Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| travailleur | /tʁa.va.jœʁ/ |
| industrieux | /ɛ̃.dys.tʁi.jø/ |
| diligent | /di.li.ʒɑ̃/ |
The terms used to describe someone who takes their work seriously and performs it well and rapidly include travailleur, industrieux and diligent.
What does it mean word for word?
The word travailleur is derived from the noun travail (work) and functions as both a noun meaning 'a worker' and an adjective meaning 'hardworking'.
Which one should you use?
While industrieux and diligent are synonyms, travailleur is the most common and natural way to describe a hardworking person in everyday French.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec French, the term travaillant(e) is sometimes used as a replacement for travailleur(euse).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form travailleur changes based on gender and number: the feminine form is travailleuse, the masculine plural is travailleurs and the feminine plural is travailleuses.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: /tʁa.va.jœʁ/.
Did you know?
- The French word travail not only means 'work' but is rooted in a term for a torture device used to stretch the limbs of horses and humans.
- While industrieux means 'hardworking', it is rarely used today to describe a person's personality, as the word industrie now refers almost exclusively to factories and commerce.
- The word diligent in French is often used in legal contexts to describe a process handled with the necessary care and speed, regardless of the person's general work ethic.
Examples in context
- Est-il un élève travailleur ?Is he a hardworking student?This sentence is useful for asking if a student is travailleur.Tatoeba #11969047 by lbdx, translation #295408 by CK
- Tu es un travailleur acharné, n'est-ce pas ?You're a hardworking person, aren't you?This sentence is useful for describing someone as a travailleur acharné.Tatoeba #9794918 by Gib, translation #6242576 by CK
- On dit que les Allemands sont très travailleurs.Germans are said to be hardworking.This sentence is useful for noting that Germans are said to be travailleurs.Tatoeba #1618222 by sacredceltic, translation #1617922 by Spamster
- Mon collègue est un travailleur acharné.My colleague is a hardworking person.
- Elle est très travailleuse et toujours motivée.She is very hardworking and always motivated.
- Il se montre très assidu dans ses études.He is very hardworking in his studies.
- Maxime est vraiment un bosseur !Maxime is really hardworking!
- Mélissa est une bosseuse et elle est toujours prête à aider les autres.Mélissa is a hardworking person, and she is always ready to help others.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about their new coworker.
- LucasQu'est-ce que tu penses du nouveau collègue ?What do you think of the new colleague?
- EmmaJe trouve qu'il est très travailleur et efficace.I find that he is very hardworking and efficient.
- LucasC'est vrai, il a déjà fini tout son dossier.That's true, he has already finished all his file.
- EmmaOui, c'est un garçon vraiment travailleur.Yes, he is a really hardworking boy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hardworking” translations and entries travailleur, industrieux, diligent, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
