Friendly to Senior
Care · Conversation
若い頃はどんなお仕事をされていたんですか？ — What kind of work did you do when you were younger? (Care · Conversation, Friendly to Senior, JLPT N4)
You
若い頃はどんなお仕事をされていたんですか？
わかいころはどんなおしごとをされていたんですか？
What kind of work did you do when you were younger?
Romaji: Wakai koro wa donna oshigoto o sarete itan desu ka? / Reply Romaji: Gakkou no sensei o shite imashita yo. Sanjuunen mo ne.
Reply
学校の先生をしていましたよ。三十年もね。
がっこうのせんせいをしていましたよ。さんじゅうねんもね。
I was a school teacher. For thirty years, you know.
Gesture & etiquette
Lean in slightly, soften your shoulders, and let silences sit comfortably. Nod warmly when the senior begins talking — never interrupt to finish their sentence even if they pause to remember.
Asking about past work or hobbies invites the senior into the role of expert, restoring a sense of identity that medical settings often erase. Avoid testing memory ('do you remember...?'); ask about their life instead.