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By Mose HaywardMose Hayward Last updated:

90 Business French Vocabulary Words and Phrases to Work Your Way Up the Fluency Ladder

The French business world is a subculture with its own lexicon.

Trust me: I’ve been there for about a decade or so now.

After years of navigating this strange yet lovely place, I’ve come up with a list of the most essential business French vocabulary.

Whether you’re a seasoned learner or just starting your French language adventure, make sure to keep this list handy!

Contents

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1. Société (Company)

Beware of the French word for a company, une société . It can mean the same as the English “society,” but its second meaning as “company” is just as common. Now you know what French people mean when they’re attempting to speak English and ask, “What society do you work for?”

La société a récemment lancé un nouveau produit sur le marché international. (The company recently launched a new product in the international market.)

2. Entreprise (Company)

If you’re looking for a less confusing term for “company,” you can also use this one.

Notre entreprise se spécialise dans le développement de logiciels sur mesure. (Our business specializes in custom software development.)

3. Boîte (Company —  Informal)

If you want an even more informal term for “company,” and the people involved are fine with it, use boîte.

La boîte organise une réunion importante demain pour discuter des objectifs annuels. (The company is organizing an important meeting tomorrow to discuss annual goals.)

4. Bonjour (Hello, Good Day)

You’re likely already familiar with this go-to French greeting, but don’t make the mistake of greeting someone with it in the hallway after you’ve already used it at the beginning of the day. It’s employed strictly once per day.

Bonjour à tous les participants de la conférence ! Nous sommes ravis de vous accueillir. (Hello to all conference participants! We are delighted to welcome you.)

5. Salut (Hey)

Once you’ve used up your daily quota of bonjour, you could say salut instead. Note, however, that most French coworkers are more likely to just nod or say nothing.

Salut, comment ça va ? C’est toujours un plaisir de vous voir à nos événements. (Hi, how are you? It’s always a pleasure to see you at our events.)

6. Se serrer la main (Handshakes)

Not unlike their Anglophone counterparts, handshakes are expected in a French business environment.

Nous nous serrons la main pour sceller l’accord commercial conclu entre nos deux entreprises. (We shake hands to seal the business deal between our two companies.)

7. La Bise (Kisses on the Cheek)

If you work in a smaller or more informal business, you’ll find that coworkers may greet each other with la bise in the morning if they like each other—or pretend to. The number of kisses varies according to region, but in Paris it’s often two kisses beginning on the left.

En France, on pratique souvent la bise pour se saluer dans un contexte professionnel. (In France, cheek kissing is often practiced as a professional greeting.)

8. Vous (You — Formal)

In practice, both tu and vous are acceptable to use in a business environment. However, you need to listen carefully to your colleagues to determine the correct level of formality for each situation and each particular business’s culture.

To be safe, use vous as it’s considered more polite. It’s almost always used in meetings with those outside of your own company, and with your boss. Some bosses may prefer the more relaxed tu, though. When in doubt, ask!

Vous êtes invités à participer à notre prochaine conférence sur l’innovation technologique. (You are invited to attend our upcoming conference on technological innovation.)

9. Tu (You — Informal)

You’ll sometimes find tu used among workers at all levels in arts organizations, nonprofits and smaller companies. It’s also common for colleagues to use tu among themselves, but vous with the bosses.

Tu peux me passer le dossier avant la réunion ? (Can you pass me the file before the meeting?)

10. Monsieur (Sir)

Monsieur is a polite way to address a man. It’s used much more than its English counterpart, and can come in handy when you forget someone’s name.

Monsieur, nous avons bien reçu votre demande et nous y donnerons suite dans les plus brefs délais. (Sir, we have received your request and will respond to it as soon as possible.)

11. Madame (Ma’am/Madam)

 Similarly, madame is a polite way to address a woman, particularly one that you don’t know very well.

Madame, nous sommes honorés de vous présenter nos meilleurs vœux pour le succès de votre entreprise. (Madam, we are honored to extend our best wishes for the success of your business.)

12. Les Collègues (Coworkers)

Foreigners working in France are often surprised by the limited amount of socializing that goes on between les collègues.

Les collègues travaillent ensemble pour atteindre les objectifs de l’entreprise. (Colleagues work together to achieve the company’s goals.)

13. Pote de travail (Work Buddy)

Once your les collègues get comfy with you, though, it is possible to transition to pote de travail.

Mon pote de travail et moi collaborons étroitement sur ce projet depuis plusieurs mois. (My work buddy and I have been closely collaborating on this project for several months.)

14. Team Buildings (Team Building Events)

Team buildings are becoming increasingly common in France to foster social connections between workers. (Ignore what dictionaries might tell you, as the shortened anglicism is usually used.)

Les team buildings sont essentiels pour renforcer la cohésion au sein de l’équipe. (Team buildings are essential for strengthening team cohesion.)

15. Les formations de travail (Training Sessions)

Companies are required to provide training sessions for their employees. However, employees often don’t take these too seriously, and instead use them as opportunities to socialize.

Nous organisons des formations de travail régulières pour améliorer les compétences de nos employés. (We organize regular work trainings to enhance the skills of our employees.)

16. Une Société par Actions (Joint Stock Company)

Earlier, we mentioned three French terms for “company” in French. Now, we’re going to get into the specific types of companies.

First up is une société par actions, which simply means that the stocks or shares (representations of ownership) within a company can be purchased or sold by individuals or entities known as “stockholders” or “shareholders.”

La création d’une société par actions offre plusieurs avantages en termes de responsabilité financière. (The establishment of a joint-stock company offers several advantages in terms of financial liability.)

17. Une Société à Responsabilité Limitée (Limited Liability Company)

When a company has “LLC” in its name, you’ll know that it’s this. As its name suggests, it’s a company structured in such a way that the individual company owners shoulder as little of the company’s debts as possible. If you’re curious about how that works, here’s a more detailed article about it on Investopedia.

Une société à responsabilité limitée limite la responsabilité des actionnaires aux montants investis dans l’entreprise. (A limited liability company limits the liability of shareholders to the amounts invested in the company.)

18. Une Multinationale (Multinational Company)

Multinational companies are those that have operations outside of their country of origin. Some of the most famous French multinational companies are Christian Dior, Hermès, L’Oréal and Louis Vuitton.

Une multinationale opère dans plusieurs pays et est soumise à des réglementations internationales. (A multinational operates in multiple countries and is subject to international regulations.)

19. Une Maison-Mère (Parent Company)

A parent company is one that has a significant controlling interest (typically over 50%) over another company or group of companies known as subsidiaries.

Une maison-mère supervise les opérations de ses filiales et détient souvent une participation majoritaire dans celles-ci. (A parent company oversees the operations of its subsidiaries and often holds a majority stake in them.)

20. Une association à but Non Lucratif (Nonprofit Organization)

When you say that a company is “nonprofit,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that the company doesn’t have any money flowing in or out of it. Rather, it means that all of its “profits” are put into projects that aim to benefit society in some way (at least, in theory).

Une association à but non lucratif se consacre à des activités d’intérêt général sans rechercher de bénéfices financiers. (A non-profit organization is dedicated to activities of general interest without seeking financial profits.)

21. Petite et Moyenne Entreprise (Small and Midsize Enterprise)

Just as Anglophones have SMEs, France has PMEs.

Les petites et moyennes entreprises jouent un rôle crucial dans l’économie locale. (Small and medium-sized enterprises play a crucial role in the local economy.)

22. Mettre à Jour (Update)

One of the more frequent things you’ll be asked for in a French office is to mettre à jour someone about something. The noun form is une mise à jour (an update).

For example:

Ils mettent à jour ces stratégies au moins tous les trois ans. (They update these strategies at least every three years.)

