A portable work apparatus has a drive motor and a housing which is formed at least partially by a housing part. The work apparatus has an operating fluid tank which is formed separately from the housing part and which has a cavity for receiving operating fluid. The operating fluid tank has a first portion which is arranged in a receptacle of the housing part, and a second portion which at least partially delimits the cavity and which protrudes from the receptacle. Provision is made for the operating fluid tank to be fixed to the housing part by at least one fastener, and for the receptacle to be delimited at least partially by a plurality of ribs of the housing part that are arranged at a spacing (f) from one another.