Why is "Adding 'a' after être: saying *Je suis un professeur*" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: English always uses 'a' ('I am a teacher'), so beginners copy the structure directly into French. How to avoid it: After être, go straight from the verb to the job with NO article: *Je suis professeur*, *Il est médecin*. Only add an article when you describe the job: *C'est un bon professeur*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4

Why is "Forming the feminine by just adding -e (e.g. *vendeure*, *coiffeure*)" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: Learners apply the regular adjective rule (add -e) to job words that follow a different pattern. How to avoid it: Learn the irregular pairs as fixed items: -eur → -euse (vendeur/vendeuse), -teur → -trice (acteur/actrice), -ien → -ienne (mécanicien/mécanicienne). Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Conjugating the second verb after aller/vouloir/espérer (e.g. *je veux je deviens*)" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: Beginners feel both verbs should 'agree' with the subject, so they change both. How to avoid it: Conjugate ONLY the first (signal) verb; keep the second in the infinitive: *je veux devenir*, *je vais travailler*, *j'espère trouver*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Giving an opinion with no reason (just *Je veux être médecin*)" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: Students answer the literal question and stop, not realising reasons are rewarded. How to avoid it: Always extend with *parce que* + a reason: *Je veux être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens*. Add a contrast with *mais* for an even higher mark. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking), communication

Why is "Dropping accents in job and future words (metier, esp ere, veterinaire)" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: English has no accents, so they are treated as optional decoration. How to avoid it: Treat accents as part of the spelling. High-frequency words to drill: *métier*, *j'espère*, *vétérinaire*, *secrétaire*, *infirmière*, *université*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Using the wrong verb for 'to work' or confusing *travail* and *travailler*" a common mistake in Jobs and professions?

Why it happens: *travail* (the noun: work) and *travailler* (the verb: to work) look alike, so learners mix them. How to avoid it: Use the verb after a subject: *Je travaille dans un magasin* (I work…). Use the noun with an article: *J'aime mon travail* (I like my work). Never write *je travail*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Topic Area 4 - The World of WorkCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

Jobs and professions

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Jobs and professions in French — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

Learn to name jobs, say what people do for a living, talk about your future career with aller, vouloir and espérer, and give opinions with reasons — the exact vocabulary and ready-made sentence frames that win marks in the World of Work theme across all four papers.

At a glance

To say someone's job in French you usually drop the word for 'a': Je suis professeur (I am a teacher), NOT je suis un professeur.
Most job words have a masculine and a feminine form: un boulanger / une boulangère (a baker). Match the form to the person, not to yourself.
Build a job sentence with the verb être (to be): Il est médecin (He is a doctor), Elle est infirmière (She is a nurse).
Ask about jobs with Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ? (What do you do for a living?) or Quel est ton métier ? (What is your job?).
Talk about future plans with aller + infinitive (going to do): Je vais travailler (I am going to work), and with vouloir / espérer + infinitive (want to / hope to): Je veux devenir vétérinaire (I want to become a vet).
Always give a reason with an opinion: Je voudrais être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens (I'd like to be a doctor because I like helping people).
Two essential nouns: un métier (a job/trade) and un travail (work/a job). The verb is travailler (to work).
Common workplaces use dans or chez: Je travaille dans un bureau (I work in an office), Elle travaille chez un dentiste (She works at a dentist's).

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Name a range of common jobs and professions in French, using the correct masculine and feminine forms.
Say what job a person does using être without the indefinite article.
Ask and answer questions about people's jobs and workplaces.
Express future career plans using aller + infinitive and vouloir / espérer + infinitive.
Give an opinion about a job and justify it with parce que (because).
Describe where and with whom people work using dans, chez and pour.
Recognise and use the high-frequency verbs of the World of Work theme (travailler, gagner, aider, devenir).

Core vocabulary — naming jobs and professions

Learn the most common jobs with their masculine and feminine forms, pronunciation and English meaning.

Here is your essential vocabulary list for the World of Work theme. Notice that almost every job has two forms: one for a man (masculine) and one for a woman (feminine). You choose the form to match the person doing the job, not the person speaking.

