Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| travailleur social | masculine |
| travailleuse sociale | feminine |
The term refers to a person whose profession is social work.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation where travailleur means worker and social means social.
Which one should you use?
The choice of form depends on the gender and number of the person being described. Use travailleur social for a masculine subject and travailleuse sociale for a feminine subject.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some French-speaking regions, particularly Switzerland, the phrase Travailleur(euse) en intervention sociale et familiale is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the feminine form, both the noun and the adjective change to travailleuse sociale to match the gender. When referring to multiple people, the masculine plural form is travailleurs sociaux, while the feminine plural form is travailleuses sociales, requiring both the noun and the adjective to take the appropriate plural endings.
Did you know?
- In some official French documents, you may see travailleur·se social·le using dots. This 'inclusive writing' is a modern political effort to represent both genders simultaneously in a single word.
- In Quebec, the term travailleur social is strictly protected by professional orders, meaning you cannot legally use the title without specific certification.
- The word travailleur shares a root with the English word 'travail', which originally meant hard or painful labor rather than a journey.
Examples in context
- Je suis un travailleur social.I'm a social worker.This sentence is useful for stating your own profession using travailleur social.Tatoeba #2025312 by sacredceltic, translation #1890956 by CK
- Je suis travailleur social, et j'apporte mon aide aux personnes en difficulté.I am a social worker, and I provide assistance to individuals in need.
- Les travailleurs sociaux jouent un rôle essentiel dans notre société.Social workers play an essential role in our society.
- Mon frère est un travailleur social.My brother is a social worker.
- Il faut appeler un travailleur social.We need to call a social worker.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are discussing Nathan's new job.
- ChloéQuel est ton nouveau métier, Nathan ?What is your new job, Nathan?
- NathanJe suis devenu travailleur social.I became a social worker.
- ChloéC'est un travail très courageux.That is a very brave job.
- NathanOui, mais c'est passionnant.Yes, but it is fascinating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “social worker” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
