Common mistakes
Une expertise in French: expert knowledge or an assessment?
Interpret expertise in professional French: distinguish know-how, a commissioned assessment and its report, then translate six short workplace extracts.
- B2
- 3 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
L’expertise de quelqu’un can mean specialist knowledge. Une expertise can also be a particular expert assessment or investigation: Le rapport d’expertise sera prêt lundi. English often needs “assessment”, “inspection” or “expert report” rather than “expertise”.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- une expertise techniquealways specialist know-howa technical assessment, in a commissioned-work context
Nous avons demandé une expertise technique après la panne.We requested a technical assessment after the breakdown.
When work is ordered, dated or completed, consider “assessment”.
- une expertise en gestion de projeta particular inspectionexpertise in project management
Son expertise en gestion de projet nous aide à tenir les délais.Her project-management expertise helps us meet deadlines.
A field introduced by en often identifies the specialist knowledge.
- un rapport d’expertisea general statement of someone’s skillsan expert assessment report
Le rapport d’expertise décrit les causes de la panne.The expert report describes the causes of the breakdown.
Keep the report separate from the assessment process.
| Extract | Natural English | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| L’expertise aura lieu mardi. | The assessment will take place on Tuesday. | A scheduled event. |
| Elle possède une solide expertise en analyse. | She has strong analytical expertise. | A lasting skill. |
| Nous attendons les conclusions de l’expertise. | We await the assessment findings. | A process producing findings. |
| Il met son expertise au service de l’équipe. | He puts his expertise at the team’s disposal. | Knowledge used to help others. |
| Une contre-expertise a été demandée. | A second expert assessment has been requested. | Another assessment checking the first. |
What does une expertise mean in French?
Le matériel est à l’arrêt depuis lundi. Nous avons mandaté une spécialiste pour une expertise technique. Son rapport précisera la cause de la panne et les réparations à prévoir.
The equipment has been out of service since Monday. We have commissioned a specialist to carry out a technical assessment. Her report will specify the cause of the breakdown and the repairs needed.
The specialist brings her expertise to the job. The team commissions une expertise to answer a particular question. The resulting document is le rapport d’expertise. These are connected, but English uses different nouns for them.
- We ordered her specialist know-how for Tuesday.We arranged an expert assessment for Tuesday.
To translate Nous avons prévu une expertise mardi, name the scheduled assessment.
- She has a technical inspection in data analysis.She has expertise in data analysis.
Elle possède une expertise en analyse de données describes a skill, not an inspection.
- The expertise document proves she is experienced.The expert report sets out the assessment findings.
Le rapport d’expertise names a report. It is different from a description of the author’s experience.