arbeiten vs jobben
German word comparison
Listen to arbeiten
Listen to jobben
| arbeiten | jobben |
|---|---|
ar-BEI-ten verb | [ˈjɔbən] (YO-ben) verb |
| to work; to be employed or to perform tasks or labor | to do casual, usually part-time or temporary work (often for students or seasonal jobs). |
How they differ
Arbeiten is the neutral, general term for working; jobben specifically implies casual, temporary or part-time work and is used more for informal, often student or short-term jobs rather than steady employment.
When to use each
When to use arbeiten: Prefer 'arbeiten' for neutral statements about working or being employed in general or in formal contexts.
When to use jobben: Use 'jobben' when talking about casual, part-time or temporary jobs, especially in informal speech or when describing student/seasonal work.
Side-by-side examples
- Ich arbeite neben dem Studium in einer Bibliothek.
(I work at a library alongside my studies.) - Ich jobbe am Wochenende im Supermarkt.
(I do a part-time job at the supermarket on weekends.)
Register & nuance: Colloquial and informal; common in everyday speech, especially among young people; not typical in formal writing or CVs.