What does travail in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word travail in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use travail in French.

The word travail in French means work, job, task, job, profession, trade, job, work, effort, job, work, work, action, effect, labour, shoeing stock, work, hard work, job, work, equal pay for equal work, industrial accident, accident at work, occupational accident, go to work, go to work, sick leave, doctor's certificate, employment status verification, certificate of employment, Let's get to work!, have work, work lead, area of work, working base, work base, basis for working, nice work, good work, overalls, work overalls, workhorse, workaholic, trade union centre, good work, good job, labour camp, capacity for work, sheltered workshop, employer's reference, employer's letter of recommendation, work song, workload, look for a job, seek employment, labour code, overalls, work conditions, working conditions, employment conditions, work conditions, working conditions, employment contract, contract of employment, workwise, labour costs, be swamped with work, be snowed under with work, be drowning in work, working lunch, business lunch, division of work, right to work, employment law, working week, work week, working week, virtual learning environment, entering the labour market, enter the job market, join the job market, work environment, digital work environment, e-learning environment, happy in your work, happy in your job, workspace, digital work space, And here's the finished product!, be out of work, be without a job, have no job, have no work, do good work, work on yourself, Labour Day, capacity for hard work, fruit of your labours, working canter, working group, working hours, working hypothesis, inability to work, unfitness for work, total inability to work, complete unfitness for work, person disabled by an accident at work, health and safety inspector, health and safety inspection, work tool, unsatisfactory, person with a work disability, working day, give it time, working language, work is good for you, labor laws, workplace, break the back of the work, break the back of the work for, labour market, long-service award, long-service medal, occupational health doctor, occupational health physician, occupational medicine, work method, Department for Work and Pensions, the world of work, job offer, International Labour Organization, Taylorism, Taylor's theory of scientific management, work tool, difficult working conditions, harsh working conditions, work permit, job prospects, employment prospects, workbench, work surface, worktop, workstation, work station, job, working holiday visa, working holiday visa scheme, work psychology, occupational psychology, industrial psychology, occupational psychologist, reduction of working hours, working relationship, hand in a piece of work, return to work, start work again. To learn more, please see the details below.

Listen to pronunciation

Meaning of the word travail

work, job, task

nom masculin (tâche, activité)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
L'horlogerie est un travail de précision.
Watchmaking is a precision task.

job, profession, trade

nom masculin (métier, profession) (skills)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Elle apprend le travail de couturière.
She is learning the profession of fashion design.

job

nom masculin (souvent singulier (activité rémunérée) (specific)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il a un travail haut placé dans une banque.
He has a high-level job in a bank.

work, effort

nom masculin (élaboration de [qch])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Fabriquer cette pièce demande deux jours de travail.
Making this piece will take two days' work.

job, work

nom masculin (lieu où s'exerce une activité professionnelle)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Mon mari part toujours très tôt parce qu'il habite loin de son travail. Quand je peux, je conduis ma femme à son travail.
My husband always leaves very early, because he lives a long way from his workplace.

work, action, effect

nom masculin (évolution lente due à une cause extérieure)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le travail du temps apaisera sa douleur.
The effect of time will ease his pain.

labour

nom masculin (contractions liées à l'accouchement) (childbirth: UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Elle va accoucher, le travail vient de commencer.
She is going to give birth; labour has just begun.

shoeing stock

nom masculin (entrave pour cheval) (horse)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Pour ferrer un cheval, on le coince avec des travails.
To shoe a horse, a shoeing stock is used as a wedge.

work, hard work

nom masculin (occupation, activité, charge)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les enfants, la cuisine, le ménage, tout est travail.
Kids, cooking, housework: everything's a chore.

job

nom masculin (activité de l'Homme)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Certains travaux sont manuels, d'autres sont intellectuels.
Some jobs are manual, others are intellectual.

work

nom masculin (Physique : énergie due à un déplacement) (Physics)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le professeur nous a demandé de calculer le travail de cette force.
The teacher asked us to calculate this force's work.

equal pay for equal work

(expression de revendication salariale)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

industrial accident

nom masculin (accident survenant au travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

accident at work, occupational accident

nom masculin (accident professionnel)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Un accident du travail est la responsabilité du patron.
Accidents at work are the responsibility of the boss.

go to work

locution verbale (partir travailler)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il est allé à son travail en voiture.

go to work

locution verbale (partir à son bureau)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

sick leave

nom masculin (interruption pour maladie ou accident)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Je crois que son arrêt de travail va jusqu'à la fin du mois. Gilles n'est pas là : il est en arrêt de travail (or: en arrêt). Je crois qu'il a la grippe.
Giles isn't here. He's off sick; I think he's got flu.

doctor's certificate

nom masculin (document justificatif)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
À votre retour de maladie, vous devez présenter votre arrêt de travail à votre employeur.
Upon returning from sick leave you must submit your doctor's certificate to your employer.

employment status verification, certificate of employment

nom féminin (justificatif professionnel)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Let's get to work!

