Italian · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 8 of 12
Work and careers
Il colloquio di lavoro
Talk about your work and career in formal Italian: a job interview, per and perché to say why, and benché with the congiuntivo.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Describe your job and experience in a formal interview
- Use formal phrases with Lei
- Say why with per, perché and affinché
- Say “although” with benché
Listen
In Reggio Emilia, Giovanna Esposito has a job interview with Fabio Marchetti, the HR manager of a food company. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Fabio Marchetti
Buongiorno, signora Esposito. Si accomodi. Ho letto il Suo curriculum con molto interesse.
Good morning, Ms Esposito. Please take a seat. I read your CV with great interest.
Giovanna
Buongiorno. La ringrazio per l'invito.
Good morning. Thank you for inviting me.
Fabio Marchetti
Attualmente lavora come responsabile della logistica, vero? Di che cosa si occupa esattamente?
At the moment you work as a logistics manager, is that right? What exactly do you do?
Giovanna
Mi occupo delle spedizioni all'estero. Organizzo i trasporti perché i prodotti arrivino in tempo ai clienti.
I'm in charge of shipments abroad. I organise transport so that the products reach the customers on time.
Fabio Marchetti
E perché vuole lasciare il Suo lavoro?
And why do you want to leave your job?
Giovanna
Benché il mio lavoro mi piaccia, in quell'azienda non posso più crescere. Cerco un ruolo con più responsabilità.
Although I like my job, I can't progress any further in that company. I'm looking for a role with more responsibility.
Fabio Marchetti
Capisco. Da noi, in questo ruolo si viaggia molto all'estero per incontrare i clienti. È un problema per Lei?
I see. Here, in this role you travel abroad a lot to meet customers. Is that a problem for you?
Giovanna
Nessun problema. Parlo inglese e tedesco, e viaggiare per lavoro mi piace molto.
No problem at all. I speak English and German, and I really like travelling for work.
Fabio Marchetti
Ottimo. Ha qualche domanda per noi?
Excellent. Do you have any questions for us?
Giovanna
Sì. Vorrei sapere se l'azienda offre corsi di formazione.
Yes. I'd like to know if the company offers training courses.
Fabio Marchetti
Certo. Ogni anno organizziamo dei corsi, affinché i nostri dipendenti possano imparare cose nuove. Le faremo sapere entro venerdì.
Of course. Every year we organise courses so that our staff can learn new things. We'll let you know by Friday.
Giovanna
Perfetto. La ringrazio per il Suo tempo. Arrivederci.
Perfect. Thank you for your time. Goodbye.
Understand
Formal Italian at work
In a job interview, in formal emails and with clients, Italians use and a set of polite phrases. In formal writing, (your) often has a capital letter: , (your experience).
To talk about your job, say … (I work as…), … (I'm in charge of…) or … (I deal with…, I look after…). Careful: means “at the moment”, not “actually”.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Thank you for inviting me. | |
| … | At the moment I work as… |
| … | I deal with… / I'm in charge of… |
| … | I have experience in… |
| We'll let you know by Friday. | |
| Please don't hesitate to contact me. (in emails) |
Purpose: per, perché, affinché
To say why you do something, use + infinitive when the subject stays the same: (I travel to meet the customers). If the subject changes, use + congiuntivo, which here means “so that”: .
means the same as here, but it's more formal. Careful: + the normal indicative means “because”: (I travel because I like it).
- Studio l'inglese per trovare un lavoro migliore.I'm studying English to find a better job.
- Ti mando il curriculum perché tu possa leggerlo.I'm sending you my CV so that you can read it.
- Parlo piano affinché tutti capiscano.I speak slowly so that everyone understands.
Although: benché
and (although) are always followed by the congiuntivo: (Although I like my job, I'm looking for a new role). The congiuntivo of is irregular: , .
In everyday speech, many people say (even though, although) with the normal indicative instead: .
- Benché sia stanca, vengo alla riunione.Although I'm tired, I'll come to the meeting.
- Sebbene abbia poca esperienza, lavora molto bene.Although she has little experience, she works very well.
More in the grammar: Possessives: mio, tuo, suo… · Subject pronouns: io, tu, lui, lei, Lei… · The congiuntivo: the Italian subjunctive · The passive and si: è stato fatto, si dice · Connectors: tuttavia, eppure, sebbene, pertanto
New words
- attualmenteat the moment, currently · not “actually”, which is
- occuparsi dito deal with, to be in charge of · = I'm in charge of shipments
- la spedizioneshipment, delivery · feminine; = to send (by post or courier)
- all'esteroabroad
- in tempoin time, on time
- l'aziendacompany, firm · feminine
- crescereto grow; to progress (in a career) · with : = I grew up
- il ruolorole, position · masculine
- incontrareto meet
- il tedescoGerman (the language) · masculine; also an adjective: ,
- ottimoexcellent, very good · feminine:
- la domandaquestion · feminine; = to ask a question
- il corso di formazionetraining course · masculine; = training
- il dipendente / la dipendenteemployee, member of staff
Practise
1.Complete: “Organizzo tutto perché i clienti ___ contenti.” (so that)
2.Complete with the congiuntivo of .
Although I like my job, I'm looking for a new role.
3.The subject stays the same. Complete with one word.
I travel a lot to meet the customers.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'm in charge of shipments abroad.
5.What does mean?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Attualmente lavoro come insegnante.
At the moment I work as a teacher.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.