Business vocabulary in French

We usually learn a new language to increase our employability. In this article, you can learn words used to talk about business in French. Be sure to use them if you have to talk during any business conversation in France. 

1. le conseil d’administration

Meaning:the group of people who shareholders choose to manage a company or organization

English: board of directors

Example: Il y avait un poste vacant au sein du conseil d’administration car il a démissionné. (There was a vacancy in the board of directors as he resigned.)

2. la gestion de ressources humaines

Meaning: the activity of managing a company’s employees, for example, by employing new workers, training them, managing their employment records, and helping them with problems

English: human resources management

Example: Ce candidat a de bonnes connaissances en gestion des ressources humaines. (This candidate has a good grounding in human resources management)

3. le commerce international

Meaning: a large company that sells goods or services in different countries

English: international business

Example: Il y a un séminaire sur le commerce international ce soir. (There is a seminar on international business this evening.)

4. la gestion

Meaning: the control and organization of something

English:management

Example: Elle n’a jamais reçu de formation en gestion. (She never received any training in management.)

5. un rachat d’entreprise

Meaning :something such as a building, another company, or a piece of land that is bought by a company, or the act of buying it

English: acquisition

Example: Mon entreprise a fait un énorme rachat d’entreprise la semaine dernière. (My company made a huge acquisition last week.)

6. une nomination

Meaning: the act of officially choosing someone for a job, or the job itself

English: appointment

Example: Sa promotion au poste de directeur était une nomination populaire. (His promotion to manager was a popular appointment.)

7. une faillite

Meaning: a situation in which a business or a person becomes bankrupt

English: bankruptcy

Example: La faillite est une possibilité réelle si les ventes ne s’améliorent pas. (Bankruptcy is a real possibility if sales don’t improve.)

8. la succursale

Meaning A branch is one of the offices or groups that form part of a large business organization

English: branch

Example: Notre autre succursale sera bientôt fermée en raison de pertes. (Our other branch will be closed soon due to losses.) 

9. le contrat

Meaning :an agreement or an arrangement, especially in business

English: business deal

Example:Tom et Jerry discutent ensemble d’un éventuel contrat. (Tom and Jerry have been discussing a possible business deal together.)

10. un consommateur

Meaning: a person who buys goods or services for their own use

English: consumer

Example: Les feedbacks des consommateurs sont nécessaires pour améliorer nos produits. (Consumer feedback is necessary in order to improve our goods.)

11.le siège social

Meaning :the most important office of an organization or company, or the people working there

English: head office

Example: L’année dernière, Susan a été transférée à notre siège social à Paris. (Last year Susan was transferred to our head office in Paris.)

12. une facture

Meaning: a list of things provided or work done together with their cost, for payment at a later time

English: invoice

Example: Veuillez payer la facture finale dans une semaine.(Please pay the final invoice within a week.)

13. les licenciements 

Meaning: an occasion when a company stops employing someone, sometimes temporarily, because the company does not have enough money or enough work

English: layoff

Example: Les travailleurs ont été réembauchés après avoir été licenciés pendant la crise du coronavirus. (Workers were re – employed after the layoff during the corona-virus.)

14.une fusion d’entreprise

Meaning:an occasion when two or more companies or organizations join together to make one larger company

English: merger

Example:Les rumeurs de fusion d’entreprise ont fait grimper les cours des actions. (The rumours of a merger increased the stock prices.)

15. la rentabilité

Meaning: the fact that something produces or is likely to produce a profit

English: profitability

Example: 

La hausse des prix du pétrole a obéré la rentabilité et réduit la demande. (The oil price rise worsened profitability and reduced demand.)

Now that you have learnt the meanings of these words in French, be sure to use them while you want to attend business meetings in France. For more such vocabulary in French, keep following our blog. You can also learn languages online on our website at the comfort of your homes.