paie
/pɛ/
The French word for payroll is paie.
paie refers to the calculation of salaries and wages or the department responsible for this task. If you need to refer specifically to the payroll department within a company, use the phrase service de la paie.
Meaning: calculation of salaries and wages, department that does this (noun)
Which one should you use?
paie refers to the administrative process or the total sum of wages, whereas salaire refers to the specific amount of money an employee earns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun paie is feminine and is typically used with the definite article la to form la paie, meaning the payroll.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of paie is /pɛ/.
Did you know?
- In the context of history, the word 'paie' was often used to describe the 'pay' or 'rations' given to soldiers, a usage that persists in some older administrative literature.
- The word paie is used in the common idiom être payé en nature, which means to receive payment in goods or services rather than money.
- The spelling 'paye' is a valid alternative to 'paie' in French, though 'paie' is the more traditional and common form used in professional settings.
Examples in context
- Avez-vous besoin de consulter la paie des employés ce mois-ci?Do you need to review the employee payroll for this month?
- La paie est versée le vingt du mois.The payroll is paid on the twentieth of the month.
- Il travaille au service de la paie.He works in the payroll department.
- Il y a une erreur dans ma paie.There is an error in my payroll.
Example conversation
Léa is asking Gabriel about a mistake on her salary slip at the office.
- LéaGabriel, il y a un problème avec ma paie.Gabriel, there is a problem with my payroll.
- GabrielTu dois appeler le service de la paie.You should call the payroll department.
- LéaEst-ce qu'ils peuvent régler ça rapidement ?Can they fix this quickly?
- GabrielOui, l'équipe de la paie est très efficace.Yes, the payroll team is very efficient.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry paie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
