Offices and other workplaces use similar words for coworkers, bosses, clients, messages, and working hours.
Coworkers and other people at work
These terms identify the masculine and feminine forms of workplace roles:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un collègue | colleague, coworker (m) |
| une collègue | colleague, coworker (f) |
| le patron | boss (m) |
| la patronne | boss (f) |
| le responsable | manager, person in charge (m) |
| la responsable | manager, person in charge (f) |
| un employé | employee (m) |
| une employée | employee (f) |
| un client | client, customer (m) |
| une cliente | client, customer (f) |
| le propriétaire | owner (m) |
| la propriétaire | owner (f) |
Collègue has the same form for men and women with a different article.
Patron and patronne are common words for a boss, especially the person who employs someone or runs a business. French also uses le boss and la boss informally.
Responsable refers to a manager or another person in charge of a team or activity.
Propriétaire means owner and refers specifically to the person who owns the business or property, who may or may not be someone's boss.
Workplaces
These terms identify common places where people work:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le bureau | office |
| la salle de réunion | meeting room |
| l'accueil | reception |
| la cuisine | kitchen |
| l'usine | factory |
| l'entrepôt | warehouse |
| l'atelier | workshop |
| le magasin | store, shop |
| le restaurant | restaurant |
| l'hôpital | hospital |
Common objects in the workplace
These terms identify equipment and materials used during the workday:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le bureau | desk |
| l'ordinateur | computer |
| l'écran | screen, monitor |
| le téléphone | telephone |
| l'imprimante | printer |
| le document | document |
| le dossier | file, folder |
| le badge | badge, ID card |
| les clés | keys |
Bureau can refer to either an office or a desk. The context determines the meaning.
Common workplace activities
These verbs and phrases describe tasks that appear in many different jobs:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| travailler | to work |
| commencer | to start |
| finir | to finish |
| utiliser un ordinateur | to use a computer |
| écrire un e-mail | to write an email |
| envoyer un e-mail | to send an email |
| téléphoner | to call |
| répondre au téléphone | to answer the phone |
| lire un document | to read a document |
| préparer un document | to prepare a document |
| parler à un client | to speak to a client |
| travailler en équipe | to work as a team |
These sentences describe the workplace and the task:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je travaille dans un bureau. | I work in an office. |
| J'utilise un ordinateur toute la journée. | I use a computer all day. |
| J'écris beaucoup d'e-mails. | I write a lot of emails. |
| Elle répond au téléphone. | She answers the phone. |
| Il parle à un client. | He's speaking to a client. |
| Nous travaillons en équipe. | We work as a team. |
Meetings and communication
Workplace communication often includes meetings, emails, messages, questions, calls, and appointments:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| une réunion | meeting |
| un e-mail | |
| un message | message |
| un appel | call |
| une question | question |
| une réponse | answer |
| un rendez-vous | appointment |
| une équipe | team |
These expressions are common in workplace communication:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J'ai une réunion à dix heures. | I have a meeting at ten. |
| Je vous envoie un e-mail. | I'll send you an email. |
| Vous avez reçu mon message ? | Did you receive my message? |
| J'ai une question. | I have a question. |
| Le client a appelé. | The client called. |
| Nous avons rendez-vous à deux heures. | We have an appointment at two. |
The workday
Working hours, breaks, and work arrangements are common parts of the workday:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les horaires | working hours, schedule |
| le matin | morning |
| l'après-midi | afternoon |
| la pause | break |
| la pause déjeuner | lunch break |
| à temps plein | full-time |
| à temps partiel | part-time |
| en télétravail | working remotely |
| au bureau | at the office |
Common expressions describe start and finish times, full-time and part-time work, remote work, and breaks:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je commence à neuf heures. | I start at nine. |
| Je finis à cinq heures. | I finish at five. |
| Je travaille à temps plein. | I work full-time. |
| Elle travaille à temps partiel. | She works part-time. |
| Je suis en télétravail aujourd'hui. | I'm working remotely today. |
| Nous avons une pause à midi. | We have a break at noon. |
From learning to practice
When coworkers talk about the day, they mention a start time or an end time, réunion, e-mail, rendez-vous, à temps plein, à temps partiel, and en télétravail.