Boulot or travail: a job, work to do and the plural travaux

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Understand au boulot, du boulot and un boulot. Compare neutral travail, see why travaux often means building work, and try four short questions.

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In short

Boulot is a familiar noun for work or a job. Travail is neutral. The small word before the noun helps: au boulot means “at/to work”, du boulot means “work to do”, and un boulot means “a job”.

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Two friends talking at an association office.
Lina has found un boulot and still has coursework to finish. Illustration: Atelier

How do you use boulot in a sentence?

The familiar noun and its neutral partner
MeaningFamiliarNeutral
I’m going to work.Je vais au boulot.Je vais au travail.
I have work to do.J’ai du boulot.J’ai du travail.
I’ve found a job.J’ai trouvé un boulot.J’ai trouvé un travail.
I still have a lot to do.J’ai encore beaucoup de boulot.J’ai encore beaucoup de travail.

Au is à + le: both nouns are masculine. After beaucoup, use de: beaucoup de boulot. A friend can ask Tu as du boulot en ce moment ? The answer might concern employment or tasks; the next sentence makes it clear.

Listen for the job or the tasks

A new job, then a busy afternoon
  1. Lina

    J’ai trouvé un boulot dans une association.

    I’ve found a job with an association.

  2. Samir

    Super ! Tu commences quand ?

    Great! When do you start?

  3. Lina

    Lundi. Mais j’ai encore du boulot pour mon cours.

    Monday. But I still have work to do for my class.

  4. Samir

    D’accord. On se parle ce soir ?

    OK. Shall we talk this evening?

  5. Lina

    Oui, quand j’aurai fini.

    Yes, when I’ve finished.

Lina first uses un boulot for employment. Her second phrase, du boulot pour mon cours, concerns coursework. Boulot is a relaxed word, and travail works in both sentences when she wants neutral wording. For a job application, emploi is another useful noun.

What does travaux mean in French?

Study these plurals as complete phrases
FrenchEnglish
un boulot → des boulotsa job → jobs
Elle a deux petits boulots.She has two small jobs.
un travail → des travauxa piece of work → pieces of work / works
Les travaux commencent lundi.The building work starts on Monday.
des travaux de rechercheresearch work / research projects

For two jobs, deux emplois or familiar deux boulots is clear. Travaux often names building work, repairs or research in a complete phrase. Keep travail singular for an amount of work: J’ai beaucoup de travail.

  • J’ai beaucoup du boulot.J’ai beaucoup de boulot.

    The quantity expression is beaucoup de, followed by the noun.

  • Elle cherche une boulot.Elle cherche un boulot.

    Boulot is masculine: un boulot. The neutral noun is masculine too: un travail.

Question 1No account needed
Lina says J’ai du boulot pour mon cours. What does she mean?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She has coursework to do.. Du boulot pour mon cours names the work remaining for her class.

Question 2No account needed
Choose neutral wording for Je vais au boulot.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je vais au travail.. Au travail is the neutral partner of familiar au boulot.

Question 3No account needed
Complete the quantity expression.J’ai beaucoup ___ travail.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

de. After beaucoup, use de: beaucoup de travail.

Question 4No account needed
A notice says Les travaux commencent lundi. What is the likely meaning?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The building work starts on Monday.. In a notice, les travaux commonly means building or repair work.

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