Lorsque vous recevez une mise à jour … (When you receive an update …)

23. Actualisation (Update of Data)

When you’re discussing numbers such as items or prices, you might use actualisation, like in  une actualisation des prévisions de trésorerie (an update of cash flow forecasts).

L’actualisation des données est essentielle pour maintenir la précision de nos informations financières. (The update of data is essential to maintain the accuracy of our financial information.)

24. Une mise au point (Lit. “Bringing Into Focus”)

This one is used for meetings that update, define or further refine projects.

Nous tiendrons une mise au point demain matin pour actualiser et affiner les détails du projet en cours. (We will have a meeting [on] the details of the ongoing project tomorrow morning.)

25. Livrer (Turn In)

When you’re asked to livrer a report, make sure you have it ready—or, at least, a good reason why it’s not ready yet!

Je dois livrer le rapport final d’ici la fin de la journée. (I have to turn in the final report by the end of the day.)

26. Un Bilan /  Une Annonce (Lit. “A Review” / “An Announcement”)

Both un bilan and une annonce refer to a published report, typically given to the media.

Nous avons une annonce importante à partager lors de la réunion de l’équipe demain. (We have an important announcement to share at the team meeting tomorrow.)

27. Un rapport de situation (Status Update)

Now and then, your boss may ask you about un rapport de situation regarding the project you’re working on.

Le directeur financier présentera un rapport de situation lors de la réunion du conseil d’administration. (The CFO will present a status update at the board meeting.)

28. Une Évaluation (An Evaluation)

This refers to an evaluation, such as that of an employee.

Une évaluation des performances de l’équipe sera réalisée à la fin du trimestre. (A performance evaluation of the team will be conducted at the end of the quarter.)

29. Un Compte-rendu (Minutes of a Meeting)

This can also refer to a general write-up of a situation.

Le responsable des ventes doit fournir un compte-rendu détaillé des activités du mois dernier. (The sales manager must provide a detailed report on last month’s activities.)

30. Un Rapport Annuel (Annual Report)

Un rapport annuel refers to the financial statements that companies need to file every year.

Le rapport annuel sera distribué aux actionnaires lors de l’assemblée générale. (The annual report will be distributed to shareholders at the general meeting.)

By the way, here’s a good general guide on writing various types of business reports in French. Note that you’ll use formal—and sometimes slightly more florid language—than you might in the ultra-practical world of Anglophone business. (Just see this post on writing French letters for examples.) When in doubt, check how other reports at your company are generally structured.

31. Le Paiement (Payment)

When you’re talking about money being handed out, you can’t go wrong with the general term le paiement.

Le paiement des factures doit être effectué avant la fin du mois pour éviter des frais de retard. (The payment of invoices must be made by the end of the month to avoid late fees.)

32. Le Salaire (Salary)

If you want to talk about salaries specifically, use le salaire.

Les employés recevront leur salaire à la fin de la semaine. (Employees will receive their salary at the end of the week.)

33. Les Honoraires (Fees)

The word honoraires almost looks like the English word “honorary,” doesn’t it? (You’d definitely not want to translate it that way, though.) The reason I pointed that out is because (in my opinion) it more strongly conveys the feeling that the “fee” is something that you’re supposed to pay or “honor.”

Les honoraires du consultant sont basés sur le nombre d’heures travaillées. (Fees for the consultant are based on the number of hours worked.)

34. Une Avance (Advance Payment)

I think this phrase is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s still worth knowing!

L’entreprise offre une avance sur salaire pour aider les employés en cas de besoin financier urgent. (The company offers an advance on salary to assist employees in case of urgent financial need.)

35. Une Échéance (Due Date for Payment)

Better not let those bills go past their une échéance!

La date d’échéance pour le paiement des factures est fixée au 15 du mois prochain. (The due date for payment of invoices is set for the 15th of next month.)

