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Literal meaning of 'au bureau'
Literally, au means 'to the' or 'at the,' and bureau means 'office' or 'desk.' So, au bureau translates directly to 'at the office' or 'at the desk.'
Use for location
You'll use au bureau to specify someone's location. For example, Il est au bureau (He is at the office).
Common phrases with 'au bureau'
It's common to hear things like travailler au bureau (to work at the office) or rentrer au bureau (to go back to the office).
Expressing presence at work
It implies being present at your place of work. If someone asks Où es-tu? (Where are you?), you could reply Je suis au bureau (I am at the office).
Different from 'chez'
Don't confuse it with chez. While chez le médecin means 'at the doctor's,' au bureau is specifically for the office building, not the person who works there.
Can refer to a desk too
Remember bureau can also mean 'desk.' So, Il est à son bureau means 'He is at his desk.' However, au bureau on its own usually implies the office building.
Plural form 'aux bureaux'
If you're talking about multiple offices, you'd use aux bureaux. For example, Je dois aller aux bureaux de Paris et de Lyon (I have to go to the offices in Paris and Lyon).
Contrast with 'à la maison'
It's the opposite of à la maison (at home). So, you might say Je suis au bureau le matin, et à la maison l'après-midi (I'm at the office in the morning, and at home in the afternoon).
Preposition 'au'
The 'au' is a contraction of 'à' (at) and 'le' (the). You'll see this often with masculine singular nouns that start with a consonant. It's a common French prepositional phrase.
Practice with example sentences
Try creating your own sentences: Quand reviens-tu au bureau? (When are you coming back to the office?) or Elle passe beaucoup de temps au bureau (She spends a lot of time at the office).
Literal meaning of 'au bureau'
Literally, au means 'to the' or 'at the,' and bureau means 'office' or 'desk.' So, au bureau translates directly to 'at the office' or 'at the desk.'
Use for location
You'll use au bureau to specify someone's location. For example, Il est au bureau (He is at the office).
Common phrases with 'au bureau'
It's common to hear things like travailler au bureau (to work at the office) or rentrer au bureau (to go back to the office).
Expressing presence at work
It implies being present at your place of work. If someone asks Où es-tu? (Where are you?), you could reply Je suis au bureau (I am at the office).
Related Content
Related Phrases
More work words
à distance
A2Remotely, from a distance; not in person or on site.
à durée déterminée
B1For a fixed or definite period; fixed-term.
à durée indéterminée
B1For an indefinite period; permanent (e.g., contract).
à la fin
A2At the end, at the conclusion of something.
à la journée
B1Daily, by the day.
à la semaine
B1Weekly, by the week.
à l'année
B1Annually, by the year.
à l'attention de
B1Directed to; for the attention of.
à l'avance
A2In advance; beforehand.
à l'issue de
A2At the end of, following; upon the conclusion of.
