Que faites-vous? What do you do? Talking about Jobs, Professions, and Working in French

In this post you’ll learn how to talk about jobs, professions, and working in French. First you’ll learn how to ask someone what their job is. Next you’ll learn how to say what you do for a living with French vocabulary for many common jobs. Finally you’ll learn how to talk about where you work, or whether you’re retired or looking for a job.

If you want to ask what kind of work someone does, you can say:

• Que faites-vous/fais-tu (comme travail) ?
  What do you do (for work)?                                 
• Avez-vous/ As-tu un travail ?
  Do you have a job?                                                
• Où travaillez-vous/ travailles-tu ?
  Where do you work?                                             

Common Jobs and Professions in French

When saying what you do for a living in French, just use the verb être without an article. In other words, in English, we say I’m a teacher, but in French it’s just je suis professeur, without un or une. Aso, don’t forget that French nouns have gender, so there’s a masculine and a feminine form for most – but not all – jobs.

• Je suis professeur (m.) /professeure (f.).
  I’m a teacher.
• Je suis étudiant (m.) /étudiante (f.).
  I’m a student.
• Je suis infirmier (m.) /infirmière (f.).
  I’m a nurse.
• Je suis médecin/docteur (m./f.).
  I’m a doctor.
• Je suis dentiste (m./f.).
  I’m a dentist.
• Je suis agent de police (m./f.).
  I’m a police officer.
• Je suis pompier (m./f.).
  I’m a firefighter.
• Je suis vendeur (m.) /vendeuse (f.).
  I’m a salesperson. (salesman/saleswoman)
• Je suis serveur (m.) /serveuse (f.).
  I’m a server. (waiter/waitress)
• Je suis barman (m.) /barmaid (f.).
  I’m a bar tender.
• Je suis cuisinier (m.) /cuisinière (f.).
  I’m a cook.
• Je suis acteur (m.) /actrice (f.).
  I’m an actor.
• Je suis écrivain (m.) /écrivaine (f.).
  I’m a writer.
• Je suis journaliste (m./f.).
  I’m a journalist.
• Je suis artiste (m./f.).
  I’m an artist.
• Je suis chanteur (m.) /chanteuse (f.).
  I’m a singer.
• Je suis danseur (m.) /danseuse (f.).
  I’m a dancer.

More Jobs and Professions in French

• Je suis ouvrier du bâtiment.
  I’m a construction worker.
• Je suis plombier (m./f.).
  I’m a plumber.
• Je suis électricien (m.) /électricienne (f.).
  I’m an electrician.
• Je suis ingénieur (m./f.).
  I’m an engineer.
• Je suis charpentier/menuisier (m./f.).
  I’m a carpenter.
• Je suis avocat (m.) /avocate (f.).
  I’m a lawyer.
• Je suis architecte (m./f.).
  I’m an architect.
• Je suis concepteur (m.) /conceptrice (f.) web.
  I’m a web designer.
• Je suis secrétaire (m./f.).
  I’m a secretary.
• Je suis psychiatre (m./f.).
  I’m a psychiatrist.
• Je suis psychologue (m./f.).
  I’m a psychologist.
• Je suis assistant social (m.) /assistante sociale (f.).
  I’m a social worker.
• Je suis instructeur (m.) /instructrice (f.) de yoga.
  I’m a yoga instructor.
• Je suis caissier (m.) /caissière (f.).
  I’m a cashier.
• Je suis facteur (m./f.).
  I’m a postal worker/mail carrier.
• Je suis superviseur de bureau.
  I’m an office supervisor.
• Je suis fonctionnaire (m./f.).
  I’m a civil servant.

Talking about Companies and Working in French

Here are a few other expressions you can use to describe where, or whether, you work.

• Je travaille dans un bureau.                                
  I work in an office.
• Je travaille pour une petite/grande société/entreprise.
  I work for a big/small company.
• Je travaille à la maison.                                        
  I work at home.
• J’ai ma propre entreprise.                                   
  I have my own business.
• J’ai un travail.                                                         
  I have a job.
• Je n’ai pas de travail.                                            
  I don’t have a job.
• Je cherche un travail.                                            
  I’m looking for a job.
• Je suis à la retraite.                                               
  I’m retired.
• Je suis au chômage.                                               
  I’m on unemployment. 

Get on the road to speaking French with the Language Garage!

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to talk about jobs, professions, and working in French. Now you know how to talk about work, and you’ve learned French vocabulary for many common jobs and professions. If you’d like to learn more, check out our other posts on French language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live French lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage. Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work. We can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!

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