The word you probably know for 'project' in French is projet. And you're right, that's the most direct translation! But in the professional world, academic settings, or even just casual conversation, French speakers use a variety of other terms to describe their work, plans, and ambitions.

Whether you're discussing a business plan, a school assignment, or a personal passion project, using the right word can make you sound more like a native speaker.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say 'project' in French and explore the specific contexts for each one!

The standard 'project' – un projet

The standard 'project' – un projet

Un projet is the most direct and common French word for a 'project.' It refers to a plan or an undertaking, often complex and with a specific goal, that is carried out over a period of time.

Crucially, projet is a masculine noun. You will always see it with masculine articles:

un projet: a project
le projet: the project
des projets: projects (plural)
les projets: the projects (plural)

This word is extremely versatile and is used in almost any context where you would use 'project' in English, including business, academics, construction, personal goals, and creative endeavors.

The noun projet is related to the verb projeter, which means 'to plan,' 'to project,' or 'to intend.' For instance, 'Nous projetons de déménager l'année prochaine' means 'We are planning to move next year.'

You will often hear projet as part of common professional and political phrases:

Chef de projet: Project Manager
Gestion de projet: Project Management
Un projet de loi: A bill (a proposed law)

💡 * Je travaille sur un nouveau projet très intéressant.

L'architecte a présenté les plans pour le projet de construction.

Quel est ton projet pour les vacances d'été ?

Le gouvernement a approuvé le projet de loi.

Ils ont abandonné le projet par manque de financement.

The 'worksite' or 'large-scale project' – un chantier

The French word for a construction site or worksite is un chantier.

Literally, un chantier refers to any place where construction, renovation, or major work is being done. You'll see signs for it all over French cities, indicating roadwork, building construction, or public transport projects.

However, the real magic of this word lies in its very common figurative meaning. Beyond the physical site, un chantier is used to describe any situation that is a mess, a work in progress, or a chaotic undertaking.

Think of it as the English equivalent of saying "it's a disaster zone" or "it's a huge project." If a room is incredibly messy, a plan is disorganized, or a task is overwhelmingly complex, it's un chantier.

A very frequent exclamation you'll hear is, "Quel chantier !" which means "What a mess!" or "What a huge job!". Similarly, "C'est le chantier ici !" means "It's a total mess in here!"

This dual meaning makes it an incredibly versatile and expressive word. It perfectly captures the feeling of something being deconstructed or in a state of chaos, whether it's a city street or your personal to-do list.

💡 * Attention, la rue est bloquée à cause du chantier.

Ranger ce garage, c'est un vrai chantier, ça va prendre des jours !

Quel chantier ta chambre ! Tu devrais la nettoyer.

Le projet est encore en chantier, nous n'avons pas terminé.

Ma cuisine, c'est le chantier depuis que j'ai commencé à faire le gâteau.

The 'plan' or 'scheme' – un plan

In French, un plan is a highly versatile word that most directly translates to a 'plan,' but its meaning can shift significantly depending on the context.

The two most common and formal meanings of un plan are 'a plan' (an organized intention) and 'a map.' You can have un plan d'action (an action plan) or ask for un plan de la ville (a city map). The context usually makes it clear which one is meant.

In everyday conversation, un plan often refers to a 'deal,' 'scheme,' or 'arrangement.' This can be positive, negative, or neutral. For example, un bon plan is a 'good deal' or 'a great tip,' a very common and useful expression for learners.

In modern slang, un plan can also refer to a casual romantic or sexual encounter. You might hear the term un plan cul (often abbreviated to un plan Q), which specifically means a 'booty call' or 'hookup.' This usage is very informal.

Because the meaning of un plan ranges from a simple map to a secret scheme or a casual hookup, understanding the context is absolutely crucial. Listen for adjectives like bon (good) or mauvais (bad) and pay attention to the overall situation to grasp the intended meaning.

💡 * On a un plan pour le week-end, on va à la plage.

Pourriez-vous me donner un plan du métro, s'il vous plaît ?

