{"id":118414,"date":"2023-05-02T11:20:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T15:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/french-professions\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T04:08:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T09:08:33","slug":"french-professions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/french-professions\/","title":{"rendered":"Jobs in French: A Guide to Common Job Names and More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you&#8217;re discussing childhood dreams, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/french\/blog\/business-french-vocabulary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your current 9-5 day job<\/a> or future aspirations, profession names are going to surface when you&#8217;re learning French.<\/p>\n<p>Luckily for you, we&#8217;re done all the research. This post about professions or <em>emploi<\/em> ( a job in French) will not only expand your vocabulary but will pair up nicely with a few\u00a0basic grammar topics, as well as some interesting cultural information.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 [&quot;list&quot;,{},&quot;list_item&quot;,{&quot;indent&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;bulleted&quot;}]\">How to Ask About Someone&#8217;s Job in French<\/h2>\n<p>First things first, let&#8217;s cover a few useful basics for talking about jobs in French.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The verb\u00a0<em><strong>travailler<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>means &#8220;to work.&#8221; It&#8217;s conjugated using regular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/french-regular-er-verbs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">first group conjugation<\/a>.\n<p>It&#8217;s also the root for the noun <em><strong>un travail<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(a job) and\u00a0<em><strong>le travail<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(work).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>You may also want to use the words\u00a0<strong><em>un poste<\/em><\/strong> (a position) to describe a specific job or placement:\n<p><em>Un poste vient de se lib\u00e9rer \u00e0 la Poste<\/em>. (A job just became available at the post office.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>You can use\u00a0<em><strong>une carri\u00e8re<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>to talk about<em>\u00a0<\/em>a career.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also take a look at this video from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@FluentUFrench\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube channel<\/a> which covers more essential French job vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p><lite-youtube videoid=\"FPKKHl4YCYY\"><\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n<p>Once you have learned these terms, the most important question you&#8217;ll ask someone about their job is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Qu&#8217;est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ?<\/em> (Literally: &#8220;What do you do in life?&#8221;)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some other common questions could include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Aimez-vous votre emploi?<\/em> (Do you enjoy your job?)<\/li>\n<li><em>Comment \u00e9tait ta journ\u00e9e de travail?<\/em> (How was your workday?)<\/li>\n<li><em>Quel est le travail de tes r\u00eaves?<\/em> (What is your dream job?)<\/li>\n<li><em>Avez-vous exerc\u00e9 d&#8217;autres m\u00e9tiers au cours de votre carri\u00e8re?<\/em> (Have you had other jobs during your career?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When it comes to sharing your work day with someone else, there are some important factors that come into the conversation.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike some Western cultures, the French approach the topic of work a little bit differently.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some points to remember when asking questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"slide-title-text\">Most French workers don&#8217;t define themselves by their profession\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>French coworkers don&#8217;t share personal information with coworkers immediately after they meet<\/li>\n<li>French workers take more vacation time and longer lunch breaks or<em> une pause caf\u00e9 <\/em>(a\u00a0coffee break)<\/li>\n<li>French workers are more inclined to give direct negative feedback and honest opinions<\/li>\n<li class=\"slide-title-text\">French workers view workplace confrontation and debate as healthy<\/li>\n<li>Meetings in France tend to last longer, involving more discussions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Answer About Your Job in French<\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned above, if someone makes a pointed remark or criticism, don&#8217;t take it too personally. And don&#8217;t let your emotions get the better of you\u2014and always maintain respect for others. While it\u2019s acceptable to show emotions, raising your voice in a meeting to express disapproval or anger very rarely happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As such, keep your cool if your job is getting the better of you!