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2.2.1. Tense, mood, aspect, person (for verbs)
4.1. How to use punctuation marks for Canadian French
4.2. Punctuation in greetings and closings
6.5. Acronyms and abbreviations
7. Tricky cases: anglicisms, loan translation and false friends
1. Post-edition at Unbabel
At Unbabel we have a unique approach to translation: each text submitted by a customer is translated by our Machine Translation system, and then corrected by our community of editors in an online platform. By editing the output of the software, the editors ensure the quality of the translations and confirm that the message is accurate (i.e., has the same meaning as the original), fluent (i.e., can be easily understood and sounds natural) and is in line with the style requested by the clients (i.e. respects their register and terminology). In order to help editors do the best job possible, we provide various types of information:
- Customer instructions, which include the identification of the client and his requests to personalize the translation, such as the register that must be used to address the recipient of the message. Following these instructions is vital to deliver translations that match the client’s expectations.
- Glossaries, which correspond to specific vocabulary and expressions used by the client, and that must be respected by the editors.
- Translation Memories, which correspond to stored segments (expressions, sentences or paragraphs) that have previously been translated and accepted for customer usage. They are useful for ensuring consistency across translations.
We also have Smartcheck, which is an application that checks the grammar, morphology, orthography and style of the translations while being edited. By using a large set of rules, Smartcheck flags words or groups of words that may present some kind of issue.
Finally, in order to deliver the best possible translation, we also provide these guidelines about your language specifications. Please, read them carefully and always follow these instructions in your editions.
2. Grammar
2.1. Sentence structure
Short sentences read better. Don't hesitate to break up long sentences.
The affirmative form is generally preferable to the negative form and the active form to the passive.
Example: le comité sera mis sur pied par X... > X mettra sur pied le comité.
Example
Source text: The committee will be set up by X...
✘ Le comité sera mis en place par X...
✓ X mettra sur pied le comité
Avoid unnecessary repetition. You can use words like: celui-ci, cette dernière, y, en... or to generics, collectives or synonyms. « Programme, livre, émission, publication, association » instead of repeating the title. And why not « il » et « elle ».
2.2. Agreement
2.2.1. Tense, mood, aspect, person (for verbs)
In French, the verb is always governed by the subject.
When the subject contains aucun, chaque, personne, rien, the verb is in the singular. When the subject contains plupart, peau, the verb is in the plural.
When subjects are coordinated by ni or ou, the verb is in the plural if the idea concerns the two subjects. On the contrary, if the idea concerns only one subject, the verb is in the singular.
When subjects are connected by ainsi, aussi bien que, aussi, the verb is in the plural if there are no commas separating them. On the contrary, if there are commas, the verb is in the singular.
Examples
Source text: Protection of nature and the environment as well as natural biodiversity are also cited as objectives.
✘ La protection de la nature et de l'environnement ainsi que de la biodiversité naturelle fait également partie des objectifs cités.
✓ La protection de la nature et de l'environnement ainsi que de la biodiversité naturelle font également partie des objectifs cités.
Source text: Protection of nature and the environment, as well as natural biodiversity, is also cited as objectives.
✘ La protection de la nature et de l'environnement, ainsi que de la biodiversité naturelle, font également partie des objectifs cités.
✓ La protection de la nature et de l'environnement, ainsi que de la biodiversité, naturelle fait également partie des objectifs cités.
When the past participle is used with the auxiliary verb être (to be), this one agrees in gender and number.
Example
Source text: They left.
✘ Elles sont parti.
✓ Elles sont parties.
When the past participle is used with the auxiliary verb avoir (to have), there are three options:
- the verb has no direct object, the past participle does not agree;
- the verb has a direct object placed after the past participle, this one does not agree;
- the verb has a direct object placed before the past participle, this one agrees in gender and number.
Examples
Source text: I picked the flowers.
✓ J’ai cueilli les fleurs.
Source text: The flowers that I picked.
✘ Les fleurs que j’ai cueilli.
✓ Les fleurs que j’ai cueillies.
Most often, when you have words like stronger, it is better to avoid the superlative in French.
Example
Source text: For a stronger economy
✘ Pour une économie plus forte
✓ Pour une économie solide
Most of the time, you can avoid the forms that need to be agreed (masc./fem.) by replacing them with a collective or by changing the verb, or by using the active rather than the passive form. If this is not possible, do not forget to add the masculine form to the adjective to be granted.
Example
Source text: The reports and analyses were done by the team
✘ Les rapports et analyses ont été réalisés par l'équipe
✓ L'équipe a effectué les rapports et les analyses.
2.3. Verbs
In French, the auxiliary verb avoir (to have) is more used to form the compound tenses of all the transitive verbs in the active voice and some intransitive verbs. The auxiliary verb être (to be) is more used to form the compound tenses of most of the intransitive verbs and to form passive and pronominal voices.
