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4.1. Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?

Meeting People and Finding Out What They Do for a Living

4.1.1. The Main Idea

To meet someone and ask what they do for a living, French often uses the expression dans la vie, meaning in life.

Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? informal
Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal or plural

This question uses the verb faire, meaning to do or to make.

4.1.2. Main Questions

Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? informal
Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal or plural
Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? informal
Qu’est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal or plural
Quelle est ta profession ?	What is your profession? informal
Quelle est votre profession ?	What is your profession? formal

4.1.3. Main Answer Pattern

Je suis ___ .	I am ___ .
Je suis étudiant.	I am a student. masculine
Je suis étudiante.	I am a student. feminine
Je suis professeur.	I am a teacher / professor. masculine
Je suis professeure.	I am a teacher / professor. feminine

In French, professions often do not use un or une after être.

Je suis étudiant.	I am a student.
Je suis professeur.	I am a teacher / professor.

4.1.4. Profession Vocabulary

étudiant	student, masculine
étudiante	student, feminine
professeur	teacher / professor, masculine
professeure	teacher / professor, feminine
employé	employee, masculine
employée	employee, feminine
serveur	server / waiter
serveuse	server / waitress
vendeur	salesperson, masculine
vendeuse	salesperson, feminine
médecin	doctor
ingénieur	engineer
comptable	accountant
artiste	artist
musicien	musician, masculine
musicienne	musician, feminine

4.1.5. Examples

Je suis étudiant.	I am a student. masculine
Je suis étudiante.	I am a student. feminine
Je suis professeur.	I am a teacher / professor. masculine
Je suis professeure.	I am a teacher / professor. feminine
Je suis employé.	I am an employee. masculine
Je suis employée.	I am an employee. feminine
Je suis serveur.	I am a server / waiter.
Je suis serveuse.	I am a server / waitress.
Je suis comptable.	I am an accountant.
Je suis artiste.	I am an artist.

4.1.6. Asking About Someone Else

Il fait quoi dans la vie ?	What does he do for a living?
Elle fait quoi dans la vie ?	What does she do for a living?
Qu’est-ce qu’il fait dans la vie ?	What does he do for a living?
Qu’est-ce qu’elle fait dans la vie ?	What does she do for a living?

4.1.7. Talking About Someone Else

Il est étudiant.	He is a student.
Elle est étudiante.	She is a student.
Il est professeur.	He is a teacher / professor.
Elle est professeure.	She is a teacher / professor.
Il est serveur.	He is a server / waiter.
Elle est serveuse.	She is a server / waitress.
Il est médecin.	He is a doctor.
Elle est médecin.	She is a doctor.

4.1.8. Meeting Someone

Bonjour, je m’appelle Alex.	Hello, my name is Alex.
Salut, je m’appelle Marie.	Hi, my name is Marie.
Enchanté.	Nice to meet you. masculine speaker
Enchantée.	Nice to meet you. feminine speaker
Comment tu t’appelles ?	What is your name? informal
Comment vous vous appelez ?	What is your name? formal
Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living?
Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal

4.1.9. Formal and Informal

Use tu with classmates, friends, and people your age in casual situations.

Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? informal
Comment tu t’appelles ?	What is your name? informal

Use vous with strangers, older people, teachers, or formal situations.

Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal
Comment vous vous appelez ?	What is your name? formal

4.1.10. Core Patterns

Je m’appelle ___ .	My name is ___ .
Enchanté / Enchantée.	Nice to meet you.
Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living?
Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living? formal
Je suis ___ .	I am ___ .
Il est ___ .	He is ___ .
Elle est ___ .	She is ___ .

4.1.11. Practice

My name is Alex. |

Nice to meet you. masculine speaker |

What is your name? informal |

What do you do for a living? informal |

What do you do for a living? formal |

I am a student. masculine |

I am a student. feminine |

He is a doctor. |

She is an accountant. |

4.1.12. Answers

My name is Alex.	Je m’appelle Alex.
Nice to meet you. masculine speaker	Enchanté.
What is your name? informal	Comment tu t’appelles ?
What do you do for a living? informal	Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?
What do you do for a living? formal	Vous faites quoi dans la vie ?
I am a student. masculine	Je suis étudiant.
I am a student. feminine	Je suis étudiante.
He is a doctor.	Il est médecin.
She is an accountant.	Elle est comptable.

4.1.13. Short Dialogue

A : Salut, je m’appelle Alex. Et toi ?	A: Hi, my name is Alex. And you?
B : Je m’appelle Marie. Enchantée.	B: My name is Marie. Nice to meet you.
A : Enchanté. Tu fais quoi dans la vie ?	A: Nice to meet you. What do you do for a living?
B : Je suis étudiante. Et toi ?	B: I am a student. And you?
A : Je suis serveur.	A: I am a server / waiter.

4.1.14. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to meet someone, say your name, ask someone’s name, ask what someone does for a living, answer with je suis + profession, and recognize common profession words in masculine and feminine forms.

4.1.15. Try It Out

Try saying this in French:

What do you do for a living?

I am a student.

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Possible answer:

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