<\/p>\n<p>Here are some lines to keep handy for your next conversation about work:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Ma journ\u00e9e se passe bien. J&#8217;apprends beaucoup sur le tas. <\/em>(My day is going well. I am learning a lot on the job.)<\/li>\n<li><em>Il y a beaucoup \u00e0 apprendre pour ce nouveau poste. <\/em>(There is a lot to learn for this new position.)<\/li>\n<li><em>Aujourd&#8217;hui \u00e9tait une mauvaise journ\u00e9e au travail.\u00a0<\/em>(Today was a bad day at work.)<\/li>\n<li><em>J&#8217;ai pass\u00e9 une bonne journ\u00e9e aujourd&#8217;hui au travail. <\/em>(I had a good day today at work.)<\/li>\n<li><em>Nous sommes confront\u00e9s \u00e0 un d\u00e9fi \u00e0 mon travail. <\/em>(We are facing a challenge at my job.)<\/li>\n<li><em>J&#8217;aime beaucoup mes coll\u00e8gues et mon \u00e9quipe. <\/em>(I am very fond of my colleagues and team.)<\/li>\n<li><em>Je n&#8217;ai pas d&#8217;exp\u00e9rience l\u00e0-dedans. Mais, je suis pr\u00eat \u00e0 apprendre.<\/em> (I don&#8217;t have experience in that. But, I am willing to learn.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Folllow this sample conversation you might have with a friend:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Marie:<\/strong><em> Comment s\u2019est pass\u00e9 ta journ\u00e9e au travail?<br \/>\n<\/em>(How was your day at work?)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jean:<\/strong><em>\u00a0\u00c7a va. J\u2019ai eu une r\u00e9union tr\u00e8s importante avec un client.<br \/>\n<\/em>(It was fine. I had a very important meeting today with a client.)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Marie:<\/strong><em> \u00c7a s\u2019est bien pass\u00e9?<br \/>\n<\/em>(Did it go well?)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jean:<\/strong><em> Oui\u2026 sauf que l\u2019imprimante a cess\u00e9 de fonctionner au moment o\u00f9 je voulais imprimer le devis!<br \/>\n<\/em>(Yes\u2026 except that the printer stopped working just as I was going to print the estimate!)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Marie:<\/strong><em> Quel dommage ! Qu\u2019est-ce que tu as fait?<br \/>\n<\/em>(Oh no! What did you do?)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jean:<\/strong><em> Heureusement, notre informaticien est mon ami. Il a r\u00e9solu le probl\u00e8me tr\u00e8s rapidement, et j\u2019ai sign\u00e9 le client!<br \/>\n<\/em>(Luckily, our IT guy is my friend. He fixed the problem quickly, and I signed the client!)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Marie:<\/strong><em> F\u00e9licitations ! Il faut que l\u2019on f\u00eate \u00e7a!<br \/>\n<\/em>(Congratulations! We need to celebrate!)<\/p>\n<h2>French Grammar Rules Involving Professions<\/h2>\n<p>Memorizing job titles isn&#8217;t too difficult, but\u00a0you also need to know how to use them! You won&#8217;t need to look far, though, because all of the relevant topics\u00a0are below.<\/p>\n<h3>Use of definite and indefinite articles when\u00a0describing jobs<\/h3>\n<p>If I&#8217;m asked specifically what someone&#8217;s job is, I&#8217;d say &#8220;<em>Il\/elle est m\u00e9decin<\/em>&#8221; if he or she is a doctor. Literally this translates to &#8220;He\/she is doctor.&#8221; Notice there&#8217;s no indefinite article <em>un <\/em>(a) like we use in English. So, the structure is:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>[Subject] + [conjugated form of\u00a0<em>\u00eatre]<\/em>\u00a0+ [profession].<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That means\u00a0we can use this same structure\u00a0in different tenses:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Il \u00e9tait m\u00e9decin.<\/em><br \/>\n(He was a doctor.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Il va \u00eatre m\u00e9decin.<br \/>\n<\/em>(He&#8217;s going to be a doctor).<\/p>\n<p>Note that you still use definite articles when talking about &#8220;the doctor&#8221; or &#8220;the ~.&#8221; I can say &#8220;<em>Appelons le m\u00e9decin<\/em>&#8221; (Let&#8217;s call <em>the<\/em> doctor), for example.<\/p>\n<h3><em>Ce<\/em> vs. <em>il\/elle <\/em><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>I can use <strong><em>ce<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(this) with a job title if I&#8217;m not telling\u00a0what someone&#8217;s profession is. That&#8217;s to say, if the question is &#8220;Who is that?&#8221; (and not &#8220;What does that person do?&#8221;), you can say <em>&#8220;C&#8217;est un m\u00e9decin&#8221;<\/em> (She&#8217;s a doctor).<\/p>\n<p>If in doubt, use <em><strong>c&#8217;est \/ ce sont<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>if you&#8217;re using an article or determinant of some sort:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><strong>C&#8217;est<\/strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">mon<\/span> m\u00e9decin.<\/em><br \/>\n(She&#8217;s my doctor.