German word

Arbeit

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʁbaɪ̯t/

Meaning

  • feminine nounwork

Example

Ich habe die Arbeit heute beendet.

I finished the work today.

Illustration for Arbeit (work)

More examples

Sie hat die Arbeit gestern abgegeben.

She handed in the paper yesterday.

Core concept

An ongoing effort turns time and energy into a completed task, paid occupation, or written work.

Common phrases

  • eine Arbeit abgeben

    submit a paper

  • die Arbeit verlieren

    lose one's job

  • an einer Arbeit arbeiten

    work on a paper

Similar words

Job: A particular job, especially one that is temporary or part-time.
Beruf: A lasting professional occupation that provides a livelihood.
Stelle: An established post with defined duties in an organization.
Aufgabe: A concrete task or challenge assigned or chosen for completion.

Definition in German

Tätigkeit, bei der Zeit und Kraft eingesetzt werden, um ein Ziel zu erreichen; auch allgemein die berufliche Tätigkeit.

Word origin

The German noun Arbeit continues Old High German arbeit through Middle High German arebeit, with related forms in Dutch and other Germanic languages.

Usage tips

  • Arbeit is feminine, so the basic form is die Arbeit and its dative form is der Arbeit.

Other meanings

  • labornoun
  • tasknoun
  • thesisnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word