eigo相談ファイル:Staff (英語版)

Hi, N here. Today’s post is about the word ‘staff.’ There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding this term even for my upper-level students.

‘Staff’ refers to a group or team of people that work somewhere; for example, in a restaurant, clothing store, or manufacturing company. ‘Staff’ should not be used to refer to an individual. 

Here are some examples of how I hear it used incorrectly:

  • A staff helped me find the size I was looking for. 
    (店員さんに欲しいサイズを探してもらいました。)
  • I asked a staff if I could try on a pair of shoes in a size 10.
    (店員さんにサイズ10の靴を履かせて頂きました。)

Here are some examples of correct usage:

  • The staff at Isetan department store are very polite. (This refers to all the people working there, not just one person. )
    (伊勢丹の店員さんは皆とても丁寧です。)
  • She’s a new member of the staff. (This refers to someone who has recently joined the company.)
    (彼女は新しいスタッフです。)
  • The entire staff played a role in making 2018 a successful year. (This means everyone on the team did contributed to the company’s success in 2018.)
    (スタッフ全員が貢献して2018年を成功させました。)

If you want to talk about one of the workers in a place, you can say staff member or member of the staff. For example:

  • A member of the staff helped me find the size I was looking for.
  • I asked a staff member if I could try on a pair of shoes in a size 10.

Hope that helps! See you next time!

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eigo相談ファイル:Staff(日本語版)

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eigo相談ファイル:前置詞

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