French Work Vocabulary B1: Professional Exercises

The world of work is one of the most frequent topics in the DELF B1. Reading tasks may include job advertisements, and the written production task may ask you to write a cover letter. This exercise prepares you with the key vocabulary of the professional world in French.

Key workplace vocabulary at B1 level

Essential terms: le poste (the position/role), le candidat (the candidate), l'employeur (the employer), le contrat de travail (the employment contract), le salaire (the salary), les congés payés (paid holiday), la formation (training), la réunion (the meeting), le stage (the internship), l'entreprise (the company), embaucher (to hire), licencier (to lay off), démissionner (to resign).

The lettre de motivation at B1 level

A French cover letter follows this structure: En-tête (place, date, recipient), Objet: Candidature au poste de..., Corps (introduction, motivation, skills, availability), Formule de politesse, Signature. Learn the closing formulas by heart: "Dans l'attente de votre réponse, je vous adresse mes sincères salutations."

Common professional verbs at B1 level

Key verbs in a work context: gérer (to manage), coordonner (to coordinate), développer (to develop), analyser (to analyse), rédiger (to draft/write), maîtriser (to master), collaborer (to collaborate), superviser (to supervise). Use them in your CV and cover letter to demonstrate a solid B1 level.

Practice exercises