travailler

Senses

1. 1.

   to work

   to engage in labor or employment

2. 2.

   to work on

   to apply effort toward a task or skill

3. 3.

   to function / operate

   to work properly (of a machine, system, etc.)

4. 4.

   to take effect / to act

   to exert influence or pressure (e.g., yeast working in dough)

Examples

• "Je travaille comme ingénieur dans une grande entreprise."

  I work as an engineer in a large company.

• "Elle travaille son français chaque jour pour s'améliorer."

  She works on her French every day to improve.

• "La machine ne travaille plus ; il faut l'appeler un technicien."

  The machine no longer works; we need to call a technician.

Usage

Very common, neutral register. Often paired with prepositions: *travailler à* (to work on), *travailler pour* (to work for). In informal speech, *bosser* is a popular slang alternative.