Daily Life Vocabulary: Banks, Shops, Administration

At the bank: à la banque

French banks are more formal and document-heavy than their Anglo-Saxon equivalents. When you visit a branch, you will typically need an appointment (un rendez-vous) for anything beyond routine transactions. Here is the core vocabulary:

Key phrase to know: Je voudrais ouvrir un compte, s’il vous plaît. (“I would like to open an account, please.”) Your bank advisor will walk you through the rest — but you will need a justificatif de domicile (proof of address), your passport, and possibly proof of income.

Once you have your RIB, guard it carefully. It is the single document requested most often in French administrative life. See the full guide to opening a bank account in France for the step-by-step process.

In shops and markets: dans les magasins et les marchés

French shopping has its own etiquette and vocabulary. The most important rule: always say bonjour when you enter and au revoir when you leave. This is not optional. In smaller shops, it is often followed by a direct question or greeting from the shopkeeper.

At the checkout: à la caisse

• C’est tout ? — Is that everything?
• Vous avez une carte de fidélité ? — Do you have a loyalty card?
• Vous payez comment ? — How are you paying?
• En espèces — In cash | Par carte — By card
• Vous avez la monnaie ? — Do you have the right change?
• Un sac, s’il vous plaît. — A bag, please.

At the market: au marché

French markets (les marchés) are a social institution. Vendors expect conversation, not just transactions. Useful phrases:

• C’est combien le kilo ? — How much per kilo?
• Je voudrais 500 grammes de… — I’d like 500 grams of…
• C’est de la région ? — Is it local / from the region?
• Il est bon, ce fromage ? — Is this cheese good?
• Je peux goûter ? — Can I try a taste?

At a boulangerie, the standard phrases are: Une baguette tradition, s’il vous plaît (a traditional baguette, please) and Bien cuite / pas trop cuite (well-baked / not too baked). Regular customers specify their preference without being asked.

At the town hall: à la mairie

La mairie is the municipal government office. It handles births, marriages, death registrations, electoral registration, local permits, and more. For many expats, it is the first administrative contact.

Most mairies have specific opening hours (les horaires d’ouverture) and require appointments for complex requests. Many services are now available online through the service-public.fr portal. For residence-related documents, see our guide on how to apply for a residence permit.

At the CAF: allocations familiales et aides sociales

The CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) manages social benefits including housing assistance (l’APL — Aide Personnalisée au Logement), family benefits, and childcare subsidies. Many expats are eligible for APL from their first month of renting — it is worth applying immediately.

Key vocabulary:

• une allocation — a benefit / allowance
• une aide au logement — housing assistance
• un dossier CAF — your CAF application file
• les revenus de référence — your reference income (used to calculate benefit amounts)
• une attestation CAF — a certificate issued by CAF proving your benefit status

The CAF website (caf.fr) has an online simulator to check eligibility before applying. Create your account as soon as you have a French address and bank account.

At the post office: à la poste

La Poste in France does much more than deliver letters. It offers banking services (La Banque Postale), identity verification, and administrative forwarding. It is also the place to send or receive packages, pay some bills, and in some areas, access notarial services.

• un colis — a parcel
• un recommandé — a recorded/registered letter (requires a signature)
• un avis de passage — a missed delivery notice
• faire suivre son courrier — to redirect/forward your mail
• un timbre — a stamp
• l’affranchissement — postage

Important: In France, un recommandé avec accusé de réception (a registered letter with a return receipt) is the legally recognised way to send formal notices — for ending a lease, cancelling a contract, or making formal complaints. Knowing this could save you in a dispute.

General administrative vocabulary you will use constantly

Regardless of which office you are dealing with, certain words appear everywhere in French administrative French:

• un justificatif — supporting document (proof of something)
• un justificatif de domicile — proof of address (utility bill, official letter less than 3 months old)
• une pièce d’identité — ID document
• un formulaire — a form
• remplir un formulaire — to fill in a form
• signer — to sign | parapher — to initial (each page)
• une photocopie certifiée conforme — a certified copy
• en cours de traitement — being processed
• délai de traitement — processing time
• un accusé de réception — acknowledgement of receipt
• une convocation — a formal summons or appointment notice

If you can navigate these terms, you can handle most of the paperwork France will throw at you. Pair this vocabulary with our guide to understanding French bureaucracy for a complete picture of how the system works.