arbeiten vs tätig sein
German word comparison
Listen to arbeiten
Listen to tätig sein
| arbeiten | tätig sein |
|---|---|
ar-BEI-ten verb | [ˈtɛːtɪç zaɪn] (TAY-tig zine) verb |
| to work; to be employed or to perform tasks or labor | to be active or employed in a particular role, function, field, or occupation. |
How they differ
'Arbeiten' describes the action of working; 'tätig sein' focuses on someone's role, field or professional activity and is often used to specify where or in what capacity someone works (e.g., 'in der Forschung tätig sein').
When to use each
When to use arbeiten: Use 'arbeiten' for general, neutral descriptions of doing work or performing tasks.
When to use tätig sein: Use 'tätig sein' when specifying a professional role, field, or formal activity, or in official/descriptive contexts.
Side-by-side examples
- Sie arbeitet seit fünf Jahren in der Forschung.
(She has been working in research for five years.) - Sie ist seit fünf Jahren in der Forschung tätig.
(She has been active in research for five years.)
Register & nuance: More formal and descriptive; common in written language, professional profiles and official descriptions.