quart
/kaʁ/masculine
In French, the term for a change of workers or a work shift is quart. If unsure, use quart. Wiktionary also lists poste and shift.
Meaning: change of workers (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| quart | /kaʁ/ | masculine |
| poste | /pɔst/ | masculine |
| shift | /ʃift/ | Anglicism, masculine |
The word refers to a scheduled period of work. You can use the expression faire le quart to mean working a shift, which is also the standard way to say 'standing watch' on a ship. In contexts like healthcare or emergency services, you may also hear la garde used to refer to a shift.
Which one should you use?
While quart refers to the time block of a shift, poste is often used when referring to the specific work station, duty or position itself. Additionally, shift is an Anglicism used in French.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, Canada, quart is the standard term for a shift.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms quart, poste and shift are all masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʁ/
Did you know?
- The word quart shares the same root as the English word 'quarter'. It originally referred to dividing a 24-hour day into four periods of six hours each.
- In French, la garde is used for shifts in hospitals or fire stations, but it literally means 'the guard'. This frames the work shift as a period of vigilance rather than just a scheduled block of time.
- The word poste can mean a work shift, a job position, or the postal service. The meaning is determined entirely by the context of the sentence.
Examples in context
- Appuie sur la touche Shift.Press the Shift button.The sentence is useful for identifying the shift button on a keyboard.Tatoeba #8609156 by Micsmithel, translation #1490299 by Spamster
- Je prendrai le premier quart.I'll take the first shift.The sentence shows how to use quart when talking about a specific work period.Tatoeba #13391062 by lbdx, translation #3728124 by CM
- Mon quart finit bientôt.My shift ends soon.The sentence demonstrates the use of quart to indicate when a shift is ending.Tatoeba #13908895 by menaud, translation #13908909 by menaud
- Je suis prêt à commencer ma prochaine période de travail.I am ready to start my next shift.
- J'ai un boulot de nuit ce soir.I have a night shift tonight.
- Je suis en quart de soir aujourd'hui.I am on the evening shift today.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are talking at their workplace.
- HugoEst-ce que tu travailles le quart de nuit ?Are you working the night shift?
- ChloéNon, je préfère le quart du matin.No, I prefer the morning shift.
- HugoC'est vrai que c'est moins fatigant.It is true that it's less tiring.
- ChloéOui, et je finis mon quart à midi.Yes, and I finish my shift at noon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shift” translations and entries quart, poste, shift, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poste, quart, shift, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