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><strong>C&#8217;est<\/strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">un bon<\/span> m\u00e9decin.<\/em><br \/>\n(She&#8217;s a good doctor.)<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, use <strong><em>il\/elle est<\/em> + [profession]<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Adjective use<\/h3>\n<p>In the last example above, you&#8217;ll notice we do use an indefinite article when there&#8217;s an adjective describing the person.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s why we&#8217;d say\u00a0<em>&#8220;C&#8217;est <strong>un bon<\/strong> m\u00e9decin&#8221;<\/em> to communicate that she&#8217;s a good doctor.<\/p>\n<p>But did you notice something strange in this example? Why doesn&#8217;t the adjective or the job title agree with the gender in this case? Great question! Hang tight, we&#8217;ll get\u00a0there soon.<\/p>\n<h3>What one is vs. what one does<\/h3>\n<p>In the past three sections, we described job titles based on what someone <strong>is<\/strong>:\u00a0She is a doctor. Equally valid is describing what someone does or makes:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Il fait des tonneaux.<\/em><br \/>\n(He makes barrels.)<\/p>\n<p>The above example is just as correct as saying <em>&#8220;Il est tonnelier&#8221;<\/em> (He&#8217;s a barrel maker). So to describe what someone\u00a0<strong>does<\/strong>, it&#8217;s:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>[Subject]\u00a0+ [conjugated form of\u00a0<em>faire]<\/em>\u00a0+ [description].<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Number and gender rules<\/h3>\n<p>Usually pluralizing job titles is as simple as adding an &#8220;s&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>m\u00e9decin<\/em>\u00a0\u2192 <em>m\u00e9decin<strong>s<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(as in <em>M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res, <\/em>Doctors Without Borders)<\/p>\n<p>But if the profession includes several words, it&#8217;s usually the noun indicating the person that&#8217;s pluralized:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>femme d&#8217;affaires \u2192 femme<strong>s<\/strong> d&#8217;affaires <\/em><br \/>\n(businesswoman \u2192 businesswomen)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>femme au foyer<\/em> \u2192\u00a0<em>femme<strong>s<\/strong> au foyer<br \/>\n<\/em>(homemaker \u2192 homemakers)<\/p>\n<h2>Abbreviations for Certain\u00a0French Job Titles<\/h2>\n<p>The French love abbreviations and acronyms, especially with job titles.\u00a0Here are a few:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>PDG<\/strong> =\u00a0<em>Pr\u00e9sident-directeur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral<\/em> (CEO)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>AS<\/strong> =\u00a0<em>Aide-soignant(e)<\/em> (Nursing assistant, home health aide, etc.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>CO<\/strong> =\u00a0<em>Conseiller\/conseilli\u00e8re d&#8217;orientation<\/em> (School counselor)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong>TS<\/strong> =\u00a0<em>Travailleur\/travailleuse social(e)\u00a0<\/em>(Social worker)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a list of abbreviations\u00a0for\u00a0healthcare professions\u00a0and <a href=\"https:\/\/sante.gouv.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here&#8217;s another for sports and leisure<\/a>. Note that some abbreviations on these lists are not careers but simply abbreviations related to each profession.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for an acronym in particular, you might try the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/style-guide.europa.eu\/fr\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Code de r\u00e9daction interinstitutionnel<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2>The Debate over Job Title Feminization in French<\/h2>\n<p>In France, equality is sometimes at odds with grammar (especially as defined by the <em>Acad\u00e9mie fran\u00e7aise\u00a0<\/em>!). A debate exists over whether traditionally male job titles, like <em>pr\u00e9sident <\/em>(president), <em>m\u00e9decin<\/em>\u00a0or <em>professeur <\/em>(professor), should be given feminine variants.<\/p>\n<p>In Quebec and Belgium, gender-inclusive titles are common and are usually made by adding an &#8220;e&#8221; onto the end.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>agent\u00a0\u2192<\/em>\u00a0<em>agent<strong>e<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(agent)<\/p>\n<p>For other endings, different conventions are used:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Professions ending in<em> -eur\u00a0<\/em>have feminine forms ending in\u00a0&#8211;<em>trice<\/em>, &#8211;<em>eure<\/em>\u00a0or &#8211;<em>euse.