When you ask someone the occupation

When you ask someone the occupation, say in this way.

If that person is not an intimate relation to you, you should talk to that person by the honorific.

"Polite expression"?

A Japanese honorific has some kinds.

They are Honorific expression, Formal lines, and Humble expression.

But, the Japanese who actually understands and is using these accurately might be few.
Easiest "Formal lines" is to put "です[desu]" and "ます[masu]" to the ending of a word of your conversation.

And, put "ますか[masuka]?" and "ですか[desuka]?" on the ending of a word of the conversation in the interrogative.

When you ask someone the occupation, say in this way.

Japanese & Pronunciation	English
あなたのお仕事は何ですか？ anata no o-shigoto wa nan desuka?	What kind of work do you do?
お仕事は何ですか？ o-shigoto wa nan desuka?
お仕事は何をされてるんですか？ o-shigoto wa nani wo sarete run desuka?
ご職業は何ですか？ go-syokugyo wa nan desuka?	What is your occupation?
ご職業は何をされてますか？ go-syokugyo wa nani wo sarete masuka?
[ "お[o] and ご[go]/御[go]" which are placed on "職業[shokugyo] and 仕事[shigoto]" ] These are "Word that shows the politeness" put on the noun. And it is more decent to use these only for the language used as the point.

 

By Hararie