French abbreviations and acronyms

French abbreviations and acronyms

French abbreviations and acronyms are commonly used in written and spoken French, particularly in formal and technical contexts.

In this lesson, we’ll go over some of the most common French abbreviations and acronyms.

1. M. (Monsieur) This abbreviation is used as a title for a man, similar to “Mr.” in English.

2. Mme. (Madame) This abbreviation is used as a title for a married or widowed woman, similar to “Mrs.” in English.

3. Mlle. (Mademoiselle) This abbreviation is used as a title for an unmarried woman, similar to “Ms.” in English.

4. Dr. (Docteur) This abbreviation is used as a title for a medical doctor or someone with a doctoral degree.

5. Cie. (Compagnie) This abbreviation is used to indicate a company, similar to “Co.” in English.

6. etc. (Et cetera) This abbreviation is used to indicate that a list is not exhaustive and that there are other similar items.

7. RSVP (Répondez s’il vous plaît) This acronym is used to indicate that a response is requested, similar to “RSVP” in English.

8. TVA (Taxe sur la valeur ajoutée) This acronym is used to refer to the value-added tax, a type of consumption tax.

9. SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français) This acronym is used to refer to the French national railway company.

10. EDF (Électricité de France) This acronym is used to refer to the French electricity company.

11. ONU (Organisation des Nations unies) This acronym is used to refer to the United Nations.

12. UE (Union européenne) This acronym is used to refer to the European Union.

13. CDI (Contrat à durée indéterminée) This acronym is used to refer to an indefinite employment contract.

14. CDD (Contrat à durée déterminée) This acronym is used to refer to a fixed-term employment contract.

15. CP (Congé payé) This acronym is used to refer to paid vacation time.


Learning these common French abbreviations and acronyms will help you to communicate more effectively in formal and technical contexts.

Additionally, it is helpful to learn basic French vocabulary and grammar rules to build your language skills.

With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to use these French abbreviations and acronyms with ease.

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