Business Etiquette & Culture in France
Top Tips for Doing Business in France
TJC Global understands that being fluent in a language also means being fluent in the subtleties and intricacies of the culture and business etiquette associated with it. To ensure that no embarrassing misunderstandings occur in a professional context, all our translators and interpreters are experts in the business culture and etiquette associated with the languages they work with. Read on to find out our top tips for doing business in France.
If you require translation or interpreting assistance of any kind in France or anywhere else, please use the FREE QUOTE SYSTEM on the right-hand side of the page or contact us.
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About France
With population of around 1.8 million, Paris is the capital city of France. The city is famous for its rich musical history, with musical prodigies including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg having worked there.
The city remains a centre for culture, and is home to world-class theatre, opera, classical music and fine arts, and performances are regular. The city is also famous for holding grand nineteenth century style balls in its many beautiful palaces – over 200 take place annually.
Paris boasts a rich architectural landscape with styles ranging from classicist buildings to modern architecture. The influence of Art Nouveau can also be seen in Paris.
The city is also home to a number of prestigious museums and art galleries. These range from Imperial Treasury, which houses the imperial jewels of Habsburg dynasty, to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which displays the works of old masters.
Paris is become known as the City of Dreams because of its connection to the first psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud, who lived there for most of his life. The city’s influence upon Freud’s work has been noted.
The French Language
French is an official language in 33 countries across the globe. By this measure, it is second only to English (an official language in 45 countries). There are also many countries across the globe where French is not actually an official language but plays an important role in the commercial and cultural life of the people.
The French language is a Romance language. Like Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Romanian, French is a descendant of Latin – the language of the Roman Empire. It is spoken by 90 million as a first language, and 190 million as a second language. Written French uses the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet plus five diacritics: the circumflex accent “â”, acute accent “é”, grave accent “è”, diaeresis “ë” and cedilla “ç”. Within France, there are also various dialects and regional languages spoken by smaller communities.
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Useful French Phrases
If you do not speak French, it is polite to apologise for this, but also to try to learn a few key phrases in advance of your trip. Some useful business terms which may come up in business correspondence, or in the course of a meeting, are as follows:
- Corporate name = Nom de société
- The articles of association = L’acte d’association
- The articles of partnership = Le contrat d’association
- The by-laws = Les règlements intérieurs
- Subsidiary = Filiale
- Branch = Division
- Limited liability company = Société à responsabilité limitée (SARL)
- Open end investment company = Société d’investissement à capital variable (SICAV)
- Close end investment company = Société d’investissement à capital fixe (SICAF)
- Manager, managing director, assistant manager, personnel manager, sales manager: Cadre, directeur, sous-directeur, directeur du personnel, directeur des ventes.
- Finance department, legal department, accounting department: Département financier, département juridique, département comptable
French Business Etiquette
When meeting someone, the handshake is a generally acknowledged from of greeting, as well as kissing the person lightly on both cheeks. First names are used for family and close friends, so wait until you are invited before addressing a new acquaintance by their first name. Madame is a basic term of courtesy for women, and monsieur formen.
If giving a gift, be careful when selection – flowers such as lilies and chrysanthemums are now used because of their connotations to funerals, and when choosing wine, make sure you find a good quality bottle. When dining, do not arrive late, and obey the continental table manners of holding the fork and knife in left and right hands respectively. It is polite not to start eating before the hostess has said ‘bon appetit’.
- Working Hours
Appointments for business meetings are essential, and should be made well in advance. Working hours are generally between 8.30 or 9 and 6 and 7, with two hours or more for lunch break. French workers have five weeks holiday in a year, and at least 3 are taken during the month of August, which should be avoided for business purposes as the whole country tends to come to a standstill. - Business Dress
Dress conservatively – men in dark suits, women in elegantly cut suits or a smart, formal dress. Make sure that you maintain eye-contact as this builds respect and trust between parties. - During the Meeting
Business etiquette requires formality and courtesy. If you do not speak the language, it is polite to apologise for this, and to try to learn a few key phrases. It is wise not to appear overly friendly, as the French tend to separate the work from the social aspects of their life, and trust is gained through appropriate, direct and formal behaviour. Business tends to be hierarchical, and skills in debating and keen-minded analysis will be respected, with any mutual decisions or finalised documents being produced in a formal layout.
Locations we cover in France
Fields our French interpreters cover
TJC Global provides specialist interpreting and translation services in a wide array of specialist fields. Whatever your requirement, we can find the right linguist to assist you. If your industry or project-type is not listed here, please contact us directly with your enquiry.