French (m / f)	Pronunciation	English
un professeur / une professeure	uhn pro-feh-SUR	a teacher
un médecin (m & f)	uhn mayd-SAN	a doctor
un(e) infirmier / infirmière	an-feer-mee-AIR	a nurse
un boulanger / une boulangère	boo-lon-ZHAY / boo-lon-ZHAIR	a baker
un vendeur / une vendeuse	von-DUR / von-DUHZ	a shop assistant
un coiffeur / une coiffeuse	kwa-FUR / kwa-FUHZ	a hairdresser
un serveur / une serveuse	sair-VUR / sair-VUHZ	a waiter / waitress
un cuisinier / une cuisinière	kwee-zee-nee-AY / -AIR	a cook / chef
un avocat / une avocate	a-vo-KA / a-vo-KAT	a lawyer
un ingénieur (m & f)	an-zhay-nee-UR	an engineer
un agriculteur / une agricultrice	a-gree-kül-TUR / -TREESS	a farmer
un facteur / une factrice	fak-TUR / fak-TREESS	a postman / postwoman
un policier / une policière	po-lee-see-AY / -AIR	a police officer
un mécanicien / une mécanicienne	may-ka-nee-see-AN / -EN	a mechanic
un(e) secrétaire (m & f)	suh-kray-TAIR	a secretary

Spotting the feminine pattern. Many jobs follow a regular rule for the feminine form:

Masculine ending	Feminine ending	Example
-er	-ère	boulanger → boulangère
-eur	-euse	vendeur → vendeuse
-eur	-rice (some)	agriculteur → agricultrice
-ien	-ienne	mécanicien → mécanicienne
-e (no change)	-e	un secrétaire → une secrétaire

Worked mini-example. Your mother is a hairdresser. Which word do you use? She is female, so you pick the feminine form: Ma mère est coiffeuse (My mother is a hairdresser). If your father were the hairdresser, it would be Mon père est coiffeur.

Most jobs have a masculine and a feminine form; match it to the person doing the job.
Common patterns: -er → -ère, -eur → -euse, -ien → -ienne.
Some jobs don't change: un / une secrétaire, un médecin, un ingénieur.
Learn jobs in pairs (boulanger / boulangère) so you always have both forms ready.

Saying what someone does — être with no article

Use il/elle est or je suis + job, and crucially leave out the word for 'a'.

After être, French drops the word for "a" before a job — unless you add a describing word.

The most important rule in this whole topic: when you say a person's job after the verb être (to be), you leave out the word for "a" (un / une).

French	English	Note
Je suis professeur.	I am a teacher.	No un before professeur
Il est médecin.	He is a doctor.	No un before médecin
Elle est infirmière.	She is a nurse.	Feminine form, still no une
Nous sommes étudiants.	We are students.	Plural, still no article

This feels strange to English speakers because we always say "a teacher". In French the job after être works almost like a label, so the article disappears.

The one exception: when you describe the job. If you add an adjective (a describing word), you switch to c'est (it is / he is / she is) and the article comes back:

Elle est avocate. (She is a lawyer.) — plain job, no article.
C'est une bonne avocate. (She is a good lawyer.) — described, so une returns.

Worked mini-example. Translate "My brother is a mechanic." Choose the masculine form (mécanicien), use est, drop the article: Mon frère est mécanicien. If you wanted to say "He is a hard-working mechanic", you'd switch frame: C'est un mécanicien travailleur.

After être, drop the article: Je suis professeur, Il est médecin.
This applies to je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.
Use the feminine job form for a woman even though there is no une: Elle est infirmière.
Add a describing word → switch to c'est and bring the article back: C'est un bon médecin.

Asking and answering questions about jobs

Ready-made question and answer frames for the Speaking and Writing exams.

In the Speaking exam (and in role-play / conversation writing) you must be able to ask about jobs as well as answer. Learn these question→answer frames as fixed phrases.

Question (French)	English	Model answer
Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?	What do you do for a living?	Je suis étudiant(e). (I'm a student.)
Quel est ton métier ?	What is your job?	Je suis vendeuse. (I'm a shop assistant.)
Que fait ton père / ta mère ?	What does your father / mother do?	Mon père est ingénieur. (My dad is an engineer.)
Où travailles-tu ?	Where do you work?	Je travaille dans un magasin. (I work in a shop.)
Tu aimes ton travail ?	Do you like your work?	Oui, j'aime mon travail. (Yes, I like my work.)

