Sunday, December 21, 2014

La confusion de la location


Location is what we would call in French un faux-ami, a false friend: it looks like an English word but has a completely different meaning. In fact, location means rental!
The corresponding verb, louer, is used like in English: je loue un appartement can be used by both the landlord and the tenant. Here is a short vocabulary list associated with renting:

louer                             to rent
le(s) locataire(s)         the tenant(s)
un(e) colocataire        a flatmate
une colocation             a shared apartment
le(s) propriétaire(s)   the landlord(s) (lit. the owner(s))
le loyer                         the rent
le (contrat de) bail     the lease (agreement)
voiture de location      rental car
la caution                     the deposit


And finally, to train further, a kids’ newspaper seasonal article (6th grade level) about a very special leasing: here!

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