patron

boss

noun pah-TROHN Common

Also means

patron

Usage Note

Patron is the everyday word for an employer or the owner of a business, from a local café to a major firm. Its feminine form is patronne. It also carries the older meaning of a patron saint — each French town celebrates its 'fête patronale'.

Examples

"Le patron arrive toujours le premier."

Natural Translation

The boss always arrives first.

Literal Translation

The boss arrives always the first

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Silent Letters: The CaReFuL Rule

Final consonants in French are silent by default — except C, R, F, L. The CaReFuL rule, the silent -e, the plural-s trap, and liaison, explained simply.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

How to Say "I Miss You" in French (Without Errors)

"I miss you" in French is Tu me manques, not Je te manque. Learn the subject-flip behind manquer so you never text the opposite of what you mean.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Ordering Food in French: Restaurant Phrases That Work

Order food in French with confidence: greet first, say je voudrais not je veux, ask for a carafe d'eau, answer quelle cuisson, and request the bill yourself.

June 4, 2026 6 min read