The word for “occupation” in Arabic is مهنة (pronounced mihna). It refers to a job, profession, or the kind of work that a person engages in to earn a living. This term is commonly used across Arabic-speaking countries to describe one’s career or profession, and can be used in various contexts.
For example:
- “What is your occupation?”
ما هي مهنتك؟ (Ma hiya mihnatuka?) for speaking to a male, or
ما هي مهنتكِ؟ (Ma hiya mihnatuki?) when addressing a female.
When specifying a particular profession, you would follow مهنة with the name of the job. For example:
- “My occupation is a teacher.”
مهنتي مدرس (Mihnati mudarris) for a male teacher, or
مهنتي مدرسة (Mihnati mudarrisa) for a female teacher.
In some contexts, you might also encounter the word وظيفة (wazifa), which is often used to refer to a specific position or job role, particularly in the context of employment. However, مهنة is more general and focuses on the broader concept of one’s occupation or profession.
For instance:
- “He has a job in marketing.”
لديه وظيفة في التسويق (Ladayh wazifa fi al-tasweeq).