nihao Hello. Today we are going to learn how to ask about occupation and profession, which is 职业 /zhiYe. Please repeat after me and try to remember the words, listen a few times as this conversation is long. My name is Julian Luo, I am recording this lesson in a village called The Great Slope, which is very close to mountains, that’s why I call my mandarin course inMountains mandarin course.
The conversation below is between two persons who do not know each other. This is Lesson 21. Now listen to me carefully.
- nin[you] 您【 neen 】
- 【Shi[are] 是】【 Shir 】
- Zuo[do] 做 shenme[what] 什么【 Dswar shenmuh 】
- 【de? 的】 [d?]
[Shi…de is a structure applied to emphasize the content in between these two words. It is often used when we talk about profession/job.]

What is the difference between the word [nin] and [ni], which both means [you]? The difference is [nin] is a more respectful word. You only call somebody [nin] when he or she is older than you. When a young man/girl call a senior person, typically we say [nin].
- — wo 我【 war 】
- Shi[I am] 是【 Shir 】
- Ge 个【 Gher 】Ge is a unit word for person, it is short for yiGe/one, and the word (yi) is omitted.
- laoshi[teacher]. 老师【 laoshir 】
- ———-
- lao actually means old. shi is a traditional way of calling a teacher. While laoshi is a modern word for teacher. This is probably because when this word was invented about over a thousand years ago, the teachers tend to be old men.
- ———-
- nin[you] 您【 neen 】
- ne[a question particle]? 呢【 ner 】
(nin ne)? is like [How about you?], there is no verb in either sentences. Sometimes we can do that to save words.

- wo [I] 我【 war 】
- Shi[am] 是【 Shir 】
- Zhengfu[government] 政府【 Dsengfoo 】
- gongZuo renyuan[working personnel/ worker] 工作人员【 gongDswar renywan 】
I work in the government.
- ni[your] 您【 nee 】
- pengyou[friend] 朋友【 pengyou 】
- ne? 呢【 ner 】
How about your friend?
- ta[He/She] 他【 tar 】
- Shi[is] 是【 Shir 】
- shenme[what] 什么【 shunmuh 】
- zhiYe[profession]?职业【 dsirYeah 】
What does he/she do for a living?
- ta [He/she] 她【 tar 】
- shi[is] 是【 Shir 】
- HuShi[nurse], 护士【 HooShir 】
- ———-
- buGuo[but] 不过【 booGwar 】
- ganggang[just] 刚刚【 gunggung 】
- cizhi[resigned], 辞职【 tsirDsir 】
- ———-
- zhunBei[planning to] 准备【 drenBay 】
- Ziji[himself/herself] 自己【 Dsirjee 】
- kai[open] 开【 kai 】
- gongsi[company].公司【 gongsir 】
She was a nurse, but just resigned, and has been preparing to start a business.

- hen[very] 很【 hen 】
- buCuo[nice] 不错【 booTswar 】
- a[particle of praise].啊【 ah 】
That’s good.