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What Are French Professions and Occupations?

French profession vocabulary (les professions) includes diverse occupational terms. Many professions have gender-specific endings (-e for feminine, or separate words for men and women).

Short answer

French professions include docteur/doctrice (doctor), ingénieur (engineer), avocat/avocate (lawyer), and professeur (teacher). Gender forms vary: un mécanicien / une mécanicienne (masculine/feminine mechanic).

Masculine vs Feminine Professions

Masculine

•un docteur (a male doctor)
•un ingénieur (a male engineer)
•un avocat (a male lawyer)

Feminine

•une doctrice / une femme docteur
•une ingénieure
•une avocate

Step-by-step worked examples

Say 'He is a teacher' in French (un professeur).

Professeur (teacher) = masculine
He is = Il est
Answer: Il est professeur.

How do you say 'She is a lawyer'?

Avocate = female lawyer
She is = Elle est
Answer: Elle est avocate.

Express 'I am a nurse' (un infirmier / une infirmière).

For male: infirmier; for female: infirmière
I am = Je suis
Answer: Je suis infirmier / infirmière.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.What is a 'doctrice'?

Correct answer: B. 'Doctrice' is the feminine form of doctor in French.

Q2.Translate: 'She is an engineer'.

Correct answer: B. Feminine: 'ingénieure' (with -e); correct word order: Elle est ingénieure.

Q3.What is the masculine form of 'avocate'?

Correct answer: B. 'Avocat' is the masculine form (lawyer).

Q4.'Un professeur' usually refers to…

Correct answer: B. 'Professeur' can be generic for any teacher, though 'professeure' is used for female teachers.

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Common mistakes

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Using 'docteur' for all doctors regardless of gender. — Correct: Use 'doctrice' for female doctors, or 'femme docteur' (less modern).

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Not changing profession endings for feminine: 'un mécanicien' for women too. — Correct: Add -ne: 'une mécanicienne' for female mechanics.

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Forgetting the article before the profession: 'Je suis infirmier' (missing 'un'). — Correct: Include the article: 'Je suis un infirmier' or just 'Je suis infirmier' (both acceptable).

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Confusing 'professeur' (teacher) with 'professor' (professor in English). — Correct: 'Professeur' in French covers both teachers and professors.

FAQ

What are common French professions?

Docteur (doctor), infirmier (nurse), professeur (teacher), avocat (lawyer), ingénieur (engineer), mécanicien (mechanic), secrétaire (secretary), cuisinier (cook).

How do you form feminine profession words in French?

Many add -e: mécanicien → mécanicienne. Some use -e only: avocat → avocate. Others are completely different: acteur → actrice.

Do you always use an article before a profession in French?

After 'être' (to be), the article is often omitted: 'Je suis docteur' (I am a doctor). With other verbs, include it: 'Je connais un docteur' (I know a doctor).

What is the difference between 'professeur' and 'instituteur'?

'Professeur' teaches secondary/university; 'instituteur/institutrice' teaches primary school.