Meaning
States one's occupation as someone working in an office.
Cultural Background
The 'Business Card Culture' (Myeong-ham): When a 회사원 meets someone for the first time, they don't just say the phrase; they present their business card with two hands. Your identity as a 회사원 is often validated by the card you carry. The concept of 'Yageun' (Overtime): Being a 회사원 in Korea often implies working late. It's so common that there are specific jokes and food delivery trends centered around office workers staying late. Fashion: The 'Monotone' look. Most Korean office workers traditionally wore black, grey, or navy suits. While this is changing in tech hubs like Pangyo, the image of the 'suit-wearing 회사원' remains iconic. Coffee Culture: The 'Iced Americano' (Ah-Ah) is the unofficial fuel of the Korean 회사원. You will see crowds of office workers holding these plastic cups during lunch breaks.
The Batchim Rule
Always check the last letter of your job title. If it has a bottom consonant (batchim), use 이에요. If not, use 예요.
Humility
Koreans often add '평범한' (ordinary) before '회사원이에요' to sound humble, even if they work at a top company.
Meaning
States one's occupation as someone working in an office.
The Batchim Rule
Always check the last letter of your job title. If it has a bottom consonant (batchim), use 이에요. If not, use 예요.
Humility
Koreans often add '평범한' (ordinary) before '회사원이에요' to sound humble, even if they work at a top company.
Don't use with 'do'
Never say '회사원을 해요'. It sounds like you are 'doing' an office worker, which is grammatically incorrect and weird.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct ending (이에요 or 예요).
저는 회사원____.
Because '회사원' ends in a consonant (ㄴ), you must use '이에요'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I am an office worker' in a polite social setting?
Choose the best option:
Option B is the standard polite (haeyo-che) form used in most social settings.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 직업이 뭐예요? B: ________.
The question asks for a job, so '회사원이에요' is the appropriate answer.
Match the phrase to the correct formality level.
Match '회사원입니다' with its register.
The '-nida' ending is used in formal or official contexts.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercises저는 회사원____.
Because '회사원' ends in a consonant (ㄴ), you must use '이에요'.
Choose the best option:
Option B is the standard polite (haeyo-che) form used in most social settings.
A: 직업이 뭐예요? B: ________.
The question asks for a job, so '회사원이에요' is the appropriate answer.
Match '회사원입니다' with its register.
The '-nida' ending is used in formal or official contexts.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, '회사원' is broad enough to cover startups, though you might also say '스타트업에서 일해요'.
회사원 focuses on the 'company' (Hoesa), while 직장인 focuses on the 'workplace' (Jikjang). They are 95% interchangeable.
In an interview, use the more formal '회사원입니다'.
Say '회사원이 아니에요'.
Yes, it strongly implies a white-collar desk job.
No, a teacher would say '선생님이에요'.
No, it applies to both men and women.
Then you are an '아르바이트생' (alba-saeng), not a '회사원'.
Just add a question mark and rising intonation: '회사원이에요?'
No, use the '-nida' form for people much higher in rank.
Related Phrases
직장인이에요
similarI am a worker/office worker
공무원이에요
specialized formI am a civil servant
회사 다녀요
similarI go to a company
사무직이에요
specialized formI am an office worker
백수예요
contrastI am unemployed
프리랜서예요
contrastI am a freelancer
