Do you know the names of some of the most common jobs in Italian? If the answer is “no”, keep reading to learn about them.
List of Jobs in Italian in Alphabetical Order
In this article you’ll find a list of the most common jobs in Italian in alphabetical order. Let’s get to work!
A
– Addestratore (cinofilo / di cani)
Helps dogs learn the right behaviours, actions, and reactions to carry out certain activities that are useful for a job (like search or rescue), or to fit better into the social and family context.
– Agricoltore
A person who works in agriculture, either as the one responsible for managing the land or as a worker. It’s often used as a synonym for “contadino“, although it’s a little more specific: contadino is a person who lives and works in the fields in the countryside.
– Allevatore
Raises and breeds animals for food, products, services or financial gain.
– Animatore
Works in holiday villages, hotels, or cruise ships by entertaining, amusing and involving guests with group activities (dancing, sports, fitness…). During events, entertains and amuses children who would otherwise get bored.
– Arbitro
During a sports competition, applies and enforces the rules, assigns points and/or penalties, and marks the start and the end of a competition.
– Archeologo
Studies artefacts with historical value, by also giving importance to their preservation and enhancement.
– Architetto
Designs, directs and supervises the construction and restoration of buildings.
– Attore
Whoever plays a role during a theatrical, television or film performance.
– Avvocato
Defends their client’s case before a court, applying the principles of law.
B
– Bagnino
Is in charge of supervising the safety of bathers on a beach or public swimming pool.
– Barbiere
Cuts hair and beards for male customers.
– Barista
Works at a cafe, serving coffee, drinks and food to customers.
– Benzinaio
Distributes fuel (benzina, GPL, diesel) to vehicles at petrol stations.
– Bidello
Works in a school and is responsible for keeping the premises clean, providing teachers with the materials they need and supervising students in the absence of teachers.
C
– Calzolaio
Repairs shoes (calzature) by sewing, gluing, repairing heels and soles…
– Cameriere
Serves food and drink to customers in a cafe, restaurant or hotel.
– Capotreno
Head of train crew.
– Cassiere
Cash-handler in banks, companies, shops or public establishments.
– Commesso
Salesperson in a shop.
– Conduttore
Whoever directs a TV show, “managing” time, presenting guests, columns, reports, involving and dialoguing with the audience, in the studio or from home.
– Contabile
Keeps financial accounts in the administration of a company.
– Corriere
Transports and delivers parcels.
– Cuoco
Prepares and cooks food in restaurants, hotels or private homes.
D
– Dentista
A doctor specialising in dental care.
– Dietista
Takes care of the menus of hospitals, large hotels, company canteens and schools, generally promoting a correct diet and good nutrition. TO NOT BE MISTAKEN with “dietologo”, an actual doctor who can make diagnoses, prescribe blood tests and medicines, and deal with eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia) or food-related illnesses (celiac disease). You can also turn to the dietologo if you want to get back into shape in a healthy and balanced way.
– Dirigente scolastico
Is in charge of the management of a school: selecting teachers, establishing activities and special guests, controlling the whole institution and its organisation (is also called “Preside”).
– Doppiatore
Voices cartoons, video game characters, or other actors in foreign films and TV series. Doppiatore is also the narrator in documentaries, and the voice-over in advertisements.
E
– Elettricista
Deals with electrical equipment and systems by installing them, checking their operation and maintaining them.
– Erborista
Produces and sells herbal products for healing or cosmetic purposes.
– Estetista
Performs beauty treatments such as hair removal, facial cleansing, make-up, manicure and pedicure, slimming treatments, and more.
F
– Fabbro
Moulds iron, steel, bronze, brass and other metals to create various kinds of objects.
– Facchino (d’albergo)
Collects customers’ luggage and takes them to their rooms.
– Falegname
Works with wood to create and repair furniture, fixtures or objects.
– Farmacista
A person who’s job is to formulate, prepare and distribute medicinal drugs, and / or to work in a pharmacy, selling them.
– Fornaio (or Panettiere)
Produces bread and bakery products such as pizza, focaccia, cakes, pastries, taralli…
– Fotografo
A person who takes photos as a job, whether for parties such as weddings or birthdays, for fashion or magazines, or for other events / purposes.
G
– Gelataio
A person who produces gelato.
– Geometra
Designs and manages construction work and operations such as land surveying and property valuation.
– Giardiniere
Takes care of public or private green areas, such as gardens or parks.
– Giornalista
Documents what’s happening (in terms of news, current affairs, fashion…) and reports on it through articles in newspapers / magazines or reports on the news / radio.
– Giudice
Has to pass judgement on a case in a trial.
– Gommista
A person who maintains, installs, replaces and repairs the tires (gomme) on a motor vehicle.
