French officialese
Leases, letters from the préfecture, house rules and station notices have a language of their own. It is impersonal, full of fixed prepositional phrases, and wraps obligations in polite formulas. This lesson is about understanding: you should be able to decode such texts reliably, not write like this yourself.
Same message, two languages
Administration
Les usagers sont priés de valider leur titre de transport.
Passengers are requested to validate their tickets.
Tout dossier incomplet sera retourné à son expéditeur.
Any incomplete application will be returned to the sender.
Everyday
Il faut valider votre billet.
You have to validate your ticket.
Si votre dossier est incomplet, on vous le renvoie.
If your application is incomplete, we'll send it back to you.
Obligations and consequences
Official texts rarely say vous devez. The obligation hides in fixed phrases that often sound softer than they are meant.
What is really meant
| Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|
| être prié de | to be requested to, in effect: must |
| être tenu de | to be required to |
| il appartient à quelqu'un de | it is up to someone to, it is someone's responsibility to |
| sous peine de | or else, on pain of |
Le locataire est tenu de souscrire une assurance habitation.
The tenant is required to take out home insurance.
Il appartient au demandeur de fournir les pièces justificatives.
It is the applicant's responsibility to provide supporting documents.
Le paiement doit être effectué avant le 30 juin, sous peine de majoration de 10 %.
Payment must be made by 30 June, failing which a 10 % surcharge will apply.
Basis, purpose, condition, deadline
A second group of phrases frames the statement: on what basis, for what purpose, under what condition, from when. They usually open the sentence.
Framing phrases
| Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|
| en vertu de | by virtue of, under |
| conformément à | in accordance with |
| aux fins de | for the purposes of |
| sous réserve de | subject to |
| le cas échéant | where applicable, if need be |
| à défaut de | in the absence of, failing |
| à compter du | as of, with effect from |
En vertu de l'article 12 du règlement, le parking est réservé aux résidents.
Under Article 12 of the regulations, parking is reserved for residents.
Ces données sont collectées aux fins de gestion de votre dossier.
This data is collected for the purposes of processing your file.
Votre inscription est confirmée, sous réserve de paiement des frais.
Your registration is confirmed, subject to payment of the fees.
Le cas échéant, joindre une copie du jugement de divorce.
Where applicable, attach a copy of the divorce decree.
À défaut de réponse dans un délai de quinze jours, votre demande sera classée.
Failing a reply within fifteen days, your application will be closed.
Le nouveau tarif s'applique à compter du 1er janvier.
The new rate applies as of 1 January.
Typical sentence patterns
Besides the vocabulary, you can spot official texts by their syntax: impersonal sentences with il est, generalising tout or toute before a noun, infinitives used as instructions, and ledit, ladite for “the said”.
Il est rappelé que les animaux ne sont pas admis dans l'établissement.
Please note that animals are not allowed on the premises.
Toute demande incomplète ne pourra être traitée.
Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
ne without pas, formal.
Joindre une photocopie recto verso de la pièce d'identité.
Attach a double-sided photocopy of your ID.
Ledit document devra être signé par les deux parties.
The said document shall be signed by both parties.