Talking about family members' jobs is very common at this level because students themselves are usually still studying. Useful verbs:

travailler — to work: Ma mère travaille dans un hôpital. (My mother works in a hospital.)
être — to be: Mon oncle est facteur. (My uncle is a postman.)
gagner — to earn: Il gagne bien sa vie. (He earns a good living.)

Saying where people work — dans, chez, pour.

Preposition	Meaning	Example
dans	in (a place)	dans un bureau (in an office), dans une usine (in a factory)
chez	at the place/business of	chez un dentiste (at a dentist's), chez Renault (at Renault)
pour	for (a company)	pour une grande entreprise (for a big company)

Worked mini-example. Build a short exchange. Question: Que fait ta sœur ? (What does your sister do?). Answer: Ma sœur est coiffeuse et elle travaille dans un salon en ville. (My sister is a hairdresser and she works in a salon in town.) Notice the feminine coiffeuse and dans un salon for the place.

Key questions: Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ? and Quel est ton métier ?
Ask about family with Que fait ton père / ta mère ?
Say the workplace with dans (a place), chez (a business/person), pour (a company).
Pair travailler dans + place: Je travaille dans un restaurant.

Future plans — aller, vouloir and espérer + infinitive

Three reliable structures for saying what job you want and what you are going to do.

Three signal verbs for future plans — each is followed by a verb in the infinitive.

To talk about your future career you only need three structures. In every one, the first verb is conjugated (changed to match the subject) and the second verb stays in the infinitive (its dictionary form, ending in -er, -ir or -re).

1. aller + infinitive — "going to" (the near future). Aller (to go) is conjugated, then you add an infinitive:

French	English
Je vais travailler.	I am going to work.
Je vais étudier le français.	I am going to study French.
Il va devenir médecin.	He is going to become a doctor.

The forms of aller: je vais, tu vas, il/elle va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont.

2. vouloir + infinitive — "to want to" (and the polite voudrais). Vouloir (to want): je veux, tu veux, il/elle veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils/elles veulent.

Je veux être pilote. (I want to be a pilot.)
Je voudrais devenir avocate. (I would like to become a lawyer.) — voudrais is softer and more polite than veux; examiners love it.

3. espérer + infinitive — "to hope to". Espérer (to hope): j'espère, tu espères, il/elle espère, nous espérons, vous espérez, ils/elles espèrent. Note the accent change (é → è) in j'espère.

J'espère trouver un bon emploi. (I hope to find a good job.)
Elle espère travailler à l'étranger. (She hopes to work abroad.)

A very useful verb to slot in as the infinitive is devenir (to become): Je veux devenir vétérinaire (I want to become a vet).

Worked mini-example. Combine two structures: Après mes études, je vais aller à l'université et je voudrais devenir ingénieur. (After my studies, I'm going to go to university and I'd like to become an engineer.) Both signal verbs (vais, voudrais) are conjugated; both second verbs (aller, devenir) stay in the infinitive.

aller + infinitive = going to: Je vais travailler.
vouloir + infinitive = want to: Je veux être pilote; the polite je voudrais is even better.
espérer + infinitive = hope to: J'espère trouver un bon travail (note j'espère, è).
The second verb is ALWAYS an infinitive — never conjugate it.
Slot in devenir (to become): Je veux devenir médecin.

Opinions with reasons — saying why you want a job

Give an opinion phrase, then justify it with parce que (because).

Examiners reward opinions with a reason. The pattern is always: opinion + parce que (because) + reason. Memorise a handful of opinion openers and a handful of reasons, and you can build a sentence about any job.

Opinion openers:

French	English
Je voudrais être…	I would like to be…
Je veux devenir…	I want to become…
Je rêve de devenir…	I dream of becoming…
Mon métier idéal serait…	My ideal job would be…
Je n'aimerais pas être…	I wouldn't like to be…

Reasons (after parce que / car):

French	English
…parce que j'aime aider les gens.	…because I like helping people.
…parce que c'est un travail intéressant.	…because it is an interesting job.
…parce que je m'intéresse à la science.	…because I'm interested in science.
…parce qu'on gagne bien sa vie.	…because you earn a good living.
…parce que je veux voyager.	…because I want to travel.
…parce que j'aime travailler avec les enfants.	…because I like working with children.

Useful adjectives to describe a job: intéressant (interesting), bien payé (well paid), difficile (difficult), fatigant (tiring), utile (useful), ennuyeux (boring), passionnant (exciting).

Worked mini-example. Build a full opinion sentence: Je voudrais devenir infirmière parce que j'aime aider les gens et c'est un travail utile. (I would like to become a nurse because I like helping people and it is a useful job.) That single sentence gives an opinion, a reason, and an extra detail — exactly the range examiners want.

Note on parce que vs parce qu'. Before a vowel, parce que becomes parce qu' (elision): parce qu'on gagne…, parce qu'il aime….

Pattern: opinion + parce que + reason (e.g. Je voudrais être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens).
Use je voudrais être…, je veux devenir…, je rêve de devenir… as openers.
Stock reasons: j'aime aider les gens, c'est intéressant, on gagne bien sa vie.
Add a job adjective: intéressant, bien payé, fatigant, utile.
parce que → parce qu' before a vowel (parce qu'on).

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

Je suis professeur. (I am a teacher.) — no article after être.
Il est médecin. / Elle est infirmière. — feminine form for a woman.
Feminine patterns: -er → -ère (boulangère), -eur → -euse (vendeuse), -ien → -ienne (mécanicienne).
Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ? (What do you do for a living?)
Quel est ton métier ? (What is your job?)
Je travaille dans un bureau / chez un dentiste / pour une entreprise.
Je vais travailler. (aller + infinitive = going to.)
Je veux / voudrais devenir vétérinaire. (vouloir + infinitive = want to / would like to.)
J'espère trouver un bon travail. (espérer + infinitive = hope to.)
Je voudrais être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens. (opinion + reason.)
Key verbs: travailler (work), gagner (earn), aider (help), devenir (become).

How it’s examined

The World of Work theme appears across all four papers of Cambridge IGCSE French 0520.

Paper 1 (Listening): You hear people describe their jobs, workplaces and future plans. Listen for the job word (and its gender), the place (dans / chez), and future signals (je vais…, je voudrais…). A common trap is mishearing similar jobs (serveur vs coiffeur) or missing a feminine ending.
Paper 2 (Reading): Texts include adverts, profiles and articles about careers. Many job words are near-cognates (professeur, secrétaire, ingénieur, pilote) — use that to decode, but watch for false friends.
Paper 3 (Speaking): In the conversation you will be asked Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?, what your parents do, and what you want to do later. Having ready frames (je voudrais devenir… parce que…) lets you answer fluently and give the opinions-with-reasons that earn higher marks.
Paper 4 (Writing): You may describe family members' jobs or write about your future career. Accuracy matters: correct gender of the job word, the dropped article after être, the infinitive after aller / vouloir / espérer, and accents (métier, j'espère, vétérinaire).

Examiner reports note that candidates score best when they justify their career choices with parce que and use a range of future structures, rather than repeating je veux every time.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

Master this Topic

Worked examples, formulae, definitions and the mistakes examiners flag — everything you need to push from a pass to an A*.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Jobs and professions

