“To work” in Japanese is 働く (はたらく), pronounced hataraku.
Pronunciation
The word has 4 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
To work (at a job). The place takes で: 会社で働く. For “it works” (functions), Japanese uses other verbs.
Example sentences
- 銀行で働いています。ぎんこうではたらいています。I work at a bank.
- 父はよく働きます。ちちはよくはたらきます。My father works hard.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 働く. The rules are explained in Japanese verbs: the ます form.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary (plain) | 働く はたらく | work |
| Polite present | 働きます はたらきます | work |
| Polite negative | 働きません はたらきません | don’t work |
| Polite past | 働きました はたらきました | past of “work” |
| Plain negative (ない) | 働かない はたらかない | don’t work (casual) |
| Plain past (た) | 働いた はたらいた | past of “work” (casual) |
| て-form | 働いて はたらいて | work and… / please work (+ください) |
| Want to (たい) | 働きたい はたらきたい | want to work |
Quick practice
Test yourself0/3
What does {{働く}} mean?
How do you read {{働く}}?
Which word means “to wait”?
Related words: Everyday verbs
FAQ
How do you say to work in Japanese?
To work in Japanese is 働く (はたらく), pronounced “hataraku”.
How do you write to work in Japanese?
It's written 働く with kanji, or はたらく in hiragana. Both are read hataraku.
Is 働く on the JLPT?
Yes. 働く (hataraku) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.