36. Un règlement par virement bancaire (Payment by Bank Transfer)

Luckily, bills can easily be settled via un règlement par virement bancaire.

Nous préférons un règlement par virement bancaire. (We prefer payment by bank transfer.)

37. La Comptabilité (Accounting Department)

Also luckily, bills are handled by la comptabilité, often referred to as just la compta .

La collaboration étroite entre les différents départements et la comptabilité est essentielle pour assurer la gestion financière optimale de l’entreprise. (Close collaboration between various departments and the accounting department is essential to ensure optimal financial management of the company.)

38. Le Bénéfice (Profits)

This refers to how much a company earned in any given period.

Le bénéfice net de l’entreprise a augmenté de manière significative cette année. (The company’s profit has increased significantly this year.)

39. Les Biens (Assets)

Les biens refers to everything a company owns—tangible or intangible—that has monetary value, and can be used to settle debts and/or pay shareholders.

Les biens de l’entreprise comprennent des équipements de pointe et des propriétés immobilières. (The company’s assets include state-of-the-art equipment and real estate.)

40. Brut (Gross Profit)

This doesn’t mean disgusting! Rather, it refers to how much the company earned before expenses are deducted.

Le brut représente le total des revenus avant déduction des dépenses. (The gross represents the total income before deducting expenses.)

41. Bénéfice Net (Net Profit)

Meanwhile, bénéfice net refers to the company’s earnings after expenses are deducted.

Le bénéfice net est le montant restant après la déduction de toutes les dépenses. (The net profit is the amount remaining after deducting all expenses.)

42. Relations Publiques (Public Relations)

If you work in the PR department or want to reach out to that specific department, here’s a handy phrase to know.

Les relations publiques jouent un rôle clé dans la gestion de l’image de l’entreprise. (Public relations play a key role in managing the company’s image.)

43. Au revoir (Goodbye)

In a business context, it’s fine to end a phone call with au revoir instead of the various other ways to say goodbye in French.

Au revoir et à bientôt lors de notre prochaine réunion d’équipe. (Goodbye and see you soon at our next team meeting.)

On the other hand, the typical French phone opener  allô ? is too informal for business. You should instead answer the phone by stating the name of the business, the type of business or the department. For example, you might say  Relations publiques, bonjour ! (“Public relations, good morning!”)

44. Pourrais-je parler à… ?   (May I Speak With … ?)

You’ll often go through a secretary to speak with someone in your company—in which case this phrase will come in handy.

Pourrais-je parler à Monsieur Dupont, s’il vous plaît ? (Could I speak to Mr. Dupont, please?)

45. C’est de la part de qui ? (Who Is Calling?)

Conversely, if you’re the one answering the call, this is your go-to phrase.

C’est de la part de qui ? (Who is calling, please?)

46. C’est… à l’appareil. (It’s … Calling.)

Just insert your name between c’est and à, and you’re good.

C’est Marie à l’appareil. Comment puis-je vous aider aujourd’hui ? (This is Marie on the line. How can I help you today?)

47. Je vous le passe. (I’ll Put You Through.)

Hopefully, the other person is available and receptive to whatever business you have with them.

Je vous le passe. Monsieur Martin est en ligne pour discuter du projet avec vous. (I’ll pass you to him. Mr. Martin is on the line to discuss the project with you.)

48. Ne quittez pas. (Please Hold — Formal)

This literally means “don’t leave,” and if a song helps you remember this one, great! Just don’t model your French pronunciation on Nina Simone, as lovely as she is. Go for Jacques Brel instead:

Ne quittez pas, je vous mets en attente un instant. (Hold on, I’ll put you on hold for a moment.)

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49. La ligne est occupée. (The Line Is Busy.)

This the absolute last phrase you want to hear when you’re calling and have urgent business.

Excusez-moi, la ligne est occupée actuellement. Pourriez-vous rappeler plus tard ? (Sorry, the line is busy at the moment. Could you call back later?)