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>directeur \u2192\u00a0<\/em><em>directr<strong>ice<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(director, company not film)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>travailleur<\/em>\u00a0\u2192\u00a0<em>travaill<strong>euse<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/em>(worker)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>docteur<\/em>\u00a0\u2192\u00a0<em>doct<strong>eure<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(doctor)<\/p>\n<p>In the case of &#8211;<em>eur<\/em>, you just have to memorize the transformation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Professions ending in<em> -ier<\/em>\u00a0have feminine forms ending in\u00a0&#8211;<em>i\u00e8re.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>ouvrier \u2192<\/em><em>\u00a0ouvr<strong>i\u00e8re<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(laborer)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>infirmier\u00a0\u2192<\/em>\u00a0<em>infirm<strong>i\u00e8re<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(nurse)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>couturier\u00a0\u2192<\/em>\u00a0<em>coutur<strong>i\u00e8re<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n(dressmaker\/seamstress)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Some words, especially those ending in &#8220;e,&#8221; use the same word for both genders.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>dentiste<\/em>\u00a0(dentist)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>psychologue<\/em>\u00a0(psychologist)<\/p>\n<p>Mostly in Belgium and Quebec, if the profession title doesn&#8217;t change, the article still changes, so <em>le dentiste<\/em> becomes <em>la dentiste<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cultural note: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/french-professions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Most job titles technically have a masculine and feminine form<\/a>, for example, <em>un professeur\/<strong>une professeure<\/strong>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>However, <strong>in France, it&#8217;s fairly rare to feminize most job titles.<\/strong> A few exceptions are jobs that are traditionally associated with women, such as <em>un ma\u00eetre\/<\/em><strong><em>une ma\u00eetresse <\/em><\/strong>(schoolteacher) or <em>un infirmier\/<strong>une infirmi\u00e8re <\/strong><\/em>(nurse). A few others that are often feminized include <em>un serveur\/<strong>une serveuse <\/strong><\/em>(waiter\/waitress) and <em>un vendeur\/<strong>une vendeuse <\/strong><\/em>(salesperson).<\/p>\n<p><strong>In Quebec, it&#8217;s much more common to feminize all job titles<\/strong>, e.g., a female professor will be known as <em>une professeure. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>(This is, of course, a generalization: Some female professionals in France prefer to use the feminized version of their job title.)<\/p>\n<h2>Formal and Courtesy Titles for French Professions<\/h2>\n<p>Certain job titles carry enough clout in France to merit courtesy titles or specific abbreviations. Take a look at the following jobs and their titles (in bold):<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>M\u00e9decin<\/em>\u00a0(doctor) \u2014\u00a0<strong><em>docteur\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Avocat\/Avocate<\/em>\u00a0(lawyer) \u2014\u00a0<strong><em>ma\u00eetre <\/em><\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Pr\u00eatre<\/em>\u00a0(priest) \u2014\u00a0<strong><em>cur\u00e9\/ abb\u00e9 <\/em><\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Professeur<\/em>\u00a0(professor) \u2014<strong><em>\u00a0prof<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Diplomate<\/em>\u00a0(diplomat) \u2014\u00a0<strong><em>Excellence<\/em><\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Ev\u00eaque<\/em>\u00a0(bishop) \u2014\u00a0<strong><em>Excellence<\/em><\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>To use these formally, <strong><em>le<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0often precedes the title. For example:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Voici mon m\u00e9decin militaire<\/em>, <strong><em>le<\/em><\/strong> <em>docteur McCoy.<\/em><br \/>\n(This is my medical officer, Dr. McCoy.)<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, if addressing someone in a position of authority, such as a judge, it&#8217;s polite to say:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">&#8220;<em>Monsieur <strong>le<\/strong> juge<\/em>, &#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>These formalities, despite showing a polished French, are optional.