Planning to do business in France anytime soon? Whether you’re popping in for a quick business trip or relocating to a French-speaking country for work, it’s good to brush up on French words that you might definitely come across.
If you haven’t checked it yet, you should also go over the Guide to French Business Culture here. As the first installment in this 2-part French for Business Series, it covers most of the things you need to know to navigate the French corporate world with ease.
And now for the vocabulary list.
You can also download the Business Vocabulary English-French PDF version below.
| 1. les affaires | business |
| 2. l’homme d’affaires | businessman |
| 3. la femme d’affaires | businesswoman |
| 4. le voyage d‘affaires | business trip |
| 5. le déjeuner d’affaires | business lunch |
| 6. le client | client |
| 7. l’acheteur | buyer |
| 8. le vendeur | seller |
| 9. l’associé | partner |
| 10. le bail | lease/ rental contract |
| 11. le bénéfice | profit |
| 12. les biens | assets |
| 13. brut | gross |
| 14. le chiffre d’affaire | sales/ turnover |
| 15. le concurrent | competitor |
| 16. la compte | account |
| 17. la direction | management |
| 18. la gérance | management |
| 19. la gestion | management |
| 20. l’entrepreneur | entrepreneur |
| 21. l’étude de marché | market study |
| 22. créer une entreprise | to set up a business |
| 23. faire faillite | to go bankrupt |
| 24. les frais | fees |
| 25. l’impôt | tax |
| 26. la liquidation | liquidation |
| 27. la location | rental |
| 28. la main-d’oeuvre | workforce |
| 29. le paiement | payment |
| 30. la perte | loss |
| 31. le contrat | business deal |
| 32. le directeur général | managing director |
| 33. le chef | boss |
| 34. le portable | laptop |
| 35. la société | company |
| 36. Une société par actions | a joint-stock company |
| 37. Une société à responsabilité limitée | a limited-liability company |
| 38. Une multinationale | a multinational company |
| 39. Une maison mère | a parent company |
| 40. Une association (Ã but non lucratif) | a non-profit organization |
| 41. PME – petite et moyenne entreprise | a small and medium-sized business (SMB) |
| 42. le personnel | staff/employees |
| 43. le siège social | head office |
| 44. la succursale | branch |
| 45. comité de direction or codir for short | top management |
| 46. le service marketing | marketing department |
| 47. les services de vente | sales department |
| 48. la comptabilité (or la compta) | acocunting department |
| 49. le service de contentieux | legal department |
| 50. le service de ressources humaines | human resources department |
| 51. les honoraires | fees |
| 52. le bulletin de salaire | wage slip |
| 53. le salaire | salary |
| 54. le registre du personnel | payroll |
| 55. Un licenciement | layoff/ lay-off |
| 56. Une avance | advance payment |
| 57. Un règlement par virement bancaire | payment by bank transfer |
| 58. la formation | training |
| 59. la marque déposée | registered trademark |
| 60. Un rapport annuel | annual financial statement |
| 61. Un employeur | employer |
| 62. les employés | employees |
| 63. stagiaires | interns |
| 64. Un apprenti | apprentice |
| 65. PDG (président-directeur général) | CEO |
| 66. le chef, le patron, le boss | the boss |
| 67. une annonce | announcement |
| 68. une candidature | application |
| 69. une lettre de motivation | cover/ covering letter |
| 70. un entretien | an interview (note: une interview is used mainly for journalism-related interviews) |
| 71. un poste | position |
| 72. Un travail | job |
| 73. une réunion | business meeting |
| 74. un rendez-vous | an appointment or social meeting |
| 75. prendre rendez-vous | to make an appointment |
| 76. un appel d’offres | call for bids/ invitation for tenders |
| 77. répondre à un appel d'offres | to bid for a contract |
| 78. un sous-traitant | subcontractor |
| 79. un contrat à durée indéterminée (CDI) | A CDI is a long-term contract that cannot be terminated by either party without two months (sometimes three months) notice. |
| 80. un contrat à durée déterminée (CDD) | A short-term contract |
| 81. Une évaluation | evaluation |
| 82. Un compte-rendu | minutes of the meeting; write-up |
| 83. comportement de l'entreprise | corporate behaviour |
| 84. délocaliser | to relocate |
| 85. démissionner | to resign |
Don’t see the work-related terms you’re looking for? Your business French vocabulary might be in this article about Work and Status or here in this vocabulary list for Essential Work-Related Words.
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