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on jobs and professions, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Choose the correct masculine or feminine job form
Getting started
Question
Complete the sentences with the right form of the job. (a) Ma mère est ______ (baker). (b) Mon frère est ______ (waiter). (c) Ma sœur est ______ (hairdresser).
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Identify the person's gender. (a) ma mère = mother → feminine. (b) mon frère = brother → masculine. (c) ma sœur = sister → feminine.
2. Step 2
  Apply the feminine pattern. baker: boulanger → -er becomes -ère → boulangère. hairdresser: coiffeur → -eur becomes -euse → coiffeuse. waiter stays masculine: serveur.
3. Step 3
  Drop the article after être. No un / une before the job: est boulangère, not est une boulangère.
Answer
(a) Ma mère est boulangère. (b) Mon frère est serveur. (c) Ma sœur est coiffeuse.
Examiner tip
Gender agreement on job words is tested for accuracy in Papers 2 and 4. The -eur → -euse change (coiffeur → coiffeuse, serveur → serveuse) is the one beginners most often get wrong — they wrongly write coiffeure.
2Say what someone does — without the word for 'a'
Getting started
Question
Translate into French: 'My father is a doctor and my aunt is a nurse.'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Choose the job words. doctor = médecin (same for m & f); nurse = infirmier (m) / infirmière (f). The aunt is female → infirmière.
2. Step 2
  Use être and drop the article. Mon père est médecin (no un); ma tante est infirmière (no une).
3. Step 3
  Join with et (and). Put the two halves together in one sentence.
Answer
Mon père est médecin et ma tante est infirmière.
Examiner tip
The dropped article after être is the signature feature of this topic. Writing un médecin / une infirmière here sounds unnatural to examiners. Note the feminine ending infirmière with its accent grave.
3Talk about your future career with aller and vouloir
Building confidence
Question
Write two sentences about your future: one using aller + infinitive ('I am going to go to university') and one using vouloir/voudrais + infinitive ('I would like to become a vet').
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  aller + infinitive. Conjugate aller for 'I' → je vais; add the infinitive aller (to go) and the place: je vais aller à l'université.
2. Step 2
  vouloir + infinitive (polite form). Use je voudrais (I would like) + the infinitive devenir (to become) + the job: je voudrais devenir vétérinaire.
3. Step 3
  Keep the second verb in the infinitive. Never conjugate aller or devenir here — they stay in their plain form.
Answer
Je vais aller à l'université. Je voudrais devenir vétérinaire. (I'm going to go to university. I'd like to become a vet.)
Examiner tip
Using je voudrais rather than je veux is more polite and shows range — examiner reports praise candidates who vary their future structures. Remember the accents in université and vétérinaire.
4Give an opinion about a job with a reason
Building confidence
Question
Express this idea in French: 'I would like to be a teacher because I like working with children, but it is a tiring job.'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Opinion opener. 'I would like to be' = Je voudrais être + job. teacher = professeur: Je voudrais être professeur.
2. Step 2
  Reason with parce que. 'because I like working with children' = parce que j'aime travailler avec les enfants.
3. Step 3
  Add a contrast with mais. 'but it is a tiring job' = mais c'est un travail fatigant. Note: with the describing word fatigant, the article un returns (c'est un travail…).
Answer
Je voudrais être professeur parce que j'aime travailler avec les enfants, mais c'est un travail fatigant.
Examiner tip
This single sentence delivers an opinion, a justification and a contrast — the structure that earns top communication marks. The infinitive travailler after j'aime and the adjective fatigant (agreeing with masculine travail) are both correct.
5Build a short paragraph about family jobs and your future
Stretch
Question
Write 3-4 connected sentences: say your mother's job and where she works, then say what you hope to do in the future and why.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Mother's job + place. Ma mère est secrétaire et elle travaille dans un bureau en ville. (My mother is a secretary and she works in an office in town.) — dans + place.
2. Step 2
  Your future with espérer. Plus tard, j'espère devenir ingénieur. (Later, I hope to become an engineer.) — espérer + infinitive, note j'espère (è).
3. Step 3
  Reason with parce que. parce que je m'intéresse à la science et on gagne bien sa vie. (because I'm interested in science and you earn a good living.)
4. Step 4
  Link it together with connectives (et, plus tard, parce que) so it reads as a paragraph, not isolated sentences.
Answer
Ma mère est secrétaire et elle travaille dans un bureau en ville. Plus tard, j'espère devenir ingénieur parce que je m'intéresse à la science et on gagne bien sa vie.
Examiner tip
This shows the full range: a family job with gender and workplace, a future structure (j'espère + infinitive), and a justified opinion. Connectives (et, plus tard, parce que) and the dropped article after est lift this into a higher band in Paper 4.

Model Answers — Jobs and professions

High-scoring sample answers for jobs and professions on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. The examiner asks: Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie, et que font tes parents ? (What do you do for a living, and what do your parents do?) Give a model answer.
Model answer
Moi, je suis étudiant(e) (Me, I'm a student) et j'étudie au lycée. (and I study at secondary school.)

