんどうをしています。

I’m exercising. / I exercise.

していますしています

am doing; do (polite)

Polite ongoing/habitual form. With jobs, it often means “I work as / I do (that kind of work).”

Example

サービスのしごとをしています。

I work in customer service.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

[ji]

ji (hiragana character)

The hiragana じ. In this sentence it’s part of じむ (office work).

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

[mu]

mu (hiragana character)

The hiragana む. In this sentence it’s part of じむ (office work).

Example

ちちはじむをしています。

My father does office work.

[o]

object marker (particle)

を marks the thing you do: じむ (office work) + を + しています (do).

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

[shi]

do; be doing (stem of する)

し is from する. With 〜ています, it expresses that you do it as your current job/ongoing activity.

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

[te]

te-form connector (て)

て links し to いる to form している (be doing).

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

[i]

to be (いる)

い is from いる. In しています, it indicates an ongoing state (e.g., your current work).

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

ますます

[masu]

polite verb ending

ます makes the sentence polite, suitable for introductions.

Example

わたしはじむをしています。

I do office work.

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