Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| travail | /tʁa.vaj/ | masculine |
| emploi | /ɑ̃.plwa/ | masculine |
| métier | /me.tje/ | masculine |
| boulot | /bu.lo/ /bu.lɔ/ |
colloquial, masculine |
| job | /dʒɔb/ | colloquial, masculine |
| poste | /pɔst/ | masculine |
The term 'job' refers to an economic role for which a person is paid.
Which one should you use?
While travail is a versatile term for job, it more broadly refers to the concept of 'work' or the act of working rather than a specific position. For a specific job opening or the state of being employed in an economic context, use emploi. If you are referring to a specific job position or vacancy within a company hierarchy, use poste. For a person's craft, trade or profession that implies a level of skill or long-term vocation, use métier.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word travail and emploi are formal terms. For casual situations, you can use the colloquial term boulot, which is similar to saying 'gig' or 'grind' in English or the informal loanword job, which carries a casual or slangy connotation.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
travail is pronounced /tʁa.vaj/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not mistake poste for 'post' (as in mail). In a professional context, un poste refers to a job position.
Did you know?
- The common word for 'work', travail, actually traces its roots back to a 'torture device' used in the Middle Ages.
- While job is used in French, it often specifically implies a temporary or precarious position rather than a career.
- French speakers distinguish between travail as a general activity and un travail as a specific piece of completed output, such as a school project.
Examples in context
- Il eut le poste.He got the job.This sentence shows how to use poste to indicate someone received a position.Tatoeba #1997486 by sacredceltic, translation #1227213 by CM
- Ce boulot me tue.This job is killing me.This sentence uses the colloquial boulot to describe a job.Tatoeba #479533 by sacredceltic, translation #59172 by CK
- Trouve un emploi !Get a job.This sentence demonstrates the use of emploi when telling someone to find employment.Tatoeba #1973318 by sacredceltic, translation #1972630 by CK
- J'ai trouvé mon métier de rêveI found my dream job
- Je recherche un nouvel emploiI am looking for a new job
- J'ai beaucoup de travailI have a lot of work
- Je vais au boulotI'm going to work
- Mon taf me plaîtI like my job
- Ma sœur a trouvé un emploi dans une entreprise internationale.My sister found a job in an international company.
- Hier soir, j'ai discuté de mon boulot avec des collègues.Last night, I discussed my job with colleagues.
- Il a décidé de changer de métier pour réaliser sa passion.He has decided to change careers to pursue his passion.
- J'adore mes gigs en tant que musicien itinérant.I love my gigs as a traveling musician.
- 1559 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are talking about their professional lives.
- HugoEst-ce que tu aimes ton travail ?Do you like your job?
- EmmaOui, mon travail est très intéressant.Yes, my job is very interesting.
- HugoMoi, je cherche un nouveau travail.As for me, I am looking for a new job.
- EmmaBonne chance pour ton travail, Hugo !Good luck with your job search, Hugo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “job” translations and entries travail, emploi, métier, boulot, job, poste, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boulot, emploi, métier, travail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
