arbeiten vs tätig sein
German word comparison
Listen to arbeiten
Listen to tätig sein
| arbeiten | tätig sein |
|---|---|
/AR-bai-ten/ verb | /[ˈtɛːtɪç zaɪ̯n]/ verb |
| to work (perform labor or professional activity) | to be active or employed in a particular role, field, or activity |
How they differ
‘Tätig sein’ emphasizes someone's role or area of activity rather than the concrete act of working; it often describes professional engagement or function, while 'arbeiten' focuses on the action of working itself.
When to use each
When to use arbeiten: Prefer 'arbeiten' when describing the action of doing work or performing tasks in general.
When to use tätig sein: Prefer 'tätig sein' when you want to state someone's professional engagement or area of activity (e.g., saying where or in what field someone is active).
Side-by-side examples
- Ich arbeite seit fünf Jahren als Biologe.
(I have been working as a biologist for five years.) - Ich bin seit fünf Jahren als Biologe tätig.
(I have been active/working as a biologist for five years.)
Register & nuance: More formal and common in professional or written contexts; suits CVs, reports, and formal descriptions.