In the presence of the double auxiliary verb in the past participle, the first one is always the auxiliary verb avoir (to have). The second depends on the verb (cf. paragraph above).
Favor the use of the active voice or of the impersonal form of the verb instead of the passive voice for the translation of the passive voice in English (which occurs with a high frequency).
Example
Source text: These drawings are made by me.
✘ Ces dessins sont faits par moi.
✓ J'ai fait ces dessins.
In general, the imperative form in English can be translated into the imperative form in French. However, in the case of recipes, instructions, guides, indications, safety rules, etc., the infinitive form is preferable. If you begin to translate with an imperative or infinitive, you have to be consistent and use the same form throughout the whole document.
Example
Source text: View different options and click on the button to view more information.
✘ Voir les différentes options et cliquez sur le bouton pour afficher plus d'informations.
✓ Voir les différentes options et cliquer sur le bouton pour afficher plus d'informations.
Always favor the use of the future simple for the translation of future simple in English (I will (not) + infinitive verb).
Example
Source text: I will offer her flowers for her birthday.
✘ Je vais lui offrir des fleurs pour son anniversaire.
✓ Je lui offrirai des fleurs pour son anniversaire.
To translate the gerund forms (very frequent in English), favor other tense and verbal modes, such as the indicative present or the infinitive.
Example
Source text: Being very active on this project, I found the error quickly.
✘ Etant très active sur ce projet, j'ai trouvé l'erreur rapidement.
✓ Très active sur ce projet, j'ai trouvé l'erreur rapidement.
The same happens with the use of the passive voice, which is much more frequent in English than in French. Consequently, the active voice is always a preferable choice when translating into French.
Example
Source text: The translations are done by our editors.
✘ Les traductions sont réalisées par nos éditeurs.
✓ Nos éditeurs réalisent les traductions.
2.4. Possessives
Do not overuse the possessive in French. It is often a good idea to replace the English possessive with an article in French.
Example
Source text: In accordance with company policy, we have developed our human resources program
✘ Conformément à la politique de l'entreprise, nous avons développé notre programme de ressources humaines
✓ Conformément à la politique de l'entreprise, nous avons développé un programme de ressources humaines
2.5. Prepositions
A preposition is an invariable word that combines with a noun or a pronoun, expressing a certain relationship in the sentence. The prepositions à and de can be contracted with determiners:
- à + le = au ; à + les = aux
- de + le = du ; de + les = des.
Example
Source text: He went to the castle.
✘ Il est allé à le château.
✓ Il est allé au château.
3. Orthography
3.1. Apostrophe
The apostrophe is used when the last letter of the determiner or the pronoun is a vowel or a silent h and the first letter of the following word is also a vowel or a silent h.
Examples
Source text: The tree shelters him.
✘ le arbre le abrite.
✓ l’arbre l’abrite.
Source text: There is only one train.
✘ Il ne y a que un train.
✓ Il n’y a qu’un train.
Note that numbers should not be preceded by an apostrophe as is the case in English.
Example
Source text: The art movement of the '60s
✘ Le mouvement artistique des années '60
✓ Le mouvement artistique des années 60
3.2. Capitalization
As usually happens, the first letter of words is written in capitals at the beginning of the sentences and after a period (except for abbreviations). There are also other cases where capitals must be used:
- only the first word of titles or subtitles (Vendredi ou la vie sauvage);
- proper nouns (people, places, organizations), nicknames, bands (Daft Punk), athletic clubs (Dijon FCO), and nationalities (les Français);
- planets (Jupiter), stars (Canis Major), and signs of the zodiac (Taureau);
- holidays and special events (Noël, Pâques);
- initials (CD – Corps Diplomatique);
- the first letter of acronyms (La France a réintégré le commandement de l'Otan);
- for monuments and buildings, the capital letter is only applied to the proper noun (la cathedral de Notre-Dame).
On the other hand, lowercase must be used in the following situations:
- titles and civil responsibilities (le président est le chef des armées et le premier ministre est responsable de la défense nationale);
- religious groups and followers of a doctrine or an ideology (chrétiens et musulmans);
- cardinal points indicating an orientation (North Bay possède l'aéroport le plus grand au nord de Toronto), excepting when they indicate an area (pollution aux particules fines dans le Nord et le Pas-de-Calais);
- names of days (lundi), months (janvier) and seasons (printemps).
Cardinal points: are capitalized
- when they are not followed by a determinative complement introduced by the preposition of Le Nord canadien, mais le nord des États-Unis
- when they are used to designate a geographic or ethnic place, or an odonym ;
Le pôle Sud, les fleurs du Midi, rue Laurier Ouest, l’Orient et l’Occident
3.3. Compounds
Compounds have no precise rules. However, we can establish the following:
- The words can be written together, with a hyphen or with whitespace. The 1990-spelling reform recommends the weld of the words strongly anchored in the use: compounds of a verb followed by a name (faitout), compounds of nominal and adjectival elements (millefeuille), and onomatopoeia.
