compétence
/kɔ̃.pe.tɑ̃s/feminine
The English word competence is translated into French as compétence.
compétence refers to the quality or state of being competent for a particular task. In professional settings, you may also encounter terms like savoir-faire to express practical know-how or maîtrise when you wish to emphasize mastery and expertise.
Meaning: the quality or state of being competent for a particular task (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form compétences is very commonly used in professional contexts to refer to a set of skills or areas of expertise.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔ̃.pe.tɑ̃s/
Did you know?
- In a legal context, a French judge might speak of their compétence to decide a case. In this sense, it does not mean they are skilled, but rather that they have the legal jurisdiction or authority to hear the matter.
- The word compétence shares a common ancestor with the English word 'compete'. Both stem from the Latin 'competere', which meant 'to strive together' or 'to be suitable'.
- In French education, the approche par compétences is a specific pedagogical movement that prioritizes the ability to apply knowledge in real-world scenarios over rote memorization.
Examples in context
- Maîtrise du françaisMastery of French
- Il sait bien gérer son tempsHe knows how to manage his time well
- Sa compétence technique est impressionnante.His technical competence is impressive.
- Elle a prouvé sa compétence durant le projet.She proved her competence during the project.
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are discussing a new hire at the office.
- ChloéQue penses-tu de la compétence de Nathan ?What do you think of Nathan's competence?
- NathanJe pense qu'il est très efficace.I think he is very efficient.
- ChloéC'est vrai, sa compétence m'impressionne beaucoup.That's true, his competence impresses me a lot.
- NathanIl a beaucoup d'expérience dans ce domaine.He has a lot of experience in this field.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “competence” translations and entries compétence, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries compétence, CC BY-SA 4.0.