Ce site web est un bon plan pour trouver des billets d'avion pas chers.

Il m'a proposé un plan un peu bizarre pour gagner de l'argent rapidement.

J'ai rendez-vous avec mon plan de ce soir.

The 'undertaking' or 'endeavor' – une entreprise

While une entreprise is most commonly known as a 'business' or 'company,' it also carries the important meaning of an 'undertaking,' 'endeavor,' or 'enterprise,' referring to a significant project or action.

In its primary business sense, une entreprise refers to a commercial firm or company. It is a feminine noun, always preceded by feminine articles like une or la. For example, une grande entreprise means 'a large company'.

In a broader sense, une entreprise describes a complex or difficult project. This usage aligns closely with the English word 'undertaking.' It implies a task that requires significant effort, planning, and resources.

Using une entreprise for a project emphasizes its scale and challenge. You wouldn't use it for a simple task, but rather for something like organizing a festival or renovating an old castle, which are both considered significant undertakings.

💡 * Il travaille pour une grande entreprise internationale. (He works for a large international company.)

La construction de ce pont a été une entreprise colossale. (The construction of this bridge was a colossal undertaking.)

Elle a lancé sa propre entreprise de marketing digital. (She launched her own digital marketing business.)

Apprendre le français en six mois est une véritable entreprise ! (Learning French in six months is a real endeavor!)

The 'study' or 'research project' – une étude

The French noun une étude is the primary term for 'a study,' 'a survey,' or 'a research project.' It refers to a detailed investigation and analysis of a particular subject.

You will most commonly encounter une étude in academic, scientific, and business contexts. It can be une étude scientifique (a scientific study), une étude de marché (a market study), or une étude de cas (a case study).

Crucially, étude is a feminine noun. This means you must always use feminine articles and adjectives with it, such as une étude or la nouvelle étude (the new study).

This noun is directly derived from the verb étudier (to study). So, when you étudiez (study) a topic, the formal report or analysis you produce is une étude.

💡 * Les scientifiques ont publié une nouvelle étude sur le climat. (The scientists published a new study on the climate.)

Je dois lire cette étude pour mon cours de sociologie. (I have to read this study for my sociology class.)

Notre entreprise a commandé une étude de marché. (Our company commissioned a market study.)

Cette étude révèle des faits intéressants. (This study reveals interesting facts.)

The 'file' or 'case' you're working on – un dossier

When referring to a collection of documents about a specific subject, like a 'file,' 'folder,' or 'case,' the essential French word you need is un dossier.

Literally, un dossier is a file or folder containing papers. However, its meaning extends beyond the physical object to encompass all the information and documents related to a particular subject, project, or person. It's a key term in any administrative, legal, or professional setting.

In the workplace, you'll hear dossier constantly. It can refer to a client file (un dossier client), a project file (le dossier du projet), or a legal case (un dossier judiciaire). It represents the central collection of information for a specific task.

The term isn't limited to professional life. You also use it for personal administrative tasks. For instance, when you apply for a job, you compile un dossier de candidature (an application file). When planning a trip, you might gather all your bookings into un dossier de voyage (a travel file).

Remember, un dossier implies a collection of related information, not just a single document. Whether it's a physical folder or a digital one, if it contains all the materials on a specific topic, it's un dossier.

💡 * J'ai préparé le dossier pour la réunion de demain. (I prepared the file for tomorrow's meeting.)

L'avocat étudie attentivement tous les documents du dossier. (The lawyer is carefully studying all the documents in the case file.)

Pouvez-vous me transmettre le dossier du patient, s'il vous plaît ? (Could you please send me the patient's file?)

Mon dossier de candidature a été accepté. (My application file has been accepted.)

The 'work' or 'assignment' – un travail

The French noun un travail is a fundamental word that translates to 'work' or 'a job'. However, its meaning is highly contextual, and it's frequently used in academic settings to mean a specific 'assignment', 'task', or 'piece of work'.

In a general sense, asking someone Quel est ton travail? means 'What is your job?'. In a school or university context, a teacher might give students un travail à faire, which means 'an assignment to do' or 'homework'. The context clarifies whether you're talking about a profession or a specific task.

