The French classAdeline · Taunton & online

40 French
phrases for
buying & owning
a home in France

The words you'll actually need — from the estate agent's kitchen table to your new neighbour's doorstep.

With phonetic transcription · Free guide

For buyers in France

·

How to use this guide

Start here — two minutes

Every phrase comes
with its true pronunciation.

Under each sentence you'll find its transcription in the International Phonetic Alphabet — the system used by linguists and by every serious French dictionary. Unlike "made-up" English spellings, it tells you exactly what to do with your mouth.

You only need the six symbols opposite. Learn those, and you can read any French word correctly for the rest of your life.

The little ‿ marks a liaison: the two words are spoken in one single breath, with no gap.

A vertical bar | simply marks a short pause, as a comma would.

Symbol	As in	What to do
ɑ̃	français	"on" sent through the nose, mouth open
ɔ̃	bonjour	"own" through the nose, lips rounded
ɛ̃	terrain	"an" through the nose, lips wide
y	surface	say "ee", then round your lips tightly
ʁ	répéter	soft, from the throat — never rolled
ə	devis	a very light, barely-there "uh"

2

1

Viewing the property

With the estate agent

01

Nous cherchons une maison de vacances.

[nu ʃɛʁ.ʃɔ̃.z‿yn mɛ.zɔ̃ də va.kɑ̃s]

We're looking for a holiday home.

02

Quelle est la surface habitable ?

[kɛ.l‿ɛ la syʁ.fas a.bi.tabl]

What's the living area?

03

Le terrain fait combien de mètres carrés ?

[lə tɛ.ʁɛ̃ fɛ kɔ̃.bjɛ̃ də mɛtʁ ka.ʁe]

How big is the land, in square metres?

04

Est-ce qu'il y a des travaux à prévoir ?

[ɛs kil j‿a de tʁa.vo a pʁe.vwaʁ]

Is there any work that needs doing?

05

Quand a été refait le toit ?

[kɑ̃.t‿a e.te ʁə.fɛ lə twa]

When was the roof redone?

06

Comment est chauffée la maison ?

[kɔ.mɑ̃.t‿ɛ ʃo.fe la mɛ.zɔ̃]

How is the house heated?

07

Quel est le prix, frais de notaire inclus ?

[kɛ.l‿ɛ lə pʁi | fʁɛ də nɔ.tɛʁ ɛ̃.kly]

What's the price, including notaire's fees?

08

Est-ce que le prix est négociable ?

[ɛs kə lə pʁi ɛ ne.ɡɔ.sjabl]

Is the price negotiable?

💡 Good to know — Surface habitable excludes cellars, garages and any attic space under 1.80 m. A house listed at 120 m² is often far bigger than it sounds.

3

2

At the notaire's office

Signing day

09

Je n'ai pas compris.

[ʒə ne pa kɔ̃.pʁi]

I didn't understand.

10

Pouvez-vous répéter lentement ?

[pu.ve vu ʁe.pe.te lɑ̃t.mɑ̃]

Could you repeat that slowly?

11

Qu'est-ce que je signe exactement ?

[kɛs kə ʒə siɲ ɛɡ.zak.tə.mɑ̃]

What exactly am I signing?

12

Pouvez-vous m'expliquer cette clause ?

[pu.ve vu mɛks.pli.ke sɛt kloz]

Can you explain this clause?

13

Est-ce que je peux avoir une copie en anglais ?

[ɛs kə ʒə pø.z‿a.vwaʁ yn kɔ.pi ɑ̃.n‿ɑ̃.ɡlɛ]

Can I have a copy in English?

14

Quand est-ce qu'on signe l'acte de vente ?

[kɑ̃.t‿ɛs kɔ̃ siɲ lakt də vɑ̃t]

When do we sign the deed of sale?

15

Quel est le montant total à payer ?

[kɛ.l‿ɛ lə mɔ̃.tɑ̃ tɔ.tal a pe.je]

What's the total amount payable?

16

J'ai besoin d'un traducteur.

[ʒe bə.zwɛ̃ dœ̃ tʁa.dyk.tœʁ]

I need a translator.

💡 Good to know — The notaire is a public official, neutral by law: they work for the State, not for the buyer or the seller. You are fully entitled to bring your own translator.

4

3

Utilities & paperwork

Your first weeks

17

Je viens d'acheter une maison ici.

[ʒə vjɛ̃ daʃ.te yn mɛ.zɔ̃ i.si]

I've just bought a house here.

18

Je voudrais ouvrir un compteur d'électricité.

[ʒə vu.dʁɛ u.vʁiʁ œ̃ kɔ̃.tœʁ de.lɛk.tʁi.si.te]

I'd like to open an electricity account.