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, courtesy titles are often abbreviated:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Docteur \u2014\u00a0<strong>Dr\/Drs<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Ma\u00eetre \u2014\u00a0<strong>Me\/Mes<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Professeur \u2014\u00a0<strong>Pr\/Prs<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Monseigneur \u2014\u00a0<strong>Mgr <\/strong><\/em>(Monsignor) <em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Lieutenant \u2014\u00a0<strong>Lt <\/strong><\/em>(Lieutenant)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Capitaine \u2014\u00a0<strong>Cne<\/strong> <\/em>(Captain)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>G\u00e9n\u00e9ral \u2014\u00a0<strong>Gal <\/strong><\/em>(General)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Colonel \u2014\u00a0<strong>Cel <\/strong><\/em>(Colonel)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Commandant \u2014\u00a0<strong>Cdt <\/strong><\/em>(Commander)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Mar\u00e9chal \u2014\u00a0<strong>Mal <\/strong><\/em>(Marshall)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Son Excellence \u2014\u00a0<strong>S.E. <\/strong><\/em>(His excellence)<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Pr\u00eatre\/P\u00e8re \u2014\u00a0<strong>P. <\/strong><\/em>(Priest)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>Saint \u2014\u00a0<strong>St\/Ste <\/strong><\/em>(Saint)<\/p>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 [&quot;list&quot;,{},&quot;list_item&quot;,{&quot;indent&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;bulleted&quot;}]\"><strong>Names of Common Jobs in French<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In the case that you&#8217;re being asked the question, simply respond with <strong><em>&#8220;Je suis\u2026&#8221;\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(I am) and then pick your job from the list below!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Science and Medical Field<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56257\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/lab-ga283a20f5_1920.jpg\" alt=\"A lab worker looks into a microscope.\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Scientifique  \u2014<\/em> Scientist<\/li>\n<li><em>M\u00e9decin  \u2014<\/em> Doctor<\/li>\n<li><em>Chercheur  \u2014<\/em> Researcher<\/li>\n<li><em>Infirmier  \/ Infirmi\u00e8re \u00a0\u2014<\/em> Nurse<\/li>\n<li><em>Th\u00e9rapeute  <\/em>\u2014 Therapist\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>Professionnel de la sant\u00e9 <\/em> \u2014 Medical professional<\/li>\n<li>Psychologue  \u2014 Psychologist<\/li>\n<li><em>Astronaute <\/em> \u2014 Astronaut<\/li>\n<li><em>Informaticien <\/em> \/ <em>Informaticienne <\/em> \u2014 Computer scientist<\/li>\n<li><em>Physicien <\/em> \/ <em>Physicienne <\/em> \u2014 Physicist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Finance Sector<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56256\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/teamwork-ga991e2eb5_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Four fists touching in center of the image over a table of financial tools.\" width=\"500\" height=\"315\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Comptable  \u2014<\/em> Accountant<\/li>\n<li><em>Expert-comptable<\/em>  \/ <em>Experte-comptable<\/em>  \u2014 CPA \/ Chartered accountant<\/li>\n<li><em>Vendeur  \u2014<\/em> Salesperson<\/li>\n<li><em>Commercial  \u2014<\/em> Sales rep<\/li>\n<li><em>Agent immobilier  \/ Agente immobiler <\/em>\u00a0\u2014Real estate agent<\/li>\n<li><em>Agent de change <\/em> \u2014 Stockbroker<\/li>\n<li><em>Marchand <\/em> \/ <em>Marchande <\/em> \u2014 Merchant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Creative Industry<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56255\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/artist-ga178bc1c2_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Artist working with sculptural material in a studio space.\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u00c9crivain  \u2014<\/em> Writer<\/li>\n<li><em>Journaliste  \u2014<\/em> Journalist<\/li>\n<li><em>Artiste  \u2014<\/em> Artist<\/li>\n<li><em>Designer graphique <\/em> \u2014 Graphic designer<\/li>\n<li><em>Esth\u00e9ticien  <\/em>\/ <em>Esth\u00e9ticienne <\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Beautician<\/li>\n<li><em>Dessinateur <\/em> \/ <em>Dessinatrice <\/em> \u2014 Designer<\/li>\n<li><em>Romancier <\/em> \/ <em>Romanci\u00e8re <\/em> \u2014 Novelist\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>Peintre <\/em> \u2014 Painter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56254\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/linkedin-sales-solutions-jJFrkJP_-RA-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"University-aged student looking outside and pushing a glass door to exit a building.\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Professeur  \/\u00a0 Enseignant  \/ Enseignante  \u2014<\/em> Teacher<\/li>\n<li><em>\u00c9tudiant <\/em> \/ <em>\u00c9tudiante <\/em> \u2014 Student\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Hospitality, Food and Entertainment Industry\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56253\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/kate-townsend-hEC6zxdFF0M-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Waiter carrying a tray a drinks over his shoulder.