It's important to note that un travail is a masculine noun. Its plural form is irregular and becomes des travaux. For example, you would say J'ai deux travaux à rendre (I have two assignments to turn in).

💡 * Le professeur nous a donné un travail très difficile. (The teacher gave us a very difficult assignment.)

J'ai beaucoup de travail cette semaine au bureau. (I have a lot of work this week at the office.)

Les élèves doivent présenter leurs travaux demain. (The students must present their assignments tomorrow.)

Trouver un bon travail peut prendre du temps. (Finding a good job can take time.)

The 'mission' or 'assignment' – une mission

The 'mission' or 'assignment' – une mission

Une mission directly translates to 'a mission' or 'an assignment.' It refers to a specific task, duty, or objective that is given to a person or a group, implying a clear purpose or goal.

This term is incredibly versatile and is used in many contexts. You might hear it in a professional setting (une mission d'affaires – a business trip/assignment), a military context (une mission de reconnaissance – a reconnaissance mission), or even for personal goals (se donner une mission – to give oneself a mission).

Common verbs used with mission include avoir une mission (to have a mission), accomplir une mission (to accomplish a mission), and confier une mission (to entrust someone with a mission).

💡 * L'espion a été envoyé en mission secrète. (The spy was sent on a secret mission.)

Notre mission est de terminer le projet avant la fin du mois. (Our mission is to finish the project before the end of the month.)

Il s'est donné pour mission de lire un livre par semaine. (He gave himself the mission of reading one book per week.)

The 'design' or 'grand plan' – un dessein

The French noun un dessein translates to a plan, project, or intention. However, it carries a much stronger and more deliberate connotation than its simpler synonyms like un plan or un projet. Think of it as a 'design' in the sense of a 'grand design,' a purpose, a scheme, or a carefully conceived intention. It implies a high degree of thought and purposefulness.

You will typically find un dessein used in more formal, literary, or serious contexts. It's the perfect word to describe someone's long-term ambitions, a complex strategy, or even a sense of destiny, as in le dessein de Dieu (God's plan). It often suggests a hidden or profound motive behind an action. The adverbial phrase à dessein means 'on purpose' or 'by design'.

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between un dessein (a plan) and its homophone un dessin (a drawing). Although they sound identical, their spelling and meanings are distinct. Remember that the 'e' in dessein relates to a deliberate plan, while the 'i' in dessin relates to a visual illustration.

💡 * Son principal dessein est de devenir président. (His main goal/plan is to become president.)

Elle poursuit ses desseins avec une détermination sans faille. (She pursues her goals with unwavering determination.)

Je soupçonne qu'il a des desseins cachés. (I suspect he has hidden intentions.)

Il a fait cela à dessein pour provoquer une réaction. (He did that on purpose to provoke a reaction.)

Are there other ways to say 'project' in French?

Our guide features the most essential ways to say 'project' in French for everyday and professional use. But French is a precise language, and you'll find many other terms specific to fields like construction (chantier), art (œuvre), or research (étude).

You can discover more nuanced terms by searching online for “comment dire project en français” followed by a specific context, like “droit” (law) or “informatique” (IT).

When you encounter a new synonym for projet, pay close attention to the context. A word like plan might refer to the blueprint of a project, not the entire endeavor. Checking examples is key to using these words correctly.

Pay attention to how projects are discussed in French news, business reports, or documentaries. You'll quickly notice how professionals in different fields use specific vocabulary to describe their work and ambitions.

If you need to understand the subtle differences between various words for 'project', the bilingual dictionary Linguee is an excellent tool. It provides real-world, translated sentence examples from official sources.

I hope this article has helped clarify how to talk about your projects in French. To end, here’s a wonderful quote from French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to inspire your next great endeavor: Pour ce qui est de l'avenir, il ne s'agit pas de le prévoir, mais de le rendre possible. (As for the future, it is not a matter of predicting it, but of making it possible.)

'9 ways to say "project" in French'