働く vs 勤める
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 働く
Listen to 勤める
| 働く | 勤める |
|---|---|
ha-TA-ra-ku verb (godan/u-verb) | tsutomeru verb (godan/u-verb) |
| to work; to labor (perform labor, be employed, or put in effort) | to work for; to be employed (at a company or organization); to serve in a post |
How they differ
勤める specifically indicates being employed by or serving at an organization (often used with に: 会社に勤める). 働く is broader and can mean doing work, exerting effort, or functioning (including machines), whereas 勤める focuses on the employment relationship or holding a position.
When to use each
When to use 働く: Prefer 働く when talking generally about working, effort, or when the subject is not necessarily an employee.
When to use 勤める: Prefer 勤める when you want to specify that someone is employed by or serves at a particular company or institution.
Side-by-side examples
- 毎日朝から晩まで働く。
(I work from morning until night every day.) - 彼は大手企業に勤めている。
(He is employed at a major company.)
Register & nuance: 勤める is neutral to slightly more formal than 働く and is used in everyday speech and business contexts when specifying employment.