Say it like this
- We're hiring interns for the summer.
- The intern is working on their first pull request.
- I was an intern at Google before joining this startup.
Use it at work
Hiring
- We're hiring two engineering interns for the summer.
- The intern starts on Monday.
Mentoring
- I'm mentoring our intern this summer.
- Can you pair with the intern on this ticket?
Feedback
- Our intern shipped a real feature.
- We offered the intern a full-time job.
Don't say this
Intern is primarily a noun. While interning exists as a verb form (gerund), it is less common in workplace speech than using intern as a noun with a verb like working or joining.
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. How would you naturally introduce a new team member in tech?
2. We are looking for a _______ to work on our mobile app for the next three months.
3. Which sentence uses intern incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this in natural tech English: We have a young person from university who is working here for learning experience.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We're hiring interns for the summer."
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More about intern
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"Our new intern will be shadowing the frontend team this week to learn our tech stack."
- in a code review
"This is good work for an intern—make sure to handle the edge case when the user is offline."
- in a team meeting
"We should assign a mentor to the intern so they can get feedback on their architecture decisions."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Do not confuse intern (noun: a student or graduate working for experience) with internal (adjective: inside). Some learners mistakenly use intern as a verb meaning to imprison, which is outdated and rarely used in modern tech contexts.
- ✕We need to intern the new policy.✓We need to implement or internalize the new policy.
Intern does not mean to implement or absorb. Use implement, internalize, or adopt instead.
- ✕She is an internal at the company.✓She is an intern at the company.
Internal is an adjective meaning inside or internal to something. Intern is the noun for a temporary worker.
Other forms(3)
- intern noun
"The intern fixed the bug in the login module."
- internship noun
"Her internship at Meta lasted three months and led to a full-time offer."
- intern (to work as an intern) verb
"He interned at two startups before joining Microsoft."
Often used with(5)
- summer intern · An intern working during the summer break, typically from June to August.
- paid intern · An intern who receives a salary or hourly wage for their work.
- intern program · A structured internship initiative or opportunity offered by a company.
- intern mentor · A senior employee assigned to guide and support an intern.
- hire an intern · To recruit or employ an intern for a specific duration.
Similar words(3)
- trainee · Similar meaning but trainee is often broader and may include entry-level employees beyond students.
- apprentice · Suggests a longer-term learning relationship, often in trades or specialized fields.
- junior · Refers to an entry-level employee but does not emphasize the educational or temporary aspect.
Opposites(3)
- senior
- expert
- mentor
Questions(4)
- What is the difference between an intern and a junior employee?
- An intern is typically a student or recent graduate working on a fixed-term basis (usually 3-6 months) to gain experience and often without expectations of permanent employment. A junior employee is a full-time or permanent staff member with a lower seniority level but expected to stay longer and develop as part of the team.
- Are tech interns paid?
- Yes, most interns at tech companies are paid. Large tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft offer competitive intern salaries (often $15-30+ per hour or more). Some smaller startups may offer lower pay or even unpaid internships, though unpaid internships are less common in tech.
- How do you use intern in a sentence at work?
- Use intern as a noun to refer to the person: We have a new intern joining the team. You can also use intern as a verb in the gerund form: She is interning at our company this summer. Common phrases include: hire an intern, intern program, summer intern, and mentor an intern.
- Is intern formal or informal?
- Intern is neutral in formality and appropriate in both casual team conversations and formal business settings. It is the standard term used in job postings, HR documents, and professional communication.