\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Interpr\u00e8te <\/em> \u2014 Performer<\/li>\n<li><em>Serveur <\/em> \/ <em>Serveuse <\/em> \u2014 Waiter \/ Waitress\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>Caissier <\/em> \/ <em>Caissi\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Cashier\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>G\u00e9rant <\/em> \/ <em>G\u00e9rante <\/em> \u2014 Manager<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Speciality Professions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56252\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/matt-c-HWTXLsPdut4-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"A firefighter wears protective gear and gestures near a ladder.\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Informaticien  \u2014<\/em> IT professional<\/li>\n<li><em>Avocat \u2014<\/em> Lawyer<\/li>\n<li><em>Pilote  \u2014<\/em> Pilot<\/li>\n<li><em>Ma\u00e7on  \u2014<\/em> Mason<\/li>\n<li><em>Architecte  \u2014<\/em> Architect<\/li>\n<li><em>Assistant personnel <\/em> \u2014 Personal assistant<\/li>\n<li><em>Entra\u00eeneur personnel<\/em>  \u2014 Personal\u00a0 trainer<\/li>\n<li><em>Architecte <\/em> \u2014 Architect<\/li>\n<li><em>Pompier <\/em> \/ <em>Pompi\u00e8re <\/em> \u2014 Firefighter\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>Soldat <\/em> \u2014 Soldier<\/li>\n<li><em>Politician <\/em> \/ <em>Politicienne <\/em> \u2014 Politician<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Trade and Home Industry<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/oppo-find-x5-pro-FYFXd_67icI-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"An electrician operates on a public electrical unit.\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Femme au foyer <\/em> \u2014 Housewife<\/li>\n<li><em>M\u00e9nager <\/em> \/ <em>M\u00e9nag\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0\u2014 Homemaker<\/li>\n<li><em>Charpentier <\/em> \/ <em>Charpenti\u00e8re <\/em> \u2014 Carpenter<\/li>\n<li><em>M\u00e9canicien  <\/em>\/ <em>M\u00e9canicienne<\/em> \u00a0 \u2014 Mechanic\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><em>Plombier <\/em> \/ <em>Plombi\u00e8re <\/em> \u2014 Plumber<\/li>\n<li><em>\u00c9lectricien <\/em> \/ <em>\u00c9lectricienne <\/em> \u2014 Electrician<\/li>\n<li><em>Nettoyeur <\/em> \/ <em>Nettoyeuse <\/em> \u2014 Cleaner\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While it&#8217;s generally true that French nouns are never without their articles, in this context, you can just say the noun, i.e.,\u00a0<em>&#8220;Je suis professeur. <\/em>To truly grasp these sorts of subtleties, it&#8217;s important to see how native speakers use the language in different situations. A tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FluentU<\/a> could come in useful for this. <p><strong>FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p> \r\n<p>You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/fluentu-learn-language-videos\/id917892175\">the iOS app<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.fluentflix.fluentu&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=US\">Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><i><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/NativeAdFrench.jpg\" alt=\"FluentU Ad\" \/>\r\n  <p style=\"text-align: center\">\r\n    <button class=\"btn-blue\" style=\"border: none;font-size: 18px;text-align: center;padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;cursor: pointer\">\r\n      Try FluentU for FREE!\r\n    <\/button>\r\n  <\/p>\r\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Legally Restricted Titles<\/h3>\n<p>Much like elsewhere, certain job titles can only be used after fulfilling education requirements, work experience\/apprentice requirements, or both.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in France anyone can use the title <em>ing\u00e9nieur <\/em>(engineer) but only people who have graduated from accredited engineering schools can call themselves <em>ing\u00e9nieur diplom\u00e9 <\/em>(degreed engineer). Other regulated, or &#8220;protected&#8221; titles include:<\/p>\n<p>And many others.<\/p>\n<h3>More Common Job Titles<\/h3>\n<p>Lists of jobs are found all over the web, such as the complicated vocab found\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/training.proz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>. Some example vocabulary, in no particular order:<\/p>\n<h3>Some Typically French Professions<\/h3>\n<p>Nothing about\u00a0these\u00a0jobs is\u00a0uniquely French. Are there any jobs that exist in France but not in English-speaking countries, though? Well, yes and no. Any job in France can be found in the United States, for example, but there are some jobs that are very culturally significant in France.<\/p>\n<p>Walk through any French village, for instance, and you&#8217;ll see signs proudly proclaiming:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>P\u00e2tissier <\/em> \/ <em>P\u00e2tissi\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0(Pastry chef)<\/li>\n<li><em>Charcutier <\/em> \/ <em>Charcuti\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0(Pork butcher)<\/li>\n<li><em>Brasseur <\/em> \/ <em>Brasseuse <\/em>\u00a0(Brewer)<\/li>\n<li><em>Boulanger <\/em> \/ <em>Boulang\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0(Baker)<\/li>\n<li><em>Boucher <\/em> \/ <em>Bouch\u00e8re <\/em>\u00a0(Butcher)<\/li>\n<li><em>Coiffeur <\/em> \/ <em>Coiffeuse <\/em>\u00a0(Hairdresser)<\/li>\n<li><em>Instituteur  \/ Institutrice  , <em>P<\/em><em>rofesseur <\/em> <\/em><em>\u2014 <\/em>Teacher \/ Professor (Teaches at the French equivalents of middle school, high school or college)<\/li>\n<li><em>Instituteur<\/em>  \/ <em>Ma\u00eetre <\/em>\u00a0\/ <em>Professeur des \u00e9coles<\/em> <em>\u00a0<\/em><strong>\u2014 <\/strong>Teacher (Teaches elementary age children)<\/li>\n<li><em>Enseignant<\/em>  <em>\u2014 <\/em>To teach (used to describe anyone who teaches at any level.)