50. Pourriez-vous rappeler ?   (Can You Call Back?)

If the other person isn’t available, you might hear this, too.

Pourriez-vous rappeler demain matin pour confirmer votre rendez-vous ? (Could you call back tomorrow morning to confirm your appointment?)

51. Voulez-vous laisser un message ? (Would You Like to Leave a Message?)

You’ll rarely be asked this though, as many don’t seem to want to go to the trouble.

Voulez-vous laisser un message ? Je transmettrai votre message dès qu’il sera disponible. (Would you like to leave a message? I will forward your message as soon as possible.)

52. Est-ce qu’il peut me rappeler ? /  Est-ce qu’elle peut me rappeler ?   (Can He Call Me Back? / Can She Call Me Back?)

You can request this if you really want to talk to the other person, but they can’t call you back for one reason or another.

Est-ce qu’il peut me rappeler d’ici une heure ? J’ai une réunion en cours. (Can he call me back in an hour? I’m currently in a meeting.)

53. Pourriez-vous répéter ? (Can You Repeat That?)

If you can’t hear what the other person is saying, you can say this without sounding rude.

Pourriez-vous répéter la dernière partie de votre message ? La ligne était un peu faible. (Could you repeat the last part of your message? The line was a bit weak.)

54. Mon numéro de téléphone est le …   (My Telephone Number Is …)

In order for the other person to call you back, they’ll need this information.

Mon numéro de téléphone est le 01-1555-1234. N’hésitez pas à me rappeler à ce numéro. (My phone number is 01-1555-1234. Feel free to call me at this number.)

55. Une Vidéoconférence (A Video Conference)

Like everywhere else, some businesses in France now take advantage of Skype and other forms of video and internet calling. You might be asked to have une vidéoconférence, for example.

Nous allons organiser une vidéoconférence pour discuter des prochaines étapes du projet. (We will organize a video conference to discuss the next steps of the project.)

56. Faire un Skype (Discuss Over Skype)

Then again, your boss might be more specific and ask to faire un Skype instead.

Nous devrions faire un Skype la semaine prochaine pour discuter des détails du projet. (We should discuss over Skype next week to go over the project details.)

57. La connexion est très mauvaise (The Connection Is Very Bad)

Is the other person wondering why your video keeps cutting out? Give them this response. And if they’re saying something important that you couldn’t quite hear, you can also ask pourriez-vous répéter ?

Malheureusement, la connexion est très mauvaise en ce moment. Pouvons-nous réessayer plus tard ? (Unfortunately, the connection is very bad right now. Can we try again later?)

58. La connexion a été coupée (The Connection Dropped)

If your video cuts out completely, you can also say this.

La connexion a été coupée. Je m’excuse pour la coupure. Reprenons notre discussion. (The connection has been cut. I apologize for the interruption. Let’s resume our discussion.)

59. Partager l’écran (Share the Screen)

If you want to do a presentation online, you might want to partager l’écran.

Nous avons la possibilité de partager l’écran pendant la réunion pour mieux comprendre les points présentés. (We have the option to share the screen during the meeting to better understand the points being presented.)

60. Avantages Sociaux (Employee Benefits)

Apart from their salaries, there are additional perks and privileges that employees can have in exchange for working for a company—and these are the avantages sociaux.

Les avantages sociaux comprennent une assurance santé et des congés payés. (Employee benefits include health insurance and paid time off.)

61. Avocat (Lawyer)

If your company ever gets into legal trouble (and best pray it doesn’t!), it should hire one of these.

L’avocat de l’entreprise examinera le contrat avant la signature. (The lawyer of the company will review the contract before signing.)

62. Banque (Bank)

Whether you’re working for one, or you want to visit one in France, make sure you know what banque means!

Nous avons ouvert un compte auprès de la banque locale pour faciliter les transactions financières. (We have opened an account with the bank to facilitate financial transactions.)

