je suis allé au travail
In French, "I went to work" is expressed as je suis allé au travail.
This phrase is used to state that you traveled to your place of employment.
Which one should you use?
While je suis allé au travail is the standard way to express this, you can also use more informal variations like Je suis allé(e) bosser. or the slangy J'ai été au taf.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb aller (to go) uses the auxiliary verb être (to be) instead of avoir (to have) to form the past tense. If the speaker is female, the past participle allé must add an extra e to become allée, resulting in je suis allée au travail. Additionally, in the informal phrase Je suis allé(e) bosser, the verb bosser is a colloquial way to say "to work". In the slang version J'ai été au taf, the word taf is a slang term for travail (work).
Did you know?
- The word travail has a dark history, as it originally referred to a 'torture device' made of three stakes. It evolved from the sense of 'pain' or 'suffering' before it came to mean one's daily occupation.
- The word taf has a double meaning in French slang, as it can refer to both one's 'job' and a single 'drag' or 'puff' of a cigarette.
- The colloquial verb bosser for working likely comes from bosse, meaning 'hump'. It refers to the posture of someone leaning over a desk or workbench for hours.
Examples in context
- Hier, je suis allé(e) travailler dès huit heures du matin.Yesterday, I went to work from eight in the morning.
- Je me suis rendu(e) au travail en utilisant les transports en commun.I went to work using public transport.
- Ce matin, je suis allé(e) bosser avec mon collègue.This morning, I went to work with my colleague.
- Je suis allé au travail à pied.I went to work on foot.
- Hier, je suis allé au travail très tôt.Yesterday, I went to work very early.
- Je suis allé au travail en bus ce matin.I went to work by bus this morning.
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are talking about their morning.
- LucasJe suis allé au travail à pied aujourd'hui.I went to work on foot today.
- ChloéC'est une bonne idée pour marcher un peu.That's a good idea to get some walking in.
- LucasOui, le temps était magnifique.Yes, the weather was magnificent.
- ChloéJe suis contente pour toi, Lucas.I am happy for you, Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, travail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
