THE 300+ KEY FRENCH WORDS, PHRASES, ABBREVIATIONS, AND TERMS YOU’LL NEED TO TO FIND YOUR DREAM FRENCH PROPERTY!
Navigating the French property market involves understanding terminology and unique vocabulary that often has no direct English language translation and often, no direct American context equivalent.
Between the different language, and a vastly different cultural approach and market context, understanding certain words, phrases and abbreviations is crucial to successfully finding your dream French home!
The context here is crucial! We have seen many buyers over the years use an app or online translation service to do a direct translation of a word or phrase and completely misunderstand a key point! Worse yet, they sometimes misdirected themselves causing unnecessary stress, lost time and confusion because they weren’t armed with the knowledge and full understanding of what that word meant in the specific property purchase context.
We’ve seen it again and again - cultural context is key!
For example, as you’ll see in this guide, the French word “bien” can mean “good” and it can also mean “property”... depending on the context!
This guide provides translations and explanations of the most important terms you'll encounter during your property search and purchase, with specific comparisons to the American system.
There are so many specialized words that apply to property descriptions and purchases, and we are constantly adding to this list. If there are any specific terms you come across that you’d like to understand better, then let us know! We’d be delighted to hear from you!
We’ve tried to add a bit of cultural context to the glossary below including “false friends” and some common mistranslations.
This guide is so much more than just a glossary… it’s full of our expert insight and pro advice!
Navigating the French property market involves understanding terminology and unique vocabulary that often has no direct English language translation and often, no direct American context equivalent.
Between the different language, and a vastly different cultural approach and market context, understanding certain words, phrases and abbreviations is crucial to successfully finding your dream French home!
The context here is crucial! We have seen many buyers over the years use an app or online translation service to do a direct translation of a word or phrase and completely misunderstand a key point! Worse yet, they sometimes misdirected themselves causing unnecessary stress, lost time and confusion because they weren’t armed with the knowledge and full understanding of what that word meant in the specific property purchase context.
We’ve seen it again and again - cultural context is key!
For example, as you’ll see in this guide, the French word “bien” can mean “good” and it can also mean “property”... depending on the context!
This guide provides translations and explanations of the most important terms you'll encounter during your property search and purchase, with specific comparisons to the American system.
There are so many specialized words that apply to property descriptions and purchases, and we are constantly adding to this list. If there are any specific terms you come across that you’d like to understand better, then let us know! We’d be delighted to hear from you!
We’ve tried to add a bit of cultural context to the glossary below including “false friends” and some common mistranslations.
This guide is so much more than just a glossary… it’s full of our expert insight and pro advice!
Navigating the French property market involves understanding terminology and unique vocabulary that often has no direct English language translation and often, no direct American context equivalent.
Between the different language, and a vastly different cultural approach and market context, understanding certain words, phrases and abbreviations is crucial to successfully finding your dream French home!
The context here is crucial! We have seen many buyers over the years use an app or online translation service to do a direct translation of a word or phrase and completely misunderstand a key point! Worse yet, they sometimes misdirected themselves causing unnecessary stress, lost time and confusion because they weren’t armed with the knowledge and full understanding of what that word meant in the specific property purchase context.
We’ve seen it again and again - cultural context is key!
For example, as you’ll see in this guide, the French word “bien” can mean “good” and it can also mean “property”... depending on the context!
This guide provides translations and explanations of the most important terms you'll encounter during your property search and purchase, with specific comparisons to the American system.
There are so many specialized words that apply to property descriptions and purchases, and we are constantly adding to this list. If there are any specific terms you come across that you’d like to understand better, then let us know! We’d be delighted to hear from you!
We’ve tried to add a bit of cultural context to the glossary below including “false friends” and some common mistranslations.
This guide is so much more than just a glossary… it’s full of our expert insight and pro advice!