Common French Terms Translated

French Property - The Buying and Selling Process

Buying and selling property in France means you may come across many new terms.  We have provided a glossary of terms of the most common French phrases and words you are likely to encounter.  We have also translated terms relating to the administration of French estates following a death. 

If you need  legal advice on buying or selling property in France, or the administration of French estates following a death, contact a member of our French property team.

à titre gracieux : a gift
à titre onéreux : a transaction in return for consideration (ie a sale)
abonnement (m)  :  subscription (for example a service contract with the electricity company)
achat (m) : purchase
acheteur (m), acheteuse(f) : buyer
acquéreur (m) : buyer
acte (m) de vente : contract of sale
agence (f) immobilière : estate agency
agent (m) immobilier : estate agent
amiante (m) : asbestos
apostille (f)  apostil : Legalisation certificate from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, required on documents signed in the presence of an English Notary Public
are (m) : area equal to one hundred square metres
assainissement (m) : drainage
bail (m) : lease
bien (m) meuble : movable item (for example furniture)
bornage (m) : boundary marking, demarcation
bureau (m) des hypothèques : French Land Registry
carnet (m) d’entretien : record kept in respect of co-ownership property noting the state of the building and works to be carried out on it and information about the management of the block
centiare (m) : area equal to one square metre
certificat (m) d’urbanisme : town planning document
clause (f) pénale : penalty clause found in purchase contract
clause (f) suspensive : condition included in sale agreement, to be met prior to completion of the transaction (condition precedent)
compromis (m) de vente : sale agreement (equivalent to an English exchange agreement)
constat (m) : report
contrat (m) de mariage : marriage contract
contrat (m) de réservation : reservation contract (relating to a purchase on plan)
copropriétaire (m,f) : co-owner
copropriété (f) : co- ownership of a building (often referring to an apartment block – immeuble en copropriété)
délai (m) de rétractation, délai de réflexion : cooling-off period
dépôt (m) de garantie : deposit payment
domicile (m) : residence
dossier (m) diagnostique technique : set of reports on the property produced by the seller prior to sale
droit (m) de passage : right of way
droit (m) de préemption : compulsory purchase right
état (m) civil : civil status. Your personal details required to be given to the Notaire, such as your date of birth, details of marriage, and your passport number
frais (m.pl) : fees
immeuble (m), propriété (f) : property
împôt (m) : tax
indivision (f) : ownership similar to owning English land as tenants in common
lotissement (m) : housing estate, development
mairie (f) : town hall or municipal offices
mandataire (m/f) : attorney, appointed under a power of attorney
moisissure (f) : mould
notaire (m) : French notary qualified to deal with property transactions
parties (f) communes : communal areas in co-ownership property
parties (f) privatives : private areas in co-ownership property
plan (m) cadastral : land registry plan of a property
pleine propriété (f) : absolute ownership in possession
plomb (m) : lead
plus-value (m) : capital gains tax
police (f) d’assurance : insurance policy
pourriture (f) : rot
prêt (m), hypothèque (m) : loan, mortgage
prix (m) : price
procuration (f) : power of attorney
propriétaire (m) : owner
règlement (m) de copropriété : document setting out the internal regulations for the management of a co-ownership property
société (f) civile immobilière (SCI) : French property owning company
superficie (f) : surface area
syndic (m) : manager of a copropriété
taxe (f) à la valeur ajoutée (TVA) : value added tax
taxe (f) d’habitation : annual tax payable by the person in occupation of a property on 1st January
taxe (f) foncière : annual tax on ownership of land, payable by the owner
tontine (f) : ownership similar to owning English land as joint tenants
vendeur (m) vendeuse (f) : seller
vendre : to sell
vente (f) aux enchères : auction
vente (f) en l’état futur d’achèvement : sale on plan

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