French · A1 (Beginner)
Work in French: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful French words for work are le travail (the work / job), le bureau (the office / desk) and le chef (the boss / head). The full French work phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential French vocabulary for work, with example sentences and English translations. This is A1 (Beginner) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning French to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's French curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key work vocabulary
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le travail | the work / job |
| le bureau | the office / desk |
| le chef | the boss / head |
| le collègue | the colleague |
| travailler | to work |
| le poste | the job / position |
| le salaire | the salary |
| la réunion | the meeting |
| l'ordinateur | the computer |
| les heures supplémentaires | overtime |
Example sentences
Je vais au travail en métro.
I go to work by metro.
Je travaille dans un bureau au 5ème étage.
I work in an office on the 5th floor.
Mon chef est très exigeant.
My boss is very demanding.
Mes collègues sont sympas.
My colleagues are nice.
Je travaille de 9h à 18h.
I work from 9 to 6.
J'ai une réunion à 14h.
I have a meeting at 2 PM.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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