Discuss jobs, workplace culture, and education systems in France and Canada — including the unique structures like Grandes écoles and CÉGEP.
Estimated Time: 45–55 minutes
Most job titles have masculine and feminine forms in French:
| Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|
| un professeur / un enseignant | une professeure / une enseignante | teacher / professor |
| un médecin / un docteur | une médecin / une docteure | doctor |
| un ingénieur | une ingénieure | engineer |
| un avocat | une avocate | lawyer |
| un infirmier | une infirmière | nurse |
| un comptable | une comptable | accountant |
| un serveur | une serveuse | waiter / waitress |
| un cuisinier / un chef | une cuisinière / une cheffe | cook / chef |
| un vendeur | une vendeuse | salesperson |
| un développeur | une développeuse | developer |
| un entrepreneur | une entrepreneure | entrepreneur |
| un fonctionnaire | une fonctionnaire | civil servant |
| un artiste | une artiste | artist |
| un journaliste | une journaliste | journalist |
Feminization of job titles has been a slow process in France. The Académie française long resisted changes, and some speakers still use masculine forms even for women (Madame le professeur). However, inclusive forms are increasingly standard, especially in writing.
Québec has been a leader in feminizing job titles since the 1970s thanks to the OQLF. Forms like professeure, auteure, ingénieure, and cheffe are standard and expected in Québec — more so than in France.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Qu'est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ? | What do you do for a living? (formal) |
| Tu fais quoi comme travail ? | What do you do for work? (casual) |
| Je suis... (+ job title, no article) | I am a... (no "un/une" needed) |
| Je travaille chez / pour... | I work at / for... |
| Je travaille dans le/la... | I work in the... (field) |
| Je suis à mon compte / indépendant(e) | I'm self-employed / freelance |
| Je suis en recherche d'emploi / au chĂ´mage | I'm job hunting / unemployed |
| Je suis Ă la retraite | I'm retired |
When stating your job with ĂŞtre, you drop the article: Je suis professeur (not je suis un professeur). However, if you add an adjective, the article comes back: Je suis un bon professeur.
| French | English | French | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| le bureau | office / desk | une réunion | a meeting | |
| l'entreprise (f) | company | le salaire | salary | |
| le/la collègue | colleague | les congés (m) | time off / leave | |
| le/la patron(ne) | boss | les vacances (f) | vacation | |
| un emploi / un poste | a job / a position | un CV | a résumé / CV | |
| un entretien (d'embauche) | a job interview | la pause déjeuner | lunch break | |
| le télétravail | remote work | un stage | an internship |
Un stage means an internship or training period — not a theatrical stage (that's une scène). A stagiaire is an intern. This is one of the most common false friends for English speakers in professional settings.
L'école maternelle (preschool, 3–6)
L'école primaire (elementary, 6–11)
Le collège (middle school, 11–15) ⚠️ NOT "college"!
Le lycée (high school, 15–18) → ends with le baccalauréat (le bac)
L'université / Les Grandes écoles (elite, competitive schools: HEC, Polytechnique, Sciences Po, ENS)
The bac is the high-school exit exam and university entrance qualification. Failing it is a big deal.
L'école primaire (elementary, 6–12)
L'école secondaire (high school, 12–17, 5 years)
Le CÉGEP (Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel) — a uniquely Québécois institution! 2–3 years, bridges high school and university
L'université (e.g., Université de Montréal, Université Laval, McGill, UQAM)
CÉGEP has no equivalent in France or English Canada. It's either pre-university (2 years) or technical/professional (3 years).
In France, le collège = middle school (ages 11–15). It does NOT mean "college" in the American sense. University-level education is l'université or les grandes écoles. In Québec, CÉGEP fills the role of community college / sixth form.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un(e) Ă©tudiant(e) | a (university) student |
| un(e) élève | a (school-age) student |
| un cours | a class / course |
| un examen / un contrĂ´le | an exam / a test |
| les devoirs (m) | homework |
| un diplĂ´me | a degree / diploma |
| une licence | a bachelor's degree (France) |
| un baccalauréat | bachelor's degree (🇨🇦) / high school diploma (🇫🇷) |
| une maîtrise / un master | a master's degree |
| un doctorat | a doctorate / PhD |
| réussir / échouer | to pass / to fail |
| une bourse | a scholarship |
In France, le baccalauréat (le bac) is the high school exit exam. In Canada, un baccalauréat is a bachelor's degree (3–4 years at university). Same word, completely different level of education!
1. "Je suis professeur" — why no article?
2. In France, "le collège" refers to:
3. What is CÉGEP?
✦ No article with professions after être: "Je suis médecin" (not "Je suis un médecin").
✦ Québec leads in feminizing job titles: professeure, auteure, cheffe.
✦ "Stage" = internship (not a stage!), "collège" = middle school in France (not college!).
✦ "Baccalauréat" = high school exam (🇫🇷) vs bachelor's degree (🇨🇦).
✦ CÉGEP is unique to Québec — no equivalent in France or English Canada.
✦ France: Grandes écoles for elite education. Québec: CÉGEP → université pathway.