comptabilité
/kɔ̃.ta.bi.li.te/feminine
In French, accounting is translated as comptabilité.
The term refers to the development and maintenance of systems for recording and analyzing financial transactions.
Meaning: development and maintenance of system for recording and analyzing financial transactions (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use comptabilité to refer to the field or a specific department. To refer to the person who performs the accounting, use the word comptable.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, it is used with the definite article la, as in la comptabilité.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and is pronounced /kɔ̃.ta.bi.li.te/.
Did you know?
- The phrase rendre des comptes literally means 'to give accounts' but is used idiomatically to mean 'to explain one's actions' or 'to be accountable' to someone.
- In France, a comptable is not just an employee but a regulated profession. To use the title officially, one must often be registered with the Ordre des experts-comptables.
- While comptabilité is the general term, French businesses often use compta as a common shorthand in office environments.
Examples in context
- À gauche, c'est l'accueil, à droite, c'est la comptabilité.On the left is reception, and to the right is accounting.This sentence is useful for identifying the location of the department using comptabilité.Tatoeba #9787635 by rat, translation #9987989 by tsp_2
- J'étudie la comptabilitéI'm studying accounting
- Je suis responsable de la gestion comptableI am in charge of accounting management
- Il a une grande expertise comptableHe has extensive accounting expertise
- Je m'occupe de la comptaI handle the accounting
- L'état des résultats indique les performances financières de l'entreprise.The income statement indicates the financial performance of the company.
- Elle travaille dans la comptabilité.She works in accounting.
- Il a un diplôme en comptabilité.He has a degree in accounting.
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are discussing their career paths at a cafe.
- ManonTu aimes ton nouveau travail ?Do you like your new job?
- LucasOui, la comptabilité est très intéressante.Yes, accounting is very interesting.
- ManonC'est une bonne spécialisation pour toi.It is a good specialization for you.
- LucasMerci, je suis très heureux.Thanks, I am very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “accounting” translations and entries comptabilité, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
