This is a glossary of French banking terms that you can use for banking in France. Read Opening a bank account in France as an American if you don’t have an account yet.
Types of bank accounts in French
Get familiar with the names of the different types of bank accounts in France.
- un compte bancaire
- bank account
- un compte chèque ou compte courant
- checking account
- un compte épargne
- saving account
- un compte joint
- joined account
- un Livret A
- French government regulated savings account
Understand your bank account statements
This French vocabulary can help you make sense of your bank statements.
- un chèque en attente de provision
- check waiting for funds to be available
- un chèque sans provision ou chèque en bois
- bounced check (chèque en bois literally means wooden check)
- Commission paiement par carte
- bank fees on foreign purchase
- des frais
- fees
- des frais de tenue de compte
- bank account maintenance fees
- des interêts
- interests
- une opération à venir
- upcoming operation
- les rejets et impayés
- rejected and unpaid
- un relevé de compte
- bank statement
- un prélèvement
- debit. In France, most bills are paid by automatic debit. For instance, if you use EDF for electricity, EDF automatically debits your bank account every month.
- le solde
- balance
- un taux d’intérêt
- interest rate
What’s SEPA?
SEPA stands for Single Euro Payments Area. SEPA is a payment scheme that allows for transfers, payments and debits in any country inside the zone without fees. Wiring money between 2 countries inside SEPA does not generate extra international fees. The 28 countries inside the EURO zone are part of SEPA. Additional countries are Switzerland, Andorre, Monaco, Saint-Marin and Vatican.
Bank account maintenance in French
Learn French vocabulary you’ll need to manage your French bank account.
- approvisionner un compte
- to credit an account
- un chéquier ou un carnet de chèques
- checkbook
- une clôture de compte
- closing of a bank account
- une convention de compte bancaire
- bank account agreement that you sign when you open a bank account in France
- le titulaire du compte
- account holder
- un découvert
- overdraft
- un découvert autorisé
- authorized overdraft
- des agios
- interests paid on overdraft
- un plafond de paiement
- payment limitations
- une limite de retrait
- withdrawal limitations
- un relevé d’identité bancaire (RIB)
- bank account ID
- verser de l’argent sur un compte
- to credit an account
- faire opposition
- to report that your card is lost or stolen
- un versement
- deposit
- un virement
- wire
- par carte bancaire ou par carte bleue (CB)
- by credit card. Most bank cards in France are debit card and the money is taken out of the bank account immediately. If you’re curious about French payment cards, read types of payment cards in France.
- par chèque
- by check
- un code confidentiel ou code personnel
- PIN number
- par virement
- by wire transfer
- en liquide
- cash
- en espèces
- cash
- en cash
- cash
- en petites coupures
- in smaller bills
- un distributeur automatique de billets (DAB)
- ATM
- endosser un chèque
- endorse a check
- par SEPA
- by wire transfer between 2 accounts inside the EURO zone.
- un débit différé
- deferred payment
- un débit immédiat
- direct debit
- sans contact
- contactless
- une agence bancaire
- bank local branch
- en agence
- in-branch
- un bordereau de retrait
- withdrawal slip
- un conseiller bancaire
- bank advisor
- un chargé de clientèle
- account manager
- un crédit à la consommation
- consumer credit
- au guichet
- at the counter
- open a bank account
- ouvrir un compte bancaire
- retirer de l’argent
- to withdraw money
- encaisser un chèque
- to deposit a check
- un retrait d’espèces
- cash withdrawal
- un placement financier
- financial investment
- un prêt
- loan
- une opération boursière
- stock market transaction
- une banque traditionnelle
- regular bank
- une néo-banque ou banque mobile
- neobank. Revolut is a neobank that can be an interesting choice for expats in France because Revolut now provides French IBANs. Read Opening a Revolut account to check it out.
- une banque en ligne
- online bank
- une CB – une carte bancaire
- bank card (credit or debit)
- un CCP – un compte chèque postal
- checking account at La Poste
- un DAB – un distributeur automatique de billets
- ATM
- un GAB – un guichet automatique de banque
- ATM that offers extra options such as check deposit or account balance checking.
- un RIB – un relevé d’identité bancaire
- Bank account information
- SEPA – single Euro payment area
- Because of SEPA, bank payments are free between bank accounts in Europe.
- Je voudrais ouvrir un compte courant.
- I would like to open a checking account.
- Je voudrais déposer un chèque sur mon compte.
- I would like to deposit a check.
- Je voudrais retirer 200 € sur mon livret A.
- I would like to withdraw €200 from my saving account.
- Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec un conseiller.
- I would like to make an appointment with a bank adviser.
- Mon paiement par carte bancaire a été refusé.
- My card was declined.
- Pourriez-vous augmenter ma limite de paiement?
- Could you raise my payment maximum limit?
- Je voudrais effectuer un virement depuis mon compte chèque.
- I would like to wire some money from my checking acount.
Methods of payment in French
Learn how to tell someone in French how you’re going to pay.
French banking terms at your local branch
Familiarize yourself with French banking vocabulary you might need at the bank.
Types of banks in French
There are multiple options when time comes to open a bank account and you don’t necessarily have to pick a brick-and-mortar bank.
French banking acronyms
Helpful sentences at the bank
The following sentences will come handy when you go to the bank.
Transferring money from your U.S. bank account into your French account can be achieved with a Wise account. Read How to use a Wise account when living abroad to get the details.
