What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? literally translates to "You do what in the life?"
Which one should you use?
There are several ways to phrase this depending on the level of formality. The informal options include Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?, Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?, Qu'est-ce que tu fais comme travail ? and Tu fais quoi comme boulot ? For formal situations, you can use Que faites-vous dans la vie ?, Quelle est votre profession ? or Quel est votre métier ?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? is an informal way to ask someone about their job and is suitable for social settings with peers. If you need to be formal, use Que faites-vous dans la vie ?, Quelle est votre profession ? or Quel est votre métier ?
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ? is a grammatically standard way to phrase the question using the qu'est-ce que construction.
Did you know?
- The word vie in the phrase shares an ancient root with the English word 'way', as both stem from the Latin 'via' meaning path or road.
- While métier refers to a profession, it is the same word used for 'trade' or 'craft', implying a level of manual mastery that the word 'travail' does not.
- In many French-speaking cultures, asking Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? is considered much more polite and less intrusive than asking directly about someone's salary or specific job title.
Examples in context
- Pardon, tu fais quoi dans la vie ?Excuse me, what do you do for a living?
- On discute un peu, mais tu fais quoi dans la vie ?We are chatting a bit, but what do you do for work?
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meeting at a cafe.
- LéaSalut Lucas ! Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?Hi Lucas! What do you do for work?
- LucasJe suis ingénieur, et toi ?I am an engineer, and you?
- LéaMoi, je travaille dans la mode.As for me, I work in fashion.
- LucasC'est super intéressant !That is very interesting!