19

À quel nom est le contrat ?

[a kɛl nɔ̃ ɛ lə kɔ̃.tʁa]

Whose name is the contract in?

20

Où est la mairie, s'il vous plaît ?

[u ɛ la mɛ.ʁi | sil vu plɛ]

Where's the town hall, please?

21

Quels documents faut-il apporter ?

[kɛl dɔ.ky.mɑ̃ fo.til a.pɔʁ.te]

Which documents should I bring?

22

Comment ça marche pour les poubelles ?

[kɔ.mɑ̃ sa maʁʃ puʁ le pu.bɛl]

How does the rubbish collection work?

23

Est-ce que la fibre est installée ?

[ɛs kə la fibʁ ɛ.t‿ɛ̃s.ta.le]

Is fibre broadband installed?

24

Je cherche un médecin qui accepte de nouveaux patients.

[ʒə ʃɛʁʃ œ̃ med.sɛ̃ ki ak.sɛpt də nu.vo pa.sjɑ̃]

I'm looking for a doctor taking new patients.

💡 Good to know — The taxe foncière (owner's tax) lands in the autumn. In the year you buy, it is normally split pro rata between seller and buyer.

5

4

Builders & repairs

When something breaks

25

Pouvez-vous me faire un devis ?

[pu.ve vu mə fɛʁ œ̃ də.vi]

Can you give me a written quote?

26

Le toit fuit.

[lə twa fɥi]

The roof is leaking.

27

Il n'y a plus d'eau chaude.

[il nja ply do ʃod]

There's no hot water.

28

C'est urgent.

[sɛ.t‿yʁ.ʒɑ̃]

It's urgent.

29

Quand pouvez-vous commencer ?

[kɑ̃ pu.ve vu kɔ.mɑ̃.se]

When can you start?

30

Combien de temps ça va prendre ?

[kɔ̃.bjɛ̃ də tɑ̃ sa va pʁɑ̃dʁ]

How long will it take?

31

Est-ce que la TVA est comprise ?

[ɛs kə la te.ve.a ɛ kɔ̃.pʁiz]

Is VAT included?

32

Je n'ai pas encore reçu la facture.

[ʒə ne pa.z‿ɑ̃.kɔʁ ʁə.sy la fak.tyʁ]

I haven't received the invoice yet.

💡 Good to know — A devis is a binding written quote: never let work begin without one. Check the artisan's SIRET number and their assurance décennale — the compulsory ten-year guarantee.

6

5

Meeting your neighbours

The part that really matters

33

Bonjour, nous sommes vos nouveaux voisins.

[bɔ̃.ʒuʁ | nu sɔm vo nu.vo vwa.zɛ̃]

Hello, we're your new neighbours.

34

Nous venons d'acheter la maison d'à côté.

[nu və.nɔ̃ daʃ.te la mɛ.zɔ̃ da ko.te]

We've just bought the house next door.

35

J'apprends le français, soyez patient !

[ʒa.pʁɑ̃ lə fʁɑ̃.sɛ | swa.je pa.sjɑ̃]

I'm learning French — please be patient!

36

Pouvez-vous parler plus lentement ?

[pu.ve vu paʁ.le ply lɑ̃t.mɑ̃]

Could you speak more slowly?

37

Comment dit-on … en français ?

[kɔ.mɑ̃ di.tɔ̃ … ɑ̃ fʁɑ̃.sɛ]

How do you say … in French?

38

Où est la boulangerie la plus proche ?

[u ɛ la bu.lɑ̃ʒ.ʁi la ply pʁɔʃ]

Where's the nearest bakery?

39

Passez boire un verre quand vous voulez.

[pa.se bwaʁ œ̃ vɛʁ kɑ̃ vu vu.le]

Come round for a drink any time.

40

Merci beaucoup, c'est très gentil.

[mɛʁ.si bo.ku | sɛ tʁɛ ʒɑ̃.ti]

Thank you very much, that's very kind.

💡 Good to know — In rural France, saying bonjour first — to everyone, every single time you walk into a shop — matters far more than saying it perfectly.

7

You've found the house.
Now find the words.

These forty phrases will carry you through the paperwork. But a real conversation — with your neighbour, your builder, the woman at the market — needs something these pages can't give you: practice, out loud, with someone listening.

That's what I do. Small group courses and one-to-one lessons, built around real situations in France, from absolute beginner upwards. Online wherever you are, or in person in Taunton.

Book a free 15-minute chat — we'll work out where to start.

Adeline · Native French teacher · 15 years' experience · MA Teaching French & MA Instructional Design · Certified DELF/DALF examiner

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