Looking up...
travail
/tʁa.vaj/
work
Le travail est essentiel pour réussir dans la vie.
Work is essential for succeeding in life.
formal
Activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose or result, especially as employment or a means of earning income.
Il a trouvé un travail dans une entreprise internationale.
He found a job at an international company.
Le travail manuel demande beaucoup de patience.
Manual work requires a lot of patience.
Often used in professional, academic, or formal contexts. Can also refer to a specific task or project.
general
The application of mental or physical effort to overcome obstacles or achieve a goal.
Le travail d'équipe est crucial pour ce projet.
Teamwork is crucial for this project.
Elle a fourni un énorme travail pour terminer sa thèse.
She put in a huge amount of work to finish her thesis.
Can be used in both literal and figurative contexts.
general
A task or set of tasks required to be done as part of a job or for a specific purpose.
J'ai beaucoup de travail à faire avant la fin de la semaine.
I have a lot of work to do before the end of the week.
Often used in everyday language to refer to tasks or duties.
Collocations
travail à temps pleinfull-time jobtravail à temps partielpart-time jobtravail en équipeteamworktravail de bureauoffice worktravail manuelmanual labor
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Gender and Plural
Remember that 'travail' is masculine (le travail) and its plural is 'travaux' (e.g., 'travaux publics' for public works).
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning of 'travail' can vary based on context. It can refer to a job, a task, or the act of working. Pay attention to the surrounding words to determine the exact meaning.
Word Origin
From Old French 'travail' (pain, suffering), from Latin 'tripalium' (a torture instrument with three stakes), from 'tri-' (three) and 'palus' (stake). The modern sense of 'work' or 'labor' emerged in the 16th century.
Usage Notes
In French, 'travail' is a masculine noun and is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It can refer to employment, a specific task, or the act of working itself. The plural form 'travaux' is used for multiple tasks or projects (e.g., 'travaux publics' for public works).
Word Breakdown
travail
work
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais