adjective
professional, work-related
B1
Adjective meaning 'professional' or 'work-related'. Describes work, career, or vocational contexts (e.g. 'beruflich tätig sein', 'berufliche Weiterbildung'). It is gradable (comparative beruflicher, superlative am beruflichsten) and not a participle. Used attributively or adverbially without reflexivity or special prepositions. Common in business contexts.
Examples
Seine Probleme sind überwiegend beruflich, nicht privat.
His problems are mostly work-related, not personal.
Ich suche berufliche Möglichkeiten im Ausland.
I'm looking for professional opportunities abroad.
Da Maria beruflich umziehen musste, blieb die Familie ruhig, obwohl die Kinder besorgt waren.
Since Maria had to move for work, the family remained calm, although the children were worried.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a business suit with a label 'beruflich' on it — a visual tag for anything related to work.
Sounds like 'bear-uf-lich' — imagine a 'bear' at work to link to 'professional'.
Notes
Used to describe things related to someone's job or career. Often appears before nouns (berufliche Erfahrung). Can be inflected (berufliche, beruflicher).