Our language specialists utilise their knowledge of subject-specific terminology to deliver precise, unambiguous translations whatever the context – enabling you to communicate effectively with the rest of the world. We are also able to adapt to almost any type of project.
French Arbitration Interpreters
Our arbitration interpreters can assist those seeking an alternative to litigation. Read more…
French Business Meeting Interpreters
Our French business meeting interpreters can assist you at negotiations, discussions and collaborations. Read more…
French Conference Interpreters
At TJC Global, we have a network of French certified conference interpreters for multi-national conferences of all natures. Read more…
French Court Interpreters
Our French court interpreters are familiar with the format, conventions, procedures and requirements of court interpreting. Read more…
French Deposition Interpreters
We can provide specialist deposition interpreters for witness testimonials as are common in the US and Canada. Read more…
French Legal Interpreters
TJC Global’s French legal interpreters can cover court cases, hearings, tribunals. Read more…
French Legal Translation
We cover a variety of legal material and documents including, but not limited to: letters, legal documents, contracts, summonses, evidentiary documents, statements, patents and more.
French Medical Interpreting
Our medical interpreters are closely acquainted with medical terminology ensuring they deliver informed, precise and efficient interpreting in this highly specialised sector.
French Medical Translation
Our French medical translators are all native speakers of your target language and often hold a degree or certificate in the medical sciences.
French Technical Translation
Our technical interpreters can cover assignments in a broad range of industries; including aerospace, motoring, manufacturing and civil engineering. Read more…
French Tribunal Interpreters
TJC Global’s specialist linguists provide a precise, efficient and professional tribunal interpreting service, ensuring that language barriers do not impede the exchange of crucial information.
French Patent Translation
Our professional linguists have many years’ experience translating patents from various fields and are familiar with the technical terminology used in technical patent specifications.
What forms of interpreter services can TJC Global provide?
Video/videoconference interpreting: (Video Remote Interpreting is also available) TJC provides professional language interpreting services to support a wide range of events, including business meetings, conferences, legal proceedings (court hearings, arbitration, or litigation), and other online business interactions across industries.
Participants can connect via video or voice calls using computers, laptops, smartphones, or tablets. If needed, sessions can be recorded to facilitate the creation of meeting minutes. Our highly qualified interpreters seamlessly join virtual meetings, events, or proceedings to provide remote interpretation in the language pairing required, ensuring clear and effective communication for all parties involved. Additionally, we offer relay interpreting services as needed.
Telephone/teleconference interpreting: Telephone or teleconference interpreting is an efficient solution for overcoming language barriers. The interpreter can either work remotely (separate from both parties) or be physically present with one of the parties. In either scenario, they provide interpreting services through a telephone conferencing setup.
This service is particularly valuable for clients unable to travel internationally but still need to conduct business discussions or share progress updates. At TJC Global, we are proud to offer professionally qualified interpreters in a wide range of language combinations, ensuring clear and effective communication.
Simultaneous & Consecutive interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting (also available with Video Remote Interpretation (VRI))
Simultaneous interpreting is ideal for international conferences, high-stakes business discussions, seminars, and symposiums. Typically, two to three interpreters work from a soundproof booth, separate from the audience. They take turns interpreting at high speed, switching every 15–20 minutes to maintain focus and ensure the highest quality interpretation.
Using headsets, the interpreters listen to the speaker’s message and deliver it in the target language almost instantly (“simultaneously”) to the intended audience. This method also supports relay interpreting, which is especially useful for multilingual presentations where speakers use several languages.
Consecutive interpreting (also available with Video Remote Interpretation (VRI)) is one of the most widely used types of interpretation. It is suitable for business discussions, negotiations, contract signings, commercial, legal, and technical meetings, medical appointments, court hearings, on-site inspections, and audits.
In this mode, the interpreter listens carefully to the speaker, often taking notes, and then conveys the meaning in the target language. They typically wait for a natural pause or for the speaker to finish a segment before delivering the interpretation quickly and accurately.
Consecutive interpreting is also commonly employed in conferences for panel discussions, Q&A sessions, or private interactions between parties, whether at a stand or another setting.
Looking for translation or interpreting assistance?
TJC Global provides specialist interpreting and translation services in various specialist fields. Whatever your requirements, we can find the right linguist to assist you. If your industry or project type is not listed here, please contact us directly with your enquiry.
Our language specialists utilise their knowledge of subject-specific terminology to deliver precise, unambiguous translations, whatever the context – enabling you to communicate effectively with the rest of the world. We are also able to adapt to almost any type of project.
What to do next?
Please use the Quick Quote system above for a quote for interpreting, translation services or a related enquiry.
If you would like more information about our language services, please contact us.