20 French Expressions to Talk About Work
Reading time: 8 minutes
🇫🇷 In short : Learn 20 useful French expressions to talk about work: poser un congé, être débordé, faire une pause, être en réunion, avoir un coup de mou… with natural examples.
You do not only need isolated words. To speak more naturally, you need to learn language blocks: expressions French people really use in conversations.
For adults learning French, work is an essential topic: colleagues, meetings, fatigue, organisation, days off, responsibilities. Here are the most useful expressions.
📚 To practise these expressions out loud
In the books Objectif : Parler Français, you learn vocabulary and grammar through concrete situations, with natural dialogues, native audio, shadowing and speaking practice.
Expressions to know
1. poser un congé — to request time off
A very common expression for officially requesting a day or period off.
Example: Je vais poser un congé vendredi prochain. — I’m going to request Friday off.
2. être débordé — to be overwhelmed with work
When you have too many things to do.
Example: Je suis débordée cette semaine. — I’m overwhelmed this week.
3. avoir une réunion — to have a meeting
Simple but essential in professional life.
Example: J’ai une réunion à 14 h. — I have a meeting at 2 p.m.
4. être en réunion — to be in a meeting
To say you are not available.
Example: Je ne peux pas répondre, je suis en réunion. — I can’t answer, I’m in a meeting.
5. faire une pause — to take a break
Very common at work, especially when speaking.
Example: On fait une pause de dix minutes ? — Shall we take a ten-minute break?
6. avoir un coup de mou — to have a dip in energy
An informal expression meaning you have a drop in energy.
Example: J’ai un coup de mou après le déjeuner. — I have a dip in energy after lunch.
7. boucler un dossier — to finish a file/project
To finish a file or project before a deadline.
Example: Il faut boucler ce dossier avant jeudi. — We need to finish this project before Thursday.
8. respecter un délai — to meet a deadline
To do something within the planned time.
Example: On doit respecter le délai annoncé au client. — We have to meet the deadline announced to the client.
9. être à la bourre — to be running late
An informal expression meaning to be late.
Example: Je suis à la bourre sur ce projet. — I’m running late on this project.
10. rendre un travail — to hand in work
To give completed work to a teacher, colleague or manager.
Example: Je dois rendre ce rapport demain. — I have to hand in this report tomorrow.
11. faire le point — to take stock / review things
To quickly review a situation.
Example: On fait le point sur le projet lundi ? — Shall we review the project on Monday?
12. prendre les devants — to take the initiative
To act before a problem happens or before someone asks you.
Example: Elle a pris les devants et a contacté le client. — She took the initiative and contacted the client.
13. être efficace — to be efficient
To do things well, quickly and with good results.
Example: Cette méthode est vraiment efficace. — This method is really efficient.
14. travailler en équipe — to work as a team
To collaborate with other people.
Example: Dans mon entreprise, on travaille beaucoup en équipe. — In my company, we work a lot as a team.
15. être autonome — to be independent
To be able to work without being guided all the time.
Example: Pour ce poste, il faut être autonome. — For this position, you need to be independent.
16. avoir des responsabilités — to have responsibilities
To be in charge of important tasks.
Example: Elle a beaucoup de responsabilités dans son nouveau poste. — She has a lot of responsibilities in her new position.
17. faire des heures sup — to work overtime
Informal short form of “faire des heures supplémentaires”.
Example: J’ai fait des heures sup toute la semaine. — I worked overtime all week.
18. être en télétravail — to work from home
To work remotely, often from home.
Example: Je suis en télétravail deux jours par semaine. — I work from home two days a week.
19. changer de poste — to change positions
To take a new role in the same company or elsewhere.
Example: Il veut changer de poste l’année prochaine. — He wants to change positions next year.
20. démissionner — to resign
To voluntarily leave your job.
Example: Elle a décidé de démissionner. — She decided to resign.
How to memorise these expressions naturally
Do not read this list once and hope to remember everything. Choose 5 expressions, write one personal sentence for each, then repeat them out loud. Then change one element in the sentence to create new automatic patterns.
- Choose 5 expressions that are useful in your life.
- Create one personal sentence.
- Repeat it out loud.
- Reuse the expression in a conversation or message.
Do you want to use these expressions naturally?
In Objectif : Parler Français, the goal is not to memorise lists. The goal is to learn how to use expressions in real situations, with audio, shadowing and speaking practice.