<\/li>\n<li><em>Ing\u00e9nieur  <\/em><em>\u2014 <\/em>Engineer<\/li>\n<li><em>G\u00e9om\u00e8tre-expert  <\/em><em>\u2014 <\/em>Surveyor<\/li>\n<li><em> Agriculteur  \/ Agricultrice  <\/em><em>\u2014 <\/em>Farmer<\/li>\n<li><em>Fonctionnaire  \u2014 <\/em>Public sector worker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Learning professions and French job titles not only augments your vocabulary considerably, but it also opens a window to France itself. Keep on interacting with jobs in French to humanize your language learning and to connect French to real life!<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<h2>And one more thing...<\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\nIf you like learning French vocabulary on your own time and from the comfort of your smart device, then I'd be remiss to not <strong><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> tell you about FluentU<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<p>\r\n<p>\r\n<strong><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FluentU takes real-world videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nOther sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a <strong>natural approach<\/strong> that helps you ease into the French language and culture over time. You\u2019ll learn French as it\u2019s actually spoken by real people.\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews and web series, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2097\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/french-5.png\" alt=\"learn-french-with-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU brings native videos within reach with <strong>interactive subtitles.<\/strong> \r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nYou can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. \r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2099\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/French-2.png\" alt=\"learn-french-with-movies\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nFor example, if you tap on the word <em>\"crois,\"<\/em> you'll see this:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2100\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/French-6.png\" alt=\"learn-french-with-movie-trailers\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nPractice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with FluentU's <strong>adaptive quizzes.<\/strong> Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you\u2019re learning and play the mini-games found in the dynamic flashcards, like \"fill in the blank.\"\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2102\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/French-7.png\" alt=\"practice-french-with-adaptive-quizzes\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nAs you study, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you\u2019re learning and uses this information to give you a <strong>100% personalized experience.<\/strong> \r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nIt gives you extra practice with difficult words\u2014and reminds you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned. \r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you&#8217;re discussing childhood dreams, your current 9-5 day job or future aspirations, profession names are going to surface when you&#8217;re learning French. Luckily for you, we&#8217;re done all the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":248135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Jobs in French: A Guide to Common Job Names and More | FluentU French Blog","description":"Do you know how to say common professions in French? Here's your complete guide to all sort of jobs in French, as well as French job titles\u2014from butchers to diplomats! Learn about some of the most popular and valued roles are in various French-speaking countries."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,571],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3],"class_list":["post-118414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-french","category-french-vocabulary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118414"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250797,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118414\/revisions\/250797"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/248135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118414"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=118414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}