Common mistakes
Patron or chef? French job titles English speakers mix up
Read French workplace and kitchen roles correctly: patron, patronne, chef de projet and cheffe d’équipe, plus a sewing-pattern surprise and a quiz.
- A2
- 4 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
Un patron or une patronne is a boss or employer. Un chef or une cheffe heads an activity or team: cooking is just one possibility. Read the full title, such as chef de projet or cheffe cuisinière.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- un chef de projeta cook working on a projecta project manager
Le chef de projet prépare le calendrier.The project manager prepares the schedule.
For a cook, use un cuisinier; for a kitchen chef, un chef cuisinier.
- une cheffe d’équipea team’s cooka team leader
La cheffe d’équipe répartit les tâches.The team leader allocates the tasks.
The words d’équipe identify the group she leads.
- une patronnea female customera boss or employer
Ma patronne organise la réunion.My boss organises the meeting.
For a female customer, use une cliente. English “patron” can mean customer; French patronne here means boss.
- un patron de couturethe boss of a sewing businessa sewing pattern
Je découpe le patron avant de couper le tissu.I cut out the pattern before cutting the fabric.
For the person in charge of the workshop, say le patron de l’atelier or la patronne de l’atelier.
Four pictures, four roles or objects
Find:
What is the difference between patron and chef?
| Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|
| un patron | une patronne | a boss |
| un chef de projet | une cheffe de projet | a project manager |
| un chef cuisinier | une cheffe cuisinière | a kitchen chef |
| un cuisinier | une cuisinière | a cook |
Une chef also appears as a feminine form. Use the title a person uses for herself. In a restaurant, le chef or la cheffe can be enough because the kitchen context is clear. In an office, listen for de projet, d’équipe or de service.
- Luc
Ta sœur travaille dans un restaurant ?
Does your sister work in a restaurant?
- Ana
Non, elle est cheffe de projet dans une agence.
No, she’s a project manager in an agency.
- Luc
Ah, j’avais mal compris !
Ah, I misunderstood!
Mon patron is an ordinary way to say “my boss”. It can refer to an owner in some workplaces, but the phrase alone gives the work relationship. To ask specifically about ownership, use Est-ce qu’il est propriétaire de l’entreprise ?