professionnel
/pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ.nɛl/
The English word 'professional' is translated into French as professionnel.
The word professionnel is used both as an adjective to describe something pertaining to or in accordance with the standards of a profession and as a noun to refer to an expert or person in a specific field.
Meaning: of, pertaining to, or in accordance with the standards of a profession (adj)
Which one should you use?
While in English 'professional' can be an adjective or a noun, the French word professionnel serves both functions as well.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes to agree with the noun it modifies or describes. Use professionnelle for feminine singular nouns, professionnels for masculine plural nouns and professionnelles for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ.nɛl/ and consists of 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- To describe a professional level of service, French sometimes uses de haut vol, which literally translates to 'of high flight', a term more common in elegant or journalistic contexts.
- The English word 'professional' and the French professionnel share the same Latin root, professio, which originally referred to a public declaration or a vow, such as those taken by monks.
- When describing a professional athlete, French often distinguishes between professionnel and amateur as a strict binary of payment status rather than just a level of skill.
Examples in context
- Tom est un vrai professionnel.Tom is a true professional.This sentence uses the masculine singular form professionnel to describe a person.Tatoeba #5449655 by Selenyt, translation #5448869 by CK
- Ziri est devenu professionnel.Ziri became a professional.Tatoeba #11764034 by Amastan, translation #10209391 by Amastan
- Je suis danseur professionnel.I am a professional dancer.This sentence uses the masculine singular form professionnel as an adjective describing a dancer.Tatoeba #12493955 by always, translation #9030832 by Amastan
- Il est un professionnel expérimenté.He is an experienced professional.
- Son attitude exemplaire fait de lui un vrai professionnel.His exemplary attitude makes him a true professional.
- Elle est compétente et très professionnelle dans son domaine.She is competent and very professional in her field.
- Les employés doivent être compétents et respecter les règles professionnelles.Employees must be competent and adhere to professional rules.
- Il est vraiment pro dans son travail.He is really professional in his work.
- Tu veux être un pro de la vente?Do you want to be a sales pro?
- Mon frère est vraiment pro en informatique.My brother is a real pro in computer science.
- Entraîne-toi et bientôt tu le feras comme un pro.Practice, and soon you'll do it like a pro.
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are discussing a colleague's behavior at work.
- GabrielJe trouve son attitude très professionnelle.I find her attitude very professional.
- ChloéOui, c'est un comportement professionnel.Yes, it is professional behavior.
- GabrielElle gère tout avec un calme professionnel.She handles everything with professional calm.
- ChloéC'est vrai, Gabriel, elle est exemplaire.That's true, Gabriel, she is exemplary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “professional” translations and entries professionnel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries professionnel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
