You do not need fluent French to research your family in France, but a few well-chosen phrases change how people respond. A polite greeting and a clear, simple request open doors in town halls and archives. This guide gives the phrases you are most likely to need, with English translations and a few rules of courtesy.
Rules of courtesy that matter more than grammar
- Always begin with “Bonjour.” Launching into a question without greeting is considered rude. Add “Madame” or “Monsieur.”
- Use “vous,” the formal “you,” with everyone you do not know.
- Say “s’il vous plaît” and “merci.” Use them generously.
- Admit your French is limited, and ask politely whether the person speaks English. A little effort goes a long way.
- Say “au revoir” when you leave, with a word of thanks.
The basics
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour, Madame / Monsieur. | Good day, madam / sir. |
| Excusez-moi de vous déranger. | Sorry to bother you. |
| Parlez-vous anglais ? | Do you speak English? |
| Je ne parle pas bien français. | I do not speak French well. |
| Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ? | Could you speak more slowly, please? |
| Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Merci beaucoup pour votre aide. | Thank you very much for your help. |
Explaining why you are there
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je fais des recherches généalogiques sur ma famille. | I am researching my family history. |
| Mes ancêtres venaient de votre commune. | My ancestors came from your commune. |
| Mon arrière-grand-père est né ici en 1880. | My great-grandfather was born here in 1880. |
| Je viens des États-Unis (du Canada). | I come from the United States (Canada). |
| Je suis venu voir le village de mes ancêtres. | I came to see my ancestors’ village. |
At the mairie
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je cherche l’acte de naissance de Jean Dupont, né en 1885. | I am looking for the birth act of Jean Dupont, born in 1885. |
| Puis-je consulter les registres d’état civil ? | May I consult the civil registers? |
| Cet acte a plus de soixante-quinze ans. | This act is more than seventy-five years old. |
| Pourrais-je avoir une copie intégrale ? | Could I have a full copy? |
| Puis-je prendre une photo de l’acte ? | May I photograph the act? |
| Combien cela coûte-t-il ? | How much does it cost? |
| Y a-t-il une association d’histoire locale ? | Is there a local history association? |
At the archives
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je voudrais m’inscrire comme lecteur. | I would like to register as a reader. |
| Voici ma pièce d’identité. | Here is my identity document. |
| Où puis-je laisser mes affaires ? | Where can I leave my things? |
| Je voudrais consulter les tables décennales de cette commune. | I would like to consult this commune’s ten-year indexes. |
| Pouvez-vous m’aider à trouver la cote ? | Can you help me find the reference number? |
| Puis-je photographier les registres ? | May I photograph the registers? |
| À quelle heure fermez-vous ? | What time do you close? |
In the village and cemetery
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Où se trouve le cimetière ? | Where is the cemetery? |
| Existe-t-il un plan du cimetière ? | Is there a cemetery plan? |
| La famille Dupont habitait-elle ici ? | Did the Dupont family live here? |
| Connaissez-vous la ferme (le hameau) de … ? | Do you know the farm (hamlet) of …? |
| Où se trouve l’église ? | Where is the church? |
| Puis-je visiter l’église ? | May I visit the church? |
Family and genealogy words
| French | English |
|---|---|
| mon grand-père / ma grand-mère | my grandfather / grandmother |
| mon arrière-grand-père / mon arrière-grand-mère | my great-grandfather / great-grandmother |
| mon père / ma mère | my father / my mother |
| un cousin / une cousine | a cousin (male / female) |
| un acte de naissance / de mariage / de décès | a birth / marriage / death act |
| l’arbre généalogique | the family tree |
| les registres paroissiaux | the parish registers |
| le cimetière | the cemetery |
Closing a letter or email
Written French has formal closings that sound odd in English. A standard one is Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l’expression de mes salutations distinguées, meaning roughly “Yours sincerely.” See our model letters for examples in context, and our guide to reading old French records for the vocabulary of the acts themselves.
A few pronunciation tips
- Most final consonants are silent, so “Dupont” ends in a nasal sound, not a “t.”
- “Commune” has a clear “mm” and an unstressed ending, and “mairie” sounds roughly like “meh-REE.”
- If in doubt, point to a written name. A written request is easier than a spoken one.
Illustrative composite (not a real family): A visitor from Quebec City who speaks little French begins every conversation with “Bonjour, Madame,” says “Je fais des recherches sur ma famille,” and holds up a printed birth act. The secretary smiles, switches to simple English, and goes to fetch the register.
For the full plan, see our guide to visiting your ancestral village and our sample itinerary.
Numbers, days, and signs you will see
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq | one, two, three, four, five |
| six, sept, huit, neuf, dix | six, seven, eight, nine, ten |
| lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday |
| vendredi, samedi, dimanche | Friday, Saturday, Sunday |
| ouvert / fermé | open / closed |
| horaires d’ouverture | opening hours |
| sur rendez-vous | by appointment |
| fermeture annuelle | annual closure |
| jour férié | public holiday |
Opening hours on a mairie door are often written as “lundi, mercredi, vendredi : 9 h–12 h,” meaning Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 to 12. Learning the days of the week saves a wasted trip.
A short introduction you can read aloud
In English: Good day, madam. Sorry to bother you. I come from the United States and I am researching my family history. My ancestors, the Dupont family, lived in this commune. May I consult the civil registers, please? Thank you very much for your help. Write it on a card, practice it a few times, and adapt the surname and country.
More help with French
The FamilySearch Research Wiki on France lists helpful word lists and guides for reading French records. For the words you will meet in the acts themselves, see our guide to reading old French records.
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