entretien d'embauche
/ɑ̃.tʁə.tjɛ̃ d‿ɑ̃.boʃ/masculine
A job interview in French is entretien d'embauche.
entretien d'embauche is used to describe an interview attended by a job applicant.
Meaning: interview attended by a job applicant (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of entretien (interview/discussion) and embauche (hiring/employment), meaning 'interview of hiring'.
Which one should you use?
While entretien can mean any interview or discussion, entretien d'embauche specifically refers to a job interview. In professional HR contexts, you may also encounter the more formal entretien de recrutement, which means 'recruitment interview'.
How does it change in a sentence?
entretien d'embauche is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.tʁə.tjɛ̃ d‿ɑ̃.boʃ/
When do people say it?
In a job interview, it is important to address the interviewer using the formal vous rather than tu.
Did you know?
- In French, the word entretien shares its root with the word for 'maintenance', such as entretien de voiture (car maintenance), suggesting a conversation that keeps a relationship going.
- French job interviews often include a 'test' phase called a mise en situation, where the candidate is put in a real-world scenario to prove their skills on the spot.
- Unlike English, where 'interview' can be used for journalism or police work, entretien is much broader, but the specific term interrogatoire is used for police interviews to avoid confusion.
Examples in context
- J'étais à un entretien d'embauche.I was at a job interview.This sentence is useful for stating that you were at a job interview.Tatoeba #6443861 by Aiji, translation #3823524 by CK
- J'ai un entretien d'embauche ce matin.I have a job interview this morning.This sentence is useful for saying you have a job interview this morning.Tatoeba #10627086 by pierrot105, translation #6661597 by CK
- J'ai un entretien d'embauche demain matin.I have a job interview tomorrow morning.Tatoeba #10668925 by Aiji, translation #2857951 by mervert1
- J'ai un entretien d'embauche demainI have a job interview tomorrow
- Pouvez-vous nous parler de votre expérience professionnelle?Can you tell us about your professional experience?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is encouraging Hugo before his big day.
- EmmaTu es prêt pour ton entretien d'embauche ?Are you ready for your job interview?
- HugoOui, je suis un peu nerveux.Yes, I am a little nervous.
- EmmaNe t'inquiète pas, tu es parfait pour ce poste.Don't worry, you are perfect for this position.
- HugoMerci Emma, ça me rassure.Thanks Emma, that reassures me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “job interview” translations and entries entretien d'embauche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
