Hi Mona, Yes, "civil servant" and "bureaucrat" means the same people. People who work for the government. There are small differences in the two phrases, though. "Civil servant" sounds more positive, and "bureaucrat" sounds more negative. So, if you like people who work for the government you might call them civil servants. If you don't like them, you might call them "bureaucrats." Also, "bureaucrat" implies office work... but a "civil servant" could be anyone who works for the government even if they do not work in an office. A police officer, a fireman, a judge, a school teacher, social worker, a city mayor.... these are all civil servants. But when we say "bureaucrat" I think of someone who works in a government office. Maybe like a tax collector.

A ‘bureaucrat’ is stereotypically someone who works in a desk job doing administration. (A ‘bureau’ is a desk) In the US it has a somewhat negative connotation but it is not restricted to government. A large company or school or hospital has a bureaucracy. Hence, we have the term ‘government bureaucrat’ which tends to be used by people critical of the government. ‘Civil servant’ may have different meanings in different countries. In the US it’s not a very precise term but it could include jobs that aren’t administrative, such as those in education or public safety. No one would characterize a teacher who works for the government as a ‘bureaucrat’, some might consider that person a ‘civil servant’, while others might not use either term.