France Languages: Difference between revisions

Most materials used in French research, including former French colonies in Africa, Asia, the Carribean and North America, are written in French. However, you do not need to speak or read French to do research in French records. You merely need to know some key numbers, words, and phrases to understand the records.  

<br>eaux-et-forêts waters and forests, forestry service <br>ébéniste cabinetmaker, furniture maker <br>échevin alderman, municipal magistrate <br>école school <br>écrire to write <br>écrit written, document <br>écrivain scribe, writer <br>église church <br>elle she, her <br>elles they (f.) <br>émigrant(e) emigrant <br>émigré(e) emigrant <br>empêchement prevention <br>employé(e) clerk <br>en in <br>enceinte pregnant <br>encore again <br>endroit place <br>enfant baby, child <br>enfant exposé foundling <br>enfant trouvé foundling <br>enflement swelling <br>ensemble together <br>entend intends, hears <br>enterré(e) buried <br>enterrement burial, interment <br>entre between, among <br>environ about, approximately <br>épicier grocer, spice merchant <br>épousailles wedding <br>épouse bride, wife <br>époux bridegroom, husband <br>Espagnol(e) Spanish <br>est is, east <br>et and <br>étaient were <br>était was <br>étant (estant) being <br>état state <br>état civil civil registration <br>été been, summer <br>étranger foreign, foreigner, strange <br>être to be <br>[un être] [a being] <br>évéché diocese <br>évêque bishop <br>exécuté performed <br>expédié(s) sent <br>extérieur outside <br>extrait extract&nbsp;  

<br>fabricant de bas maker of stockings <br>fabricant de savon maker of soap <br>facteur postman, mailman <br>facture account, bill <br>faiblesse weakness <br>fait(e) made, done <br>famille family, relative(s) <br>féminin female <br>femme wife, woman <br>ferblantier tin man, tinsmith <br>fermier farmer <br>fête holiday, feast <br>feu(e) deceased, the late <br>feuille folio, leaf, page <br>février February <br>fiançailles engagement <br>fiançé betrothed, engaged, fiancé (m.) <br>fiançée betrothed, engaged, fiancée (f.) <br>fiancer to become engaged <br>fichier card index <br>fièvre fever <br>fileuse spinster <br>fille daughter, girl <br>fille de mauvaise vie prostitute <br>fils son <br>floréal See “Months” <br>fonction duty, occupation, function <br>[faisant les fonctions] [doing the functions (occupation), serving as] <br>fonts (baptismal) font <br>forestier forester <br>forêt forest <br>forgeron smith <br>forteresse fortress <br>frais fee <br>Français(e) French <br>franc-tenancier freeholder, yeoman <br>frère brother <br>frère consanguin brother by the same father but different mother <br>frère germain brother by the same mother and father <br>frère utérin brother by the same mother but different father <br>frimaire See “Months” <br>fromager cheese merchant or maker <br>frontière border <br>fructidor See “Months” <br>funèbre funeral <br>furent were <br>fut was <br>futur fiancé, the intended groom <br>future fiancée, the intended bride&nbsp;  

<br>garçon boy, unmarried young man <br>garde champêtre field guard <br>garde forestier forest guard <br>gardien herdsman <br>gauche left <br>gendarme policeman <br>gendre son-in-law <br>généalogique genealogical <br>géomètre surveyor <br>germinal See “Months” <br>goutte gout <br>grand(e) large, great, tall <br>grandmère grandmother <br>grandparents grandparents <br>grandpère grandfather <br>greffier clerk of the court, registrar&nbsp;  

<br>habitant residing <br>habitation residence <br>habiter to inhabit <br>haut high, upper <br>hectare acre <br>héraldique heraldry <br>héritage inheritance <br>heure hour, time <br>hier yesterday <br>histoire story, history <br>Hollandais(e) Dutch <br>homme man <br>homme de main day worker <br>honnête honest <br>horloger clock merchant or maker <br>houilleur coal miner <br>Huguenot(te) Huguenot <br>huissier usher, doorman <br>huit eight <br>huitante eighty <br>huitantième eightieth <br>huitième eighth <br>hydropisie dropsy, edema&nbsp;