Mon père est mécanicien (My father is a mechanic) et il travaille dans un garage. (and he works in a garage.) Ma mère est infirmière (My mother is a nurse) et elle travaille dans un hôpital. (and she works in a hospital.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It answers both parts of the question, drops the article after être (je suis étudiant, est mécanicien, est infirmière), uses the correct feminine form infirmière, and adds the workplace with dans. Naming where each parent works gives extra detail that pushes the response above a minimal answer.
Question 2
Paper 3 (Speaking) / Paper 4 (Writing) style. Qu'est-ce que tu voudrais faire plus tard ? (What would you like to do later?) Give a model answer with a reason.
Model answer
Plus tard, je voudrais devenir médecin (Later, I'd like to become a doctor) parce que j'aime aider les gens et c'est un métier intéressant. (because I like helping people and it's an interesting job.)

D'abord, je vais aller à l'université (First, I'm going to go to university) et j'espère travailler dans un grand hôpital. (and I hope to work in a big hospital.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It combines three future structures — je voudrais devenir, je vais aller, j'espère travailler — which demonstrates real range, and it justifies the choice with parce que. Accents in médecin, métier, université and j'espère are all correct.
Question 3
Paper 4 (Writing) style. Give your opinion on a job you would NOT like to do, with a reason.
Model answer
Je n'aimerais pas être agriculteur (I wouldn't like to be a farmer) parce que c'est un travail très fatigant et difficile. (because it's a very tiring and difficult job.)

Par contre, j'admire les agriculteurs (On the other hand, I admire farmers) parce qu'ils travaillent dur. (because they work hard.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. A negative opinion (je n'aimerais pas être…) plus a balancing point with par contre shows the candidate can weigh two sides — a higher-band skill. Note parce qu'ils with elision before the vowel, and the masculine adjectives fatigant and difficile agreeing with travail.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Jobs and professions

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for jobs and professions answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

Je suis + métier (sans article)
Examiner keyword
To say your job, use être (to be) and DROP the word for 'a': Je suis professeur (I am a teacher), not Je suis un professeur.
Example
Je suis professeur. (I am a teacher.) Elle est infirmière. (She is a nurse.)
un métier / un travail
Examiner keyword
Two key nouns: 'un métier' = a job/trade/profession; 'un travail' = work / a job. The verb 'travailler' means to work.
Example
Quel est ton métier ? (What is your job?) J'aime mon travail. (I like my work.)
Feminine job endings (-ère, -euse, -ienne)
Examiner keyword
Most jobs change for a woman: -er → -ère, -eur → -euse, -ien → -ienne. Some stay the same (médecin, ingénieur, secrétaire).
Example
boulanger → boulangère; vendeur → vendeuse; mécanicien → mécanicienne.
aller + infinitif
Examiner keyword
The near future: conjugated aller (to go) + an infinitive = 'going to do something'. The second verb stays in the infinitive.
Example
Je vais travailler. (I am going to work.) Il va devenir médecin. (He is going to become a doctor.)
vouloir / voudrais + infinitif
Examiner keyword
vouloir = to want; je veux = I want, je voudrais = I would like (more polite). Followed by an infinitive to state a wish.
Example
Je veux être pilote. (I want to be a pilot.) Je voudrais devenir avocate. (I'd like to become a lawyer.)
espérer + infinitif
Examiner keyword
espérer = to hope; j'espère + infinitive = 'I hope to do something'. Note the accent change to è in j'espère.
Example
J'espère trouver un bon travail. (I hope to find a good job.)
devenir
The verb 'to become' — the most useful infinitive to slot after vouloir/espérer/aller when naming a future job.
Example
Je veux devenir vétérinaire. (I want to become a vet.)
parce que (parce qu')
Examiner keyword
'because' — used to justify an opinion. It becomes parce qu' before a vowel. Giving a reason earns higher marks.
Example
…parce que j'aime aider les gens. (…because I like helping people.) …parce qu'on gagne bien sa vie.
travailler dans / chez / pour
Say where someone works: dans + a place, chez + a business/person, pour + a company.
Example
Je travaille dans un bureau. (in an office) …chez un dentiste. (at a dentist's) …pour une entreprise. (for a company)
gagner sa vie
An idiom meaning 'to earn a living'. gagner = to earn/win; on gagne bien sa vie = you earn a good living.
Example
Il gagne bien sa vie. (He earns a good living.)

