travail de bureau
The English phrase office work is expressed in French as travail de bureau.
The term refers to professional tasks performed in an office environment, which typically involve clerical or administrative duties. While travail de bureau focuses on the physical setting of the work, you may also use travail administratif if you wish to specifically emphasize the administrative nature of the tasks.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of travail (work) and de bureau (of office/desk).
How does it change in a sentence?
travail de bureau is a masculine singular noun phrase and does not change its form when used to describe a general concept.
Did you know?
- The word travail originally meant 'torture' or 'suffering'. It stems from a Latin term for a 'torture device made of three stakes'.
- In French, bureau can refer to the physical piece of furniture, the room it is in or the entire organization that employs the person.
- While travail usually means work, when used as le travail, it can refer to a specific completed piece of art or a project.
Examples in context
- Il est spécialisé dans le travail de bureau.He specializes in office work.
- Elle recherche un nouvel emploi de bureau.She is looking for a new office job.
- On discute souvent du boulot de bureau pendant la pause café.We often talk about office work during coffee breaks.
- Il m'arrive de détester mon taf de bureau les jours gris.Sometimes I hate my office job on gloomy days.
- Elle fait du travail de bureau toute la journée.She does office work all day long.
- Je n'aime pas trop le travail de bureau.I don't really like office work.
- Elle fait beaucoup de travail de bureau le matin.She does a lot of office work in the morning.
- Ce poste demande un travail de bureau quotidien.This position requires daily office work.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are discussing their different job types at a cafe.
- ChloéTu préfères le travail de terrain ou le travail de bureau ?Do you prefer field work or office work?
- LucasJe préfère être sur le terrain, loin du travail de bureau.I prefer being in the field, away from office work.
- ChloéMoi, j'adore mon travail de bureau ici.As for me, I love my office work here.
- LucasC'est vrai que ton travail de bureau semble calme.It's true that your office work seems calm.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bureau, de, travail, CC BY-SA 4.0.
