Translation guide
How to express the act of commuting or heading to one's workplace in Japanese, with attention to natural phrasing and common patterns.
仕事に行きます。
I'm going to work.
電車で通勤しています。
I commute by train.
The speaker is going to their workplace, typically as part of a daily routine.
The most common and neutral way to say 'go to work'. Suitable for everyday conversation.
毎朝7時に仕事に行きます。
I go to work at 7 every morning.
I don't want to go to work today.
Specifically means 'commute to work'. Often used when talking about the journey or routine.
電車で通勤しています。
I commute to work by train.
Literally 'go to the office/company'. Use when the workplace is an office or company. More specific than 仕事に行く.
明日は会社に行く予定です。
I plan to go to the office tomorrow.
Formal term for 'go to work' or 'report for duty'. Used in business contexts or official schedules.
本日は午前9時に出勤します。
I will report to work at 9 a.m. today.
Describing an action or state during the commute.
Means 'while commuting'. Used to describe something that happens during the commute.
通勤中に本を読むのが好きです。
I like reading books on my way to work.
Literally 'on the way to work'. More conversational than 通勤中に.
仕事に行く途中でコーヒーを買った。
I bought coffee on my way to work.
Expressing that one will go to work later or tomorrow.
Standard way to say 'I intend to go to work'.
明日は仕事に行くつもりです。
I intend to go to work tomorrow.
Expresses obligation: 'I have to go to work'.
土曜日も仕事に行かなければならない。
I have to go to work on Saturday too.
仕事に行く is the general 'go to work', while 通勤する specifically refers to the regular commute. Use 通勤する when discussing the journey or routine, and 仕事に行く for the simple act of heading to the workplace.
毎日電車で通勤するのは大変だ。
Commuting by train every day is tough.
仕事する means 'to work' (perform work), not 'to go to work'. To express the act of heading to the workplace, use 仕事に行く or 通勤する.