63. Bourse (Stock Exchange)

Just as the U.S. has the NYSE, France has the Euronext Paris (sometimes known as the Paris Stock Exchange).

La bourse a connu une forte fluctuation ces derniers jours en raison de divers facteurs économiques. (The stock market has experienced significant fluctuations in recent days due to various economic factors.)

64. Brevet (Patent)

This basically provides exclusive rights over an invention.

L’entreprise a déposé un brevet pour protéger son innovation technologique. (The company has filed a patent to protect its technological innovation.)

65. Contrat (Contract)

Whenever you engage in business with anyone, make sure you read the fine print of your contrat.

Le contrat entre les deux parties a été signé et entrera en vigueur dès maintenant. (The contract between the two parties has been signed and will take effect immediately.)

66. Cryptomonnaie (Cryptocurrency)

Whether you’re already in this industry or want to be in it, you’ll want to know the French umbrella term for Bitcoin and the like.

Les cryptomonnaies gagnent en popularité en tant que moyen de paiement alternatif sur le marché. (Cryptocurrencies are gaining popularity as an alternative means of payment in the market.)

67. Directeur (Director)

This is a person appointed to manage a company. Make sure you know who this is in your company!

Le directeur général dirigera la réunion du conseil d’administration demain matin. (The director will chair the board meeting tomorrow morning.)

68. Dividende (Dividend)

This is what stockholders receive in exchange for owning part of a company.

Les actionnaires recevront un dividende en fonction des bénéfices réalisés par l’entreprise. (Shareholders will receive a dividend based on the profits earned by the company.)

69. Droit des Affaires (Business Law)

Before you do business in France, make sure you know the droit des affaires inside out—or, at least, hire someone who does.

Le droit des affaires englobe un ensemble de règles et de réglementations qui régissent les activités commerciales. (Business law encompasses a set of rules and regulations governing business activities.)

70. Embauche (Hiring)

Of course, this refers to when a company brings new employees into its fold.

L’embauche de nouveaux employés est essentielle pour la croissance de l’entreprise. (Hiring new employees is essential for the company’s growth.)

71. Employé (Employee)

In case you’ve been wondering how to refer to yourself in relation to a company you’re working for—well, here you go!

L’employé du mois sera récompensé lors de la cérémonie de remise des prix. (The employee of the month will be rewarded at the awards ceremony.)

72. Emploi (Employment)

On the other hand, this is the state of being an employé.

La fluctuation du marché du travail peut influencer le taux d’emploi dans différents secteurs de l’économie. (The fluctuation in the job market can influence the rate of employment in various sectors of the economy.)

73. Entente (Agreement)

This is what you hope to arrive at whenever you’re having negotiations with another party.

Une entente a été conclue entre les deux entreprises pour une collaboration à long terme. (An agreement has been reached between the two companies for a long-term collaboration.)

74. Entretien d’embauche (Job Interview)

Need to prepare for an upcoming job interview in French? We’ve got you covered in this post.

L’entretien d’embauche est une étape cruciale du processus de recrutement. (The job interview is a crucial step in the recruitment process.)

75. Faillite (Bankruptcy)

If the boss says your company is nearing faillite, you should definitely prepare for a job interview!

La faillite d’une entreprise peut avoir des conséquences financières graves pour ses actionnaires. (The bankruptcy of a company can have serious financial consequences for its shareholders.)

76. Facture (Invoice)

Can’t forget to send these out—especially where customers are concerned!

N’oubliez pas de régler cette facture avant la fin du mois pour éviter des frais de retard. (Don’t forget to pay this invoice by the end of the month to avoid late fees.)

77. Fournisseur (Supplier)

If you’ve ever been requested to contact the fournisseur once in a while, now you know what it means!

Le fournisseur a livré les matériaux nécessaires à temps pour le début du projet. (The supplier delivered the necessary materials on time for the start of the project.)