interjection (travaillons maintenant)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")

have work

locution verbale (être employé)

work lead, area of work

nom masculin (piste de travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

working base, work base, basis for working

nom féminin (choses sur lesquelles se baser)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

nice work, good work

nom masculin (Bravo !)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

overalls, work overalls

nom masculin (vêtement d'ouvrier)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

workhorse, workaholic

nom masculin ([qqn] travaillant beaucoup)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

trade union centre

nom féminin (lieu de réunion) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le représentants syndicaux se retrouvent régulièrement à la bourse du travail départementale.

good work, good job

(félicitations)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

labour camp

nom masculin (camp de prisonniers) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Durant la seconde guerre mondiale, le STO était un camp de travail.

capacity for work

nom féminin (travail : potentiel)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

sheltered workshop

nom masculin (structure médico-sociale publique)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les centres d'aide par le travail fournissent du travail aux handicapés moteurs.

employer's reference, employer's letter of recommendation

nom masculin (document attestant l'emploi de [qqn]) (equivalent)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Pour pouvoir inscrire son enfant dans cette crèche, il faut produire un certificat de travail.

work song

nom masculin (chant qui rythme le travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les 7 nains entonnent le chant de travail en creusant dans la mine.

workload

nom féminin (quantité de choses à faire)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La charge de travail est répartie sur deux équipes.
The workload is divided between two teams.

look for a job, seek employment

locution verbale (chercher un emploi)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

labour code

nom masculin (textes régissant le travail) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

overalls

nom féminin (vêtement allant des pieds au cou) (UK)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

work conditions, working conditions, employment conditions

nom féminin (environnement de travail)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Les syndicats défendent de meilleures conditions de travail.

work conditions, working conditions

nom féminin pluriel (pénibilité, risques et ambiance)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Les syndicats défendent de bonnes conditions de travail.
The unions work to secure good working conditions.

employment contract, contract of employment

nom masculin (règles régissant un emploi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Si tu passes aux deux huit, il faudra faire un avenant à ton contrat de travail.
If you change to a different shift pattern, your employment contract will need to be amended.

workwise

nom masculin (d'un point de vue professionnel)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Côté travail tout va bien, mais côté famille nous avons quelques problèmes.

labour costs

nom masculin (charges liées au travail) (UK)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

be swamped with work, be snowed under with work, be drowning in work

locution verbale (être débordé de travail)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

working lunch, business lunch

nom masculin (repas d'affaire le midi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

division of work

nom féminin (répartition des tâches)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

right to work

nom masculin (droit d'obtenir un travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

employment law

nom masculin (réglementation du travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le gouvernement cherche à simplifier le droit du travail.
The government is looking to simplify the employment law.

working week, work week

nom féminin (temps de travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
En France, la durée du travail est fixée à 35 heures hebdomadaires.

working week

nom féminin (temps de travail par semaine)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

virtual learning environment

nom masculin invariable (abr (Environnement numérique de travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
De plus en plus d'écoles proposent un ENT.

entering the labour market

nom féminin (moment du premier emploi) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

enter the job market, join the job market

locution verbale (commencer à chercher du travail)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Les jeunes entrent sur le marché du travail de plus en plus tard.

work environment

nom masculin (conditions de travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

digital work environment

nom masculin (Informatique : plateforme collaborative)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

e-learning environment

nom masculin (outils éducatifs en ligne)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

happy in your work, happy in your job

locution adjectivale (heureux à son travail)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

workspace

nom masculin (aménagement de bureau)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

digital work space

nom masculin (portail d'outils informatiques)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

And here's the finished product!

interjection (je vous montre le produit fini)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")
Et voilà le travail ! Tu as une nouvelle douche toute neuve.

be out of work, be without a job, have no job, have no work

locution verbale (être au chômage)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il n'est pas évident d'être sans travail à plus de 50 ans.

do good work

locution verbale (bien faire son travail)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cet employé fait du bon travail.

work on yourself

locution verbale (changer une de ses habitudes)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Labour Day

nom féminin (1er mai) (UK, AU, Can)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

capacity for hard work

nom féminin (capacité à travailler)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Ce stagiaire démontre une grande force de travail.

fruit of your labours

nom masculin (produit de l'activité humaine) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

working canter

nom masculin (allure de cheval) (horse's gait)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

working group

nom masculin (gens travaillant ensemble)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

working hours

nom masculin pluriel (temps de travail)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

working hypothesis

nom féminin (supposition à vérifier)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

inability to work, unfitness for work

nom féminin (impossibilité de travailler)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Après son accident de voiture, Pierre a eu une incapacité de travail de six mois.

total inability to work, complete unfitness for work

nom féminin (impossibilité absolue de travailler)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Son incapacité totale de travail lui a fait perdre son travail.

person disabled by an accident at work

nom masculin (handicapé suite à un accident)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Après l'explosion d'une chaudière, cet employé est devenu un infirme du travail.