- The words are written with a hyphen if they are compound numbers.
- If the compound is a foreign word or is composed of at least one foreign word, translate it if possible. If it is not possible, adapt it with a determiner or a hyphen (week-end instead of weekend).
The plural of a compound depends on its composition:
- noun + noun
- a) when the nouns are equally important, they both become plural (un chou-fleur; des choux-fleurs);
- b) when one noun is modifying the other (usually with a preposition), only the first one becomes plural (un chef-d'oeuvre; des chefs-d'oeuvre).
- noun + adjective
- a) both are plural (un grand-père; des grands-pères).
- adjective + adjective
- a) both are plural (un sourd-muet; des sourds-muets).
- adverb + noun
- a) only the noun is plural (un haut-parleur/des haut-parleurs).
- preposition + noun
- a) only the noun is plural (une contre-offensive; des contre-offensives).
- adverb/adjective + past participle
- a) only the participle is plural (un nouveau-né; des nouveau-nés).
- Verb/preposition + noun
- a) if the noun is concrete and countable, it is plural (un couvre-lit; des couvre-lits; un sans-abri; des sans-abris);
- b) if the noun is abstract or collective, traditionally the compound noun is invariable. However, the 1990-spelling reform allows the noun to be plural (un porte-monnaie; des porte-monnaie or des porte-monnaies).
- verb + verb
- a) the noun is invariable (un laissez-passer, des laissez-passer).
- noun + preposition + noun
- a) only the first noun is plural (fin de semaine; fins de semaine).
There are some exceptions:
- truncated units ending in -o or -i are invariable (un anglo-saxon; des anglo-saxons);
- the adjective demi is invariable (une demi-bouteille; des demi-bouteilles).
This information can be found at https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/compound-noun-plurals/
Prefixes (auto, pré, etc.) and hyphens: The hyphen tends to disappear. The prefix joins the word, without a hyphen (e.g., archiconnu, microprogram), unless two identical vowels follow each other or would create a pronunciation difficulty (e.g., microwave, bio-industry).
3.4. Foreign words
The use of English words should be avoided in a text intended for a French Canadian audience, even for technical terms. The Grand dictionnaire terminologique is a good source of information in this regard.
For example: cookie = témoin
3.5. Special symbols
Symbols (%, +, cm, etc.) are always preceded by whitespace.
Symbole (mm, $, etc.) : When there is more than one element, repeat the symbol (p. ex. de 10 mm à 20 mm, entre 25 $ et 35 $)
4. Punctuation
4.1. How to use punctuation marks for Canadian French
Comma | ,
- In an enumeration;
- to separate words, groups of words or clauses coordinated by the conjunctions et and ou when there are two or more coordinated units;
- before et and ou when the coordinated clauses do not have the same subject or idea;
- before car, mais, puis, sauf and the second soit’(soit… soit…) or ni (ni… ni…);
- to isolate or frame words, groups of words or clauses in apposition or interpolated.
Example
✘ Marie Pierre et Paul mangent.
✓ Marie, Pierre et Paul mangent.
Colon | :
- Before an enumeration, a quotation, a reported discourse, an explanation (relation of cause or consequence);
- it is always preceded by whitespace.
Example
✘ Ne pas oublier
- les fruits
- le poisson
✓ Ne pas oublier :
- les fruits
- le poisson
Semicolon | ;
- To separate clauses or independent expressions which have a small relation;
- to match two clauses;
- to separate terms of an enumeration introduced by a colon;
- it is not preceded by whitespace.
Example
✘ Exister, c’est être là, simplement les existants apparaissent, se laissent rencontrer, mais on ne peut jamais les déduire (J.P. Sartre)
✓ Exister, c’est être là, simplement ; les existants apparaissent, se laissent rencontrer, mais on ne peut jamais les déduire (J.P. Sartre).
Period | .
- To indicate the end of a sentence.
Example
✘ Je vais bien Et toi?
✓ Je vais bien. Et toi?
Exclamation point | !
- At the end of an exclamatory sentence or a sentence expressing surprise, exasperation, admiration, an order, or an interjection;
- it is not preceded by whitespace.
Example
✘ Venez tout de suite
✓ Venez tout de suite !
Question mark | ?
- At the end of an interrogative sentence;
- it is not preceded by whitespace.
Example
✘ Comment vas-tu
✓ Comment vas-tu?
Hyphen | -
- To join the parts of the same word (compounds);
- when there’s a line break.
Example
✘ peut être; allez vous
✓ peut-être; allez-vous
En dash | –
- In a dialogue, it introduces the words spoken by the different characters or marks the interlocