Learn how to ask and answer the question "What do you do?"
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| A: Top 25 Italian Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 4: What do you do in Italian? (In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Italian learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.) |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question "What do you do?" In Italian this is |
| B: Che lavoro fai? |
| The first word in the question is |
| B: che |
| A: meaning "what" in English. |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) che |
| A: Listen again and repeat. |
| B: che |
| {Pause} |
| A: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the English translation, breaking it down by syllable, and then giving it once more at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| B: lavoro |
| A: meaning "job." |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) lavoro |
| A: Now repeat. |
| B: lavoro |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| B: che lavoro |
| {pause} |
| And next |
| B: fai |
| A: meaning something like "you do." |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) fai |
| A: Now repeat. |
| B: fai |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| B: che lavoro fai |
| {pause} |
| A: (You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies.) Master the following pattern and responses to the question What do you do?? |
| B: Sono un Professore. |
| A: "I'm a teacher.. Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| B: (Slow) Sono un Professore. |
| {pause} |
| A: But let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| B: Sono |
| A: meaning I am. |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) Sono |
| A: Now repeat |
| B: Sono |
| {Pause} |
| A: And next |
| B: un |
| meaning "a." |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) un |
| A:Now repeat. |
| B: un |
| {Pause} |
| A: And next |
| B: professore |
| meaning "teacher." |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) professore |
| A:Now repeat. |
| B: professore |
| {Pause} |
| A: Listen to the speaker say, I'm a teacher., and then repeat. |
| B: Sono un Professore. |
| {pause} |
| A: To expand on the pattern, replace teacher with Policeman. |
| B: Poliziotto |
| A: Policeman |
| B: (slow) Poliziotto (regular) Poliziotto |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with Policeman |
| B: Sono un poliziotto. |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace teacher. Say I'm a Policeman. |
| {pause} |
| B: Sono un poliziotto. |
| A: To expand on the pattern, replace Policeman with Lawyer. |
| B: Avvocato |
| A: Lawyer |
| B: (slow) Avvocato (regular) Avvocato |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with Lawyer |
| B: Sono un avvocato. |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace Policeman. Say I'm a Lawyer. |
| {pause} |
| B: Sono un Professore. |
| A: To expand on the pattern, replace Lawyer with Doctor. |
| B: Dottore |
| A: Doctor |
| B: (slow) Dottore (regular) Dottore |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with Doctor |
| B: Sono un dottore. |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace Lawyer. Say I'm a Doctor. |
| {pause} |
| B: Sono un dottore. |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Italy and someone asks what you do. You are a teacher. Respond to the question. |
| B: Che lavoro fai? (five seconds) Sono un Professore. |
| A: Imagine you are a Policeman Respond to the question. |
| B: Che lavoro fai? (five seconds) Sono un poliziotto. |
| A: Imagine you are a Lawyer. . Answer the speaker's question. |
| B: Che lavoro fai? (five seconds) Sono un avvocato. |
| A: Imagine you're Doctor. Respond to the question. |
| B: Che lavoro fai? (five seconds) Sono un dottore. |
| A: Now you want to ask that person what they do. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| B: Che lavoro fai? |
| {pause} |
| A: This is the end of Lesson 4 |
Comments
HideTell us your answer to this question below!
Hi Damiaon,
yes, exactly! 👍👍
Let us know if you have any doubts.
Ciao!
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
So, is "Che lavoro fa?" the formal way to ask "What work do you do?"
Buongiorno Amy,
thanks for posting!
Let us know if you have other questions.
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
Buongiorno!
Sono un terapista occupazionale
Hi Victoria,
both options are possible. You can say both "sono medico" and "sono un medico". 😉
Let us know if you have other questions!
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
Ciao!
I've read that if we say "Sono + (occupation)", we don't need to use the indefinite article. However, here you have all examples with "un". Now I am confused😞
Hi Lisa Alford,
thank you for reporting the mistakes in the transcription. We will have them fixed as soon as possible!
Sincerely,
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
The transcript with replacing the occupations does not match the audio. Also Che cosa fai is used instead of the audio which states Che lavora fai. Anyway to change this to make it match the audio?
Hi Thiciane Araújo,
that's great! Remember that it should be "straniere" with a final "e", since "lingue" is feminine plural. 😉
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
Sono una studentessa di Lingue Stranieri, Traduzione e Interpretariato.
Ciao Ken,
Thank you for posting! :smile:
Che bel lavoro!
"Sono" can be both the first person singular, meaning "I am," and the third person plural, meaning "they are."
In this case "sono" refers to "ore", which is the plural of "ora."
I hope this helps!
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
Ciao Italianpod101,
Io lavoro in transmissioni televisive.
My question is about the word "Sono" which means "I am" however I also see it in sentences such as "Che ore sono?" (What time is it?) Can you explain the various uses of "Sono"?
Ciao
Ken
Ciao Frances J. Draper,
You could say "Sono un agente immobiliare." :sunglasses:
Grazie e a presto!
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
How would I say that I am a real estate agent?
Frances
Hi Mahsa,
"radiology" in Italian is "radiologia".
Complimenti! Congratulations!
Ciao e grazie,
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
I study radiology
what does "radiology"translated to Italian?
Hi Mahsa,
You can say "Sono uno studente di *name of your field*".
If it was "Medicine", it would be "Sono uno studente di Medicina" or simply "Studio Medicina" ("I study Medicine").
Grazie!
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
ciao a tuti
Io sono studente.
Im student
how can I say my field of study too?
Grazie molto,A presto!
Ciao Danny!
Sì, pullman è bus.
Yes, pullman is bus :thumbsup:
Thank you,
Bye
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
Hello
Is Pullman it's a bus?