French Lesson Work Absence is Chapter 73 in the Free French Lessons website, pluys it appears in full audiobook glory in Hands Free Business French to help you learn even faster – plus you will get to practice your pronunication like a native French speaker. Please have a listen here
a day off— un jour de congé
Why were you absent? Was it a business trip, sickness leave or a day off?
Pourquoi étiez—vous absent ? Etait—ce un déplacement professionnel, un congé maladie ou un jour de congé ?
« Absent » – This word is transparent. It means absent.
“was it”— « était-ce »
It’s a question. Like in English, we invert the verb and the subject. “It was” becomes “was it”— « c’était » becomes « était-ce ».
French Lesson Work Absence
“a business trip”— « un déplacement professionnel »
Now a trip is usually « un voyage », and “business” is much more common and has a broader meaning in English than « professionnel ».
E.g. “Everything is business”; “Mind your own business”.
In this case, it’s a set phrase, a “business trip” is always « un déplacement professionnel ».
“sickness leave”— « un congé maladie »
“to be sick”— « être malade »
“Sickness” — « la maladie »
Literally: I’m sick to my stomach — J’ai mal à l’estomac.
“to be on leave”— « prendre un congé »
“sickness leave”— « un congé maladie »
“a day off”— « un jour de congé »
“to take a day off”— « prendre un jour de congé »
“to take several days off”— « Prendre des (jours de) congés »
Here is the full sentence again—
“Why were you absent? Was it a business trip, sickness leave or a day off?”
« Pourquoi étiez—vous absent ? Etait—ce un déplacement professionnel, un congé maladie ou un jour de congé ? »
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