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Jobs and professions

The traps other students keep falling into on jobs and professions questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Adding 'a' after être: saying Je suis un professeur
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4
Why it happens
English always uses 'a' ('I am a teacher'), so beginners copy the structure directly into French.
How to avoid it
After être, go straight from the verb to the job with NO article: Je suis professeur, Il est médecin. Only add an article when you describe the job: C'est un bon professeur.
✕Forming the feminine by just adding -e (e.g. vendeure, coiffeure)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
Learners apply the regular adjective rule (add -e) to job words that follow a different pattern.
How to avoid it
Learn the irregular pairs as fixed items: -eur → -euse (vendeur/vendeuse), -teur → -trice (acteur/actrice), -ien → -ienne (mécanicien/mécanicienne).
✕Conjugating the second verb after aller/vouloir/espérer (e.g. je veux je deviens)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Beginners feel both verbs should 'agree' with the subject, so they change both.
How to avoid it
Conjugate ONLY the first (signal) verb; keep the second in the infinitive: je veux devenir, je vais travailler, j'espère trouver.
✕Giving an opinion with no reason (just Je veux être médecin)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking), communication
Why it happens
Students answer the literal question and stop, not realising reasons are rewarded.
How to avoid it
Always extend with parce que + a reason: Je veux être médecin parce que j'aime aider les gens. Add a contrast with mais for an even higher mark.
✕Dropping accents in job and future words (metier, esp ere, veterinaire)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
English has no accents, so they are treated as optional decoration.
How to avoid it
Treat accents as part of the spelling. High-frequency words to drill: métier, j'espère, vétérinaire, secrétaire, infirmière, université.
✕Using the wrong verb for 'to work' or confusing travail and travailler
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
travail (the noun: work) and travailler (the verb: to work) look alike, so learners mix them.
How to avoid it
Use the verb after a subject: Je travaille dans un magasin (I work…). Use the noun with an article: J'aime mon travail (I like my work). Never write je travail.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

French (m / f)

Pronunciation

English

un professeur / une professeure

uhn pro-feh-SUR

a teacher

un médecin (m & f)

uhn mayd-SAN

a doctor

un(e) infirmier / infirmière

an-feer-mee-AIR

a nurse

un boulanger / une boulangère

boo-lon-ZHAY / boo-lon-ZHAIR

a baker

un vendeur / une vendeuse

von-DUR / von-DUHZ

a shop assistant

un coiffeur / une coiffeuse

kwa-FUR / kwa-FUHZ

a hairdresser

un serveur / une serveuse

sair-VUR / sair-VUHZ

a waiter / waitress

un cuisinier / une cuisinière

kwee-zee-nee-AY / -AIR

a cook / chef

un avocat / une avocate

a-vo-KA / a-vo-KAT

a lawyer

un ingénieur (m & f)

an-zhay-nee-UR

an engineer

un agriculteur / une agricultrice

a-gree-kül-TUR / -TREESS

a farmer

un facteur / une factrice

fak-TUR / fak-TREESS

a postman / postwoman

un policier / une policière

po-lee-see-AY / -AIR

a police officer

un mécanicien / une mécanicienne

may-ka-nee-see-AN / -EN

a mechanic

un(e) secrétaire (m & f)

suh-kray-TAIR

a secretary

Masculine ending

Feminine ending

Example

-er

-ère

boulanger → boulangère

-eur

-euse

vendeur → vendeuse

-eur

-rice (some)

agriculteur → agricultrice

-ien

-ienne

mécanicien → mécanicienne

-e (no change)

-e

un secrétaire → une secrétaire

French

English

Note

Je suis professeur.

I am a teacher.

No un before professeur

Il est médecin.

He is a doctor.

No un before médecin

Elle est infirmière.

She is a nurse.

Feminine form, still no une

Nous sommes étudiants.

We are students.

Plural, still no article

Question (French)

English

Model answer

Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?

What do you do for a living?

Je suis étudiant(e). (I'm a student.)

Quel est ton métier ?

What is your job?

Je suis vendeuse. (I'm a shop assistant.)

Que fait ton père / ta mère ?

What does your father / mother do?

Mon père est ingénieur. (My dad is an engineer.)

Où travailles-tu ?

Where do you work?

Je travaille dans un magasin. (I work in a shop.)

