absent du bureau
The French phrase for "out of office" is absent du bureau.
absent du bureau is used to indicate that a person is not at their workplace and is unavailable for business. While absent du bureau describes a physical state of being away, en congé is a common way to indicate one is out of the office specifically for vacation or leave.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective absent (absent), the prepositional contraction du (from the) and bureau (office).
Did you know?
- French employees often use the acronym RTT to explain they are out of the office, referring to days off earned by working more than the standard 35-hour week.
- The word bureau originally referred to a coarse woolen cloth used to cover writing tables. Over time the name of the fabric came to describe the table itself and eventually the entire office.
- Saying you are absent du bureau without further detail can sometimes sound as if you are missing or unaccounted for.
Examples in context
- Je suis absent(e) toute la semaine. Merci de me laisser un message.I am out of the office all week. Please leave me a message.
- Je suis en congé jusqu'au 15 juillet inclus. Veuillez contacter mon collègue en cas d'urgence.I am on leave until July 15th. Please contact my colleague in case of emergency.
- Je suis en déplacement à Lyon jusqu'à vendredi prochain. Je répondrai à votre courriel dès mon retour.I am away on business in Lyon until next Friday. I will respond to your email upon my return.
- Coucou ! Je suis en vacances jusqu'à la fin de la semaine. Je te répondrai à mon retour.Hey! I'm on vacation until the end of the week. I'll get back to you when I return.
- Il est absent du bureau aujourd'hui.He is out of the office today.
- Je suis absent du bureau jusqu'à lundi.I am out of the office until Monday.
Example conversation
Lucas calls Chloé to check if a colleague is available.
- LucasEst-ce que Paul est là ?Is Paul there?
- ChloéNon, il est absent du bureau pour le moment.No, he is out of the office at the moment.
- LucasD'accord, je rappellerai demain.Okay, I will call back tomorrow.
- ChloéTrès bien, Lucas.Very well, Lucas.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries absent, bureau, du, CC BY-SA 4.0.