– Guida (turistica)
Accompanies individuals or groups of tourists to sites of interest in an area (such as historical centres, palaces, museums, archaeological sites…), telling their stories and interesting details about them.
H
– Hostess
One who’s in charge of reception and customer services at trade fairs, conventions, conferences and promotional events.
Also a synonym for “assistente di volo” (for women; “steward” for men), who’s responsible for serving and assisting passengers on a flight.
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– Idraulico
Installs, repairs and maintains water pipes and sanitary installations.
– Imbianchino
Paints interior and exterior walls of buildings.
– Impiegato
Employee (in the public or private sector) working mainly in offices, with various and general duties, from administration to IT to accounting and more.
– Imprenditore
Someone who founds an enterprise (of any kind) to generate a profit.
– Infermiere
A healthcare professional who assists patients during medical examinations and treatment: administers treatment prescribed by doctors, monitors the patient’s health state and therapy treatments, and takes care of their physical, social and psychological needs.
– Ingegnere
Studies, analyses, designs and builds devices, structures, machinery or facilities.
– Insegnante
Someone who gives lessons in any discipline (music, foreign languages, mathematics…).
L
– Logopedista
A professional who deals with voice, language, learning and communication disorders.
– Lavandaio
In the past, it was a person who took care of washing other people’s clothes and laundry.
M
– Macellaio
Prepares and sells meat cuts.
– Maggiordomo
A family worker who manages all the activities of a household, as well as its staff and maintenance work.
– Meccanico
Repairs motor vehicles.
– Medico
Diagnoses and treats diseases and health problems.
BE CAREFUL!
In colloquial language, the term “dottore” is widely used with the meaning of “medico”. However, it’s not quite correct: in fact, “dottore” indicates any person who has obtained a university degree.
– Muratore
Works on construction sites and constructs buildings of various kinds.
N
– Negoziante
Someone who owns and/or runs a shop.
– Notaio
Registers deeds such as sales, wills, successions, business start-ups.
O
– Operaio
A person who works in a factory, doing mainly manual work.
– Orafo
Repairs and creates objects made of gold and/or other precious materials.
– Ostetrica
Assists and helps pregnant women before, after and especially during childbirth.
– Ottico
Makes and sells corrective lenses and glasses.
P
– Parrucchiere
Takes care of (mainly) women’s hair by cutting, colouring and styling it.
– Pasticciere
Prepares artisanal cakes, desserts, biscuits, pastries and other similar products.
– Pastore
A person who raises sheep, takes them out to pasture, looks after and tends them.
– Pescatore
Catches fish to sell them.
– Pilota
A person who flies planes as a profession.
– Poliziotto
A member of the Armed Forces who watches over the population and intervenes in cases of danger to public safety. In Italy we also have “carabiniere“.
– Pompiere
Member of the fire department intervening in case of fire or other calamities.
– Postino
A person who’s employed to deliver letters and parcels.
– Psicologo
A professional who offers psychological and emotional support to patients to ensure their psychological and physical well-being.
Q
– Quadrista
Monitors and coordinates designated operations from a control panel.
– Questore
Ministerial official who directs the police and public order services in each region.
R
– Ragioniere
Keeps the accounts and takes care of the administration of a business.
– Regista
Directs all the stages of producing a film (or TV series): guides the actors, chooses the shots, gives indications on artistic choices (lighting, sound…).
– Restauratore
Recovers works of art and antique objects, restoring them to their original beauty.
S
– Salumiere
Sells cold cuts and cheese.
– Sarto
A person who designs, cuts, sews and creates garments (or repairs them).
– Segretario
In an office, a trusted person who performs duties for one of their superiors.
– Sindaco
Representative of a city and head of its municipal administration.
– Spazzino
Collects waste and keeps urban streets clean (also called “netturbino“).
– Stilista
Designs and creates fashion collections of clothing and accessories.
T
– Tabaccaio
Sells tobacco, postage stamps, magazines and more.
– Tappezziere
A person who makes curtains, padding and upholstery of various kinds.
– Tassista
A taxi driver.
U
– Ufficiale giudiziario
A public official who assists the judge, enforces his orders, and notifies summonses, warnings and defamations.
V
– Verniciatore
Coats (with enamels, paints, or other substances) objects, machinery and more, with the aim of embellishing, decorating and protecting them from external factors.
– Veterinario
“Doctor” for animals.
– Vigile (urbano)
Ensures order and compliance with traffic rules, and controls the roads by directing traffic.
Z
– Zoologo
Studies animals’ behaviours, interaction with ecosystems, physical characteristics, diet and relationship with humans.
Now that you know how to talk about jobs in Italian, you might also be interested in learning the vocabulary of the means of transport.
If instead you want to learn all the Italian swear words (and their polite alternatives!), you can find them in our book “Parolacce… e come evitarle!“. Don’t miss the opportunity to understand native speakers and talk like them!
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