entrepreneur
/ɑ̃.tʁə.pʁə.nœʁ/masculine
The English word 'entrepreneur' is translated into French as entrepreneur. Wiktionary also lists entrepreneuse.
Meaning: person who organizes and operates a business and assumes the associated risk (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| entrepreneur | /ɑ̃.tʁə.pʁə.nœʁ/ | masculine |
| entrepreneuse | /ɑ̃.tʁə.pʁə.nøz/ | feminine |
An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and operates a business and assumes the associated risk. You may also see the term homme/femme d'affaires used to refer to entrepreneurs.
What does it mean word for word?
The word comes from the French verb entreprendre, which means 'to undertake', so the term literally means 'one who undertakes'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is entrepreneur. To refer specifically to a female entrepreneur, use the feminine form entrepreneuse. To form the plural, add an 's' to the masculine form to get entrepreneurs.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.tʁə.pʁə.nœʁ/ (4 syllables)
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'entrepreneur' to imply someone starting a new venture, in French, an entrepreneur can simply mean a contractor or a tradesperson, such as a plumber or builder, who has signed a formal contract to complete a job.
- The English word 'entrepreneur' was actually a late loanword from French that entered the English lexicon via British economists in the 18th and 19th centuries to describe the 'undertaking' of economic risks.
- The term auto-entrepreneur describes a specific, simplified legal status for sole traders in France, which drastically reduces the paperwork for starting a business.
Examples in context
- Tom est entrepreneur.Tom is an entrepreneur.This sentence shows how to use entrepreneur to describe someone's profession.Tatoeba #11489955 by Rovo, translation #6208611 by Hybrid
- Tout le monde est un entrepreneur.Everyone is an entrepreneur.This sentence uses entrepreneur to refer to people in a general sense.Tatoeba #431012 by JnRouvignac, translation #40377 by handsomelyian
- Je suis entrepreneur.I am an entrepreneur.This sentence demonstrates how to use entrepreneur when speaking about oneself.Tatoeba #355789 by yorickvidal, translation #355791 by yorickvidal
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking about Nathan's career goals.
- EmmaQu'est-ce que tu veux faire plus tard, Nathan ?What do you want to do later, Nathan?
- NathanJe rêve d'être un entrepreneur dans la technologie.I dream of being an entrepreneur in technology.
- EmmaC'est courageux, car c'est un métier risqué.That's brave, because it's a risky profession.
- NathanOui, mais être entrepreneur est passionnant.Yes, but being an entrepreneur is exciting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “entrepreneur” translations and entries entrepreneur, entrepreneuse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries entrepreneur, entrepreneuse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
