How do you typically ask someone about their profession in English? Here are several ways to phrase the question, each followed by a brief explanation:
What do you do for a living?This is a straightforward and common way to inquire about someone's occupation.
What's your job?This is a casual and direct question that seeks to know about the person's professional role.
Can you tell me what you do?This is a polite and formal way to ask someone about their profession, assuming you don't already know.
What kind of work do you do?This question is more specific, focusing on the nature of the work rather than the title of the job.
What's your profession?This is a formal way to ask about someone's career, often used in more official or professional settings.
What do you specialize in?This question is appropriate if you're interested in the specific area or expertise of the person's work.
What's your field of work?Similar to asking about a profession, this question inquires about the broader area of employment.
What's your line of work?This phrase is informal and can be used in a friendly conversation to find out about someone's job.
What do you do professionally?This is a broader and more inclusive way to ask about someone's career, allowing for a variety of responses.
What kind of career path have you taken?This question not only asks about the current job but also inquires about the person's career journey.
Each of these questions can be used to start a conversation about someone's profession, and the choice of which to use can depend on the context and the level of formality you wish to maintain.