What does it mean word for word?
The phrase c'était comment le travail ? is built from c'était (it was), comment (how) and le travail (the work).
Which one should you use?
While c'était comment le travail ? is common in spoken French, you may also use Comment était le travail ? for a more grammatically standard structure. If you want to ask specifically about a workday, you can use Comment était votre journée de travail ? or Comment s'est déroulé votre travail aujourd'hui ? to mean "How was your workday?" or "How did your work go today?" For a more casual tone, you can ask Comment ça s'est passé au boulot ? (How did it go at work?) or Alors, ta journée de boulot ? (So, your workday?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, use Comment était votre journée de travail ? or Comment s'est déroulé votre travail aujourd'hui ? In informal settings, you can use T'as passé une bonne journée de travail ? (Did you have a good day at work?) or Alors, ta journée de boulot ? The term boulot is a colloquial term for work. In casual conversation, people often use the short phrase Ça a été ? to ask how a recent event or a workday went.
How does it change in a sentence?
While c'était comment le travail ? is common in spoken French, Comment était le travail ? is the more grammatically standard way to structure the question.
When do people say it?
A common natural response to this question is Ça s'est bien passé (It went well).
Did you know?
- The word travail originates from the Late Latin word tripālium, which referred to a torture device made of three stakes. This connection reflects the historical association between labor and intense suffering or pain.
- In professional French culture, asking too many detailed questions about someone's workday can sometimes be seen as intrusive. It is often safer to stick to the short Ça a été ? until the other person volunteers more.
Examples in context
- Bof, pas génial. J'ai eu beaucoup de stress aujourd'hui.Meh, not great. I had a lot of stress today.
- Alors, c'était comment le travail ?So, how was work?
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are sitting in their living room in the evening.
- EmmaSalut Lucas, c'était comment le travail ?Hi Lucas, how was work?
- LucasC'était fatigant, mais pas trop mal.It was tiring, but not too bad.
- EmmaTu veux te reposer un peu ?Do you want to rest a little?
- LucasOui, j'en ai vraiment besoin.Yes, I really need it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comment, le, travail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