health and safety inspector

nom masculin (agent vérifiant les conditions de travail) (equivalent)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

health and safety inspection

nom féminin (contrôle des conditions de travail) (equivalent)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

work tool

nom masculin (outil, appareil)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La fraise est l'instrument de travail du dentiste.

unsatisfactory

(annotation scolaire : pas assez bon)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
J'avais passé toute la nuit sur mon devoir de maths, mais sur ma copie, la prof a écrit « insuffisant » !
I had spent all night on my maths homework, but on my work, the teacher wrote: 'unsatisfactory'!

person with a work disability

nom masculin ([qqn] a capacité de travail réduite)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Cette entreprise emploie quelques invalides du travail.

working day

nom féminin (durée quotidienne passée à son travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

give it time

locution verbale (laisser passer le temps)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

working language

nom féminin (langage utilisée pour travailler)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

work is good for you

(travailler maintient en forme)

labor laws

nom féminin (ensemble des lois encadrant le travail) (US)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Notre nouveau président voudrait simplifier notre législation du travail.

workplace

nom masculin (endroit où se trouve son emploi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

break the back of the work, break the back of the work for

locution verbale (familier (faciliter le travail à [qqn]) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Cela devrait être facile, elle m'a mâché tout le travail !

labour market

nom masculin (état des embauches) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le marché du travail est toujours demandeur dans l’hôtellerie et la restauration.

long-service award, long-service medal

nom féminin (décoration de salarié) (employee)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La médaille du travail récompense au moins 20 ans de travail.

occupational health doctor, occupational health physician

nom masculin (France (spécialiste de santé au travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

occupational medicine

nom féminin (médecine suivant les salariés)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

work method

nom féminin (façon de travailler, de faire)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Department for Work and Pensions

nom masculin (administration chargée de l'emploi) (UK, equivalent)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

the world of work

nom masculin (vie professionnelle)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Après les études, les jeunes gens font leur entrée dans le monde du travail.

job offer

nom féminin (offre d'emploi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les offres de travail dans l’hôtellerie sont difficilement pourvues.

International Labour Organization

nom propre féminin (agence de l'ONU) (UN agency)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
L'Organisation internationale du travail a pour but le travail décent dans le monde.

Taylorism, Taylor's theory of scientific management

nom féminin (taylorisme) (management theory)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
L'organisation scientifique du travail fut développée par l'américain Taylor à la fin du XIXe siècle.
Taylor's theory of scientific management was developed by the American Frederick Taylor at the end of the 19th Century.

work tool

nom masculin (instrument professionnel)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Dans cette pièce se trouvent mes outils de travail.

difficult working conditions, harsh working conditions

nom féminin (épuisement)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Les syndicats luttent contre la pénibilité du travail.

work permit

nom masculin (licence autorisant à travailler)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les titres de séjour ne donnent pas tous droit au permis de travail.

job prospects, employment prospects

nom féminin (emplois hypothétiques)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

workbench

nom masculin (établi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les plans de travail doivent être dégagés chaque soir.

work surface, worktop

nom masculin (cuisine : plateau où l'on cuisine) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le plan de travail est encombré par les ustensiles.

workstation, work station

nom masculin (lieu où l'on travaille)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les ouvriers quittèrent leur poste de travail à la sonnerie. // Les employés sont invités à ne pas encombrer leur poste de travail pour en faciliter le nettoyage.

job

nom masculin (emploi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Cette jeune diplômée cherche un poste de travail local.

working holiday visa, working holiday visa scheme

nom masculin (vacances financées en travaillant)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

work psychology, occupational psychology

nom féminin (adaptation travail/travailleur)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

industrial psychology

nom féminin (application psychologique)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

occupational psychologist

nom masculin et féminin (psychologue spécialisé)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le responsable du chantier va voir une psychologue du travail pour faire face aux problèmes d'équipe.

reduction of working hours

nom féminin (diminution de temps de travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

working relationship

nom féminin (connaissance due au travail)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

hand in a piece of work

locution verbale (donner le travail fait)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

return to work

nom féminin (fin de grève)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La reprise du travail aura lieu lundi prochain.

start work again

nom féminin (fin de pause)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La reprise du travail a lieu à 13 h.
We start work again at 1 pm.

Let's learn French

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Related words of travail

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French (le français) is a Romance language. Like Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, it comes from popular Latin, once used in the Roman Empire. A French-speaking person or country can be called a "Francophone". French is the official language in 29 countries. French is the fourth most spoken native language in the European Union. French ranks third in the EU, after English and German, and is the second most widely taught language after English. The majority of the world's French-speaking population lives in Africa, with about 141 million Africans from 34 countries and territories who can speak French as a first or second language. French is the second most widely spoken language in Canada, after English, and both are official languages at the federal level. It is the first language of 9.5 million people or 29% and the second language of 2.07 million people or 6% of the entire population of Canada. In contrast to other continents, French has no popularity in Asia. Currently, no country in Asia recognizes French as an official language.