Learn Hardcore Chinese: nínhǎo,wǒ zài gōngsī gōngzuò.

Breakdown of nínhǎo,wǒ zài gōngsī gōngzuò.

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Why use 您好 instead of 你好?

您好 (nínhǎo) is the polite, respectful way to say hello to elders, strangers, customers, or in formal situations.
你好 (nǐhǎo) is neutral/casual, used with peers, friends, and kids.
Overusing 您好 with close friends can sound overly formal or distant.

Can I say 您们好 to greet a group politely?

您们好 exists but is uncommon and can sound awkward.
Prefer 大家好, 各位好, or simply 你们好 for groups, even if you want to be respectful.
For very formal announcements: 各位来宾，大家好！

Is 在 here the “am doing” progressive marker?

In 我在公司工作, 在 marks location: “at the company.”
Without extra markers, Chinese often defaults to a general/habitual reading: “I work at the company.”
For a clear ongoing action, say 我在工作 or 我正在公司工作 (“I’m working at/inside the company right now”).
正在 emphasizes “right now.”

Why is it 我在公司工作 and not 我工作在公司?

Natural pattern for place complements is: Subject + 在 + place + Verb.
我在公司工作 is the standard.
我工作在公司 sounds awkward in everyday speech; you only see 工作在… occasionally in formal/literary style with abstract places (e.g., 工作在一线/基层).

What’s the difference between 工作 and 上班?

工作 (gōngzuò) = to work; also a noun “work/job.” Broad and general.
- Now: 我在工作 = I’m working.
- Habit: 我在公司工作 = I work at the company.
上班 (shàngbān) = to be on duty/to (go to) work on a shift or office schedule.
- 我在公司上班 = I (am employed and) work at the company.
- Time: 我九点上班 = I start work at 9.
You can say both 我在公司工作 and 我在公司上班; the latter highlights the “on-the-job” schedule aspect.

Do I need 里 after 公司?

我在公司工作 and 我在公司里工作 both work.
里/里面 adds “inside,” which can feel a bit more physical/locative; it’s often optional and can be omitted unless you need to stress “inside.”

Do I need a measure word with 公司?

When you mean “a certain company” (indefinite), use the measure word 家: 我在一家公司工作.
When the context is “my/the office,” 我在公司工作 is fine without a determiner, and often implies “at my company (office).”
To be specific: 我在这家公司工作 / 我在那家公司工作.

How do I negate this sentence correctly?

Habitual/general negation: 我不在公司工作 = I don’t work at the company (I work elsewhere / not employed there).
Negate a current state/event: 我没在公司工作 = I’m not working at the company (at this time/then).
To say you’re not physically at the office: 我不在公司 = I’m not at the office.

How do I say I work remotely or work for a foreign company?

Remote: 我在家工作/上班。
Emphasize employer (not location):
- Neutral/formal: 我为一家美国公司工作。
- Common: 我在一家美国公司工作/上班。
If you need both: 我在家为一家美国公司工作。
Avoid literal “I work for …” with 给 in formal writing; 给…工作 is colloquial and less standard than 为…工作.

Any pronunciation or tone traps here?

您 is second tone: nín, so 您好 is nín hǎo (no third-tone sandhi needed).
With 你 (third tone), 你好 is pronounced ní hǎo due to third-tone sandhi.
公司 = gōngsī (both first tone).
工作 = gōngzuò (first + fourth).
Note the different characters: 公 (in 公司) vs 工 (in 工作), same sound, different meaning.

Why are there spaces in the example? Do Chinese sentences use them?

Is the sentence about a habitual job or about what I’m doing right now?

By default, 我在公司工作 is read as habitual: “I work at the company.”
Context or time words decide:
- Now: 现在我在公司工作 / 我正在公司工作.
- Past duration: 我在这家公司工作了三年 = I’ve worked at this company for three years.

Can I drop 我 or 工作?

Can 公司工作 be a noun phrase like “company work”?

As a standalone noun phrase, 公司工作 is not common for “a job at a company.”
Say 在公司工作 (to work at a company) or 公司的工作 (work of/at the company) depending on grammar needs.
For “find a job at a company,” say 找工作 or 在一家公司找工作, not 找公司工作.