78. Gestion (Management)

The gestion is the group of people responsible for ensuring that everything in the company is (or should be) running smoothly.

Une bonne gestion est cruciale pour assurer le succès à long terme de l’entreprise. (Good management is crucial to ensure the long-term success of the company.)

79. Gestionnaire (Manager)

As you can see, adding the suffix -aire to gestion transforms it into a word that means “a person who manages.”

Le gestionnaire de projet est responsable de la coordination et de la planification des activités. (The project manager is responsible for coordinating and planning activities.)

80. Horaires de travail (Working Hours)

You’d definitely want to know what these are before you sign that job contract.

Les horaires de travail flexibles sont de plus en plus populaires dans de nombreuses entreprises. (Flexible working hours are becoming increasingly popular in many companies.)

81. Impôt (Tax)

This is a useful word to know if you’re working in payroll and accounting, or when you’re looking at your paycheck in French and wondering where most of your salary went.

L’impôt sur le revenu des entreprises est généralement calculé en fonction des bénéfices annuels. (Corporate income tax is usually calculated based on annual profits.)

82. Informatique (Information Technology)

This word refers to the study and use of systems for storing, retrieving and sending information. Make sure not to confuse it with information , which fortunately means the same as its English counterpart!

L’informatique joue un rôle crucial dans l’efficacité des opérations quotidiennes de l’entreprise. (Information technology plays a crucial role in the efficiency of the company’s daily operations.)

83. Intérêt (Interest)

In a business context, intérêt refers to the extra amount or rate you pay on top of what you loaned.

Le taux d’intérêt sur le prêt détermine le montant supplémentaire à rembourser en plus du capital emprunté. (The interest rate on the loan determines the additional amount to be repaid in addition to the borrowed capital.)

84. Investissement (Investment)

This refers to the act of allocating money for the purpose of generating income or profit.

L’investissement dans la recherche et le développement est essentiel pour rester compétitif sur le marché. (Investment in research and development is essential to stay competitive in the market.)

85. Investisseur (Investor)

You can be sure that these people are always watching their investissement closely.

L’investisseur a manifesté un fort intérêt pour soutenir notre expansion internationale. (The investor has shown strong interest in supporting our international expansion.)

86. Licenciement (Layoff)

This is definitely the last word you want to hear, especially if it refers to you.

Le licenciement de personnel est une décision difficile, souvent motivée par des raisons économiques. (Laying off employees is a difficult decision, often driven by economic reasons.)

87. Logistique (Logistics)

Simply put, this is how the company keeps all of its moving parts moving together smoothly.

La logistique efficace est cruciale pour assurer une livraison rapide et fiable des produits aux clients. (Efficient logistics is crucial to ensure fast and reliable delivery of products to customers.)

88. Marque Déposée (Trademark)

This is an example of an intangible asset—that is, something that cannot be touched, but has significant monetary value for a company.

La marque déposée protège les droits de propriété intellectuelle d’une entreprise sur son logo et son nom. (The trademark protects the intellectual property rights of a company over its logo and name.)

89. Négociation (Negotiation)

This is what takes place on a daily basis between companies and third parties whenever they need something that’s valuable to one or the other.

La négociation avec les fournisseurs peut permettre d’obtenir des conditions plus avantageuses pour l’entreprise. (The negotiation with suppliers can lead to more favorable terms for the company.)

90. Fructueux (Profitable)

Finally, whatever your adventures in the French business world, may they be interesting, smooth and—of course—fructueux.

Les pourparlers ont été fructueux, et un accord a été conclu pour une collaboration future. (The negotiations were successful, and an agreement has been reached for future collaboration.)

 

And that’s it for our business French vocabulary roundup! Keep this list bookmarked so you’ll be able to navigate the French corporate world with ease.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And one more thing...

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FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews and web series, as you can see here:

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Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with FluentU's adaptive quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning and play the mini-games found in the dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

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As you study, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a 100% personalized experience.

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Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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