Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| au chômage | /o ʃo.maʒ/ | invariable |
| inoccupé | /i.nɔ.ky.pe/ | |
| chômeur | /ʃo.mœʁ/ |
In French, you use the verb être (to be) with au chômage to express the state of being unemployed. While au chômage describes the status, you can also use the noun chômeur to refer to an unemployed person or the collective noun les chômeurs to refer to the unemployed as a group.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase au chômage literally translates to 'at unemployment'.
Which one should you use?
Au chômage is the standard way to describe a person's status. In contrast, chômeur is a noun meaning 'an unemployed person'. You should avoid using inoccupé to describe people's employment status, as it is generally used for objects or places (like a vacant seat or an unoccupied room).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase au chômage is invariable.
How do you pronounce it?
/o ʃo.maʒ/
Did you know?
- The term chômage is also used to refer to 'public holidays' or 'days off' in certain contexts, as these are days when work is not performed.
- The verb chômer originally meant 'to idle' or 'to do nothing', which is a much more judgmental way to describe being without work than the modern term.
- French has a specific term chômage technique, which refers to a temporary layoff where employees are paid by the state while a company pauses production.
Examples in context
- Je sais que Tom est au chômage.I know Tom is unemployed.This sentence shows how to use au chômage to state someone's status.Tatoeba #6839395 by Micsmithel, translation #6838594 by CK
- Je suis un professeur au chômage.I'm an unemployed teacher.This sentence uses au chômage to describe a person's profession.Tatoeba #7526043 by tras, translation #7521430 by CK
- Je suis au chômage depuis six mois.I have been unemployed for six months.This sentence uses au chômage to indicate a duration of time.Tatoeba #9302077 by Julien_PDC, translation #8248714 by Ergulis
- Dans cette période difficile, je suis malheureusement sans emploi.In this difficult period, unfortunately, I am unemployed.
- Je suis complètement sans boulot en ce moment, ça craint vraiment.I'm completely unemployed at the moment, it really sucks.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their current professional situations over coffee.
- LucasTu travailles toujours dans la même entreprise ?Are you still working at the same company?
- EmmaNon, je suis au chômage en ce moment.No, I am unemployed at the moment.
- LucasEst-ce que c'est difficile de chercher du travail ?Is it difficult to look for work?
- EmmaOui, mais je reste positive.Yes, but I am staying positive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unemployed” translations and entries au chômage, inoccupé, chômeur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
