French · A2 (Elementary)
Work in French: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful French words for work are le contrat (the contract), le salaire (the salary) and les congés (the paid leave / holidays). 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 A2 (Elementary) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning French to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key work vocabulary
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le contrat | the contract |
| le salaire | the salary |
| les congés | the paid leave / holidays |
| les heures supplémentaires | overtime |
| démissionner | to resign |
| embaucher | to hire |
| le CDI | permanent contract (contrat à durée indéterminée) |
| le CDD | fixed-term contract (contrat à durée déterminée) |
| l'entretien | the interview / meeting |
| le télétravail | remote working |
Example sentences
J'ai signé un nouveau contrat.
I signed a new contract.
Mon salaire est de 2 500 euros net.
My salary is 2,500 euros net.
J'ai cinq semaines de congés payés.
I have five weeks of paid leave.
J'ai obtenu un CDI.
I got a permanent contract.
Je souhaite démissionner.
I wish to resign.
Je fais du télétravail deux jours par semaine.
I work remotely two days a week.
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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