Tu aimes ton travail ?

Do you like your work?

Oui, j'aime mon travail. (Yes, I like my work.)

Preposition

Meaning

Example

dans

in (a place)

dans un bureau (in an office), dans une usine (in a factory)

chez

at the place/business of

chez un dentiste (at a dentist's), chez Renault (at Renault)

pour

for (a company)

pour une grande entreprise (for a big company)

French

English

Je vais travailler.

I am going to work.

Je vais étudier le français.

I am going to study French.

Il va devenir médecin.

He is going to become a doctor.

French

English

Je voudrais être…

I would like to be…

Je veux devenir…

I want to become…

Je rêve de devenir…

I dream of becoming…

Mon métier idéal serait…

My ideal job would be…

Je n'aimerais pas être…

I wouldn't like to be…

French

English

…parce que j'aime aider les gens.

…because I like helping people.

…parce que c'est un travail intéressant.

…because it is an interesting job.

…parce que je m'intéresse à la science.

…because I'm interested in science.

…parce qu'on gagne bien sa vie.

…because you earn a good living.

…parce que je veux voyager.

…because I want to travel.

…parce que j'aime travailler avec les enfants.

…because I like working with children.

The World of Work theme appears across all four papers of Cambridge IGCSE French 0520.

Paper 1 (Listening): You hear people describe their jobs, workplaces and future plans. Listen for the job word (and its gender), the place (dans / chez), and future signals (je vais…, je voudrais…). A common trap is mishearing similar jobs (serveur vs coiffeur) or missing a feminine ending.
Paper 2 (Reading): Texts include adverts, profiles and articles about careers. Many job words are near-cognates (professeur, secrétaire, ingénieur, pilote) — use that to decode, but watch for false friends.
Paper 3 (Speaking): In the conversation you will be asked Qu'est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ?, what your parents do, and what you want to do later. Having ready frames (je voudrais devenir… parce que…) lets you answer fluently and give the opinions-with-reasons that earn higher marks.
Paper 4 (Writing): You may describe family members' jobs or write about your future career. Accuracy matters: correct gender of the job word, the dropped article after être, the infinitive after aller / vouloir / espérer, and accents (métier, j'espère, vétérinaire).

Examiner reports note that candidates score best when they justify their career choices with parce que and use a range of future structures, rather than repeating je veux every time.

Jobs and professions

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Choose the correct masculine or feminine job form

2Say what someone does — without the word for 'a'

3Talk about your future career with aller and vouloir

4Give an opinion about a job with a reason

5Build a short paragraph about family jobs and your future

Je suis + métier (sans article)

un métier / un travail

Feminine job endings (-ère, -euse, -ienne)

aller + infinitif

vouloir / voudrais + infinitif

espérer + infinitif

devenir

parce que (parce qu')

travailler dans / chez / pour

gagner sa vie

✕Adding 'a' after être: saying Je suis un professeur

✕Forming the feminine by just adding -e (e.g. vendeure, coiffeure)

✕Conjugating the second verb after aller/vouloir/espérer (e.g. je veux je deviens)

✕Giving an opinion with no reason (just Je veux être médecin)

✕Dropping accents in job and future words (metier, esp ere, veterinaire)

✕Using the wrong verb for 'to work' or confusing travail and travailler

Past paper style quiz

Jobs and professions

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Choose the correct masculine or feminine job form

2Say what someone does — without the word for 'a'

3Talk about your future career with aller and vouloir

4Give an opinion about a job with a reason

5Build a short paragraph about family jobs and your future

Je suis + métier (sans article)

un métier / un travail

Feminine job endings (-ère, -euse, -ienne)

aller + infinitif

vouloir / voudrais + infinitif

espérer + infinitif

devenir

parce que (parce qu')

travailler dans / chez / pour

gagner sa vie

✕Adding 'a' after être: saying Je suis un professeur

✕Forming the feminine by just adding -e (e.g. vendeure, coiffeure)

✕Conjugating the second verb after aller/vouloir/espérer (e.g. je veux je deviens)

✕Giving an opinion with no reason (just Je veux être médecin)

✕Dropping accents in job and future words (metier, esp ere, veterinaire)

✕Using the wrong verb for 'to work' or confusing travail and travailler

Past paper style quiz