1
Doctor
“The doctor checked my temperature.”
Professional Jobs
Thirty professions, from the hospital ward to the concert stage.
Professional Jobs in English: 30 common professions, from doctors and teachers to lawyers and musicians, in one free vocabulary list. Every word includes American and British pronunciation with audio, a photo, and an example sentence, useful for ESL students learning to talk about occupations.
2
Nurse
“The nurse brought me some medicine.”
3
Teacher
“Our teacher gave us some homework.”
Good to know: 'Teacher' comes from an old word meaning 'to show' or 'to point out'.
4
Police Officer
“The police officer helped the lost child.”
Good to know: Often informally shortened to 'cop' in American English; older gendered terms 'policeman/policewoman' are now less commonly used.
5
Firefighter
“The firefighter rescued the family from the building.”
Good to know: Previously called a 'fireman', a term still heard informally though 'firefighter' is now the standard gender-neutral term.
6
Pilot
“The pilot announced that we were about to land.”
7
Lawyer
“The lawyer explained the contract to me.”
Good to know: In British English, the profession is split into 'solicitor' (advises clients) and 'barrister' (argues in court), while 'lawyer' is used more generally.
8
Engineer
“My brother works as an engineer.”
9
Scientist
“The scientist is studying a new kind of plant.”
10
Dentist
“I have to visit the dentist next week.”
11
Photographer
“The photographer took beautiful pictures at the wedding.”
12
Journalist
“The journalist wrote an article about the event.”
13
Musician
“The musician played the guitar on stage.”
14
Athlete
“The athlete trains every morning.”
15
Soldier
“The soldier stood near the entrance.”
Good to know: 'Soldier' comes from the Latin 'solidus', a gold coin once used to pay Roman troops.
16
Librarian
“The librarian helped me find the right book.”
17
Veterinarian
“The veterinarian examined my dog.”
Good to know: Almost always shortened to 'vet' in everyday speech in both American and British English.
18
Pharmacist
“The pharmacist explained how to take the medicine.”
Good to know: Often called a 'chemist' in British English, where 'the chemist's' also refers to the pharmacy itself.
19
Architect
“The architect designed the new building.”
20
Actor
“The actor starred in a popular movie.”
21
Programmer
“The programmer is working on a new app.”
22
Salesperson
“The salesperson showed me several jackets.”
Good to know: Previously called a 'salesman' or 'saleswoman'; 'salesperson' is now the standard gender-neutral term.
23
Judge
“The judge listened carefully to both sides.”
24
Singer
“The singer has a beautiful voice.”
25
Dancer
“The dancer practiced for hours.”
26
Author
“The author signed copies of her new book.”
27
Priest
“The priest spoke to the guests after the ceremony.”
28
DJ
“The DJ played music all night.”
Good to know: 'DJ' stands for 'disc jockey'.
29
Optician
“The optician helped me choose new glasses.”
Good to know: Different from an 'ophthalmologist', a medical doctor for eyes; an optician mainly fits glasses and contact lenses.
30
Surgeon
“The surgeon performed the operation successfully.”
Good to know: A surgeon is a doctor who specializes in performing operations, unlike a general physician who mainly diagnoses and prescribes treatment.
Thirty professions down — you've now covered this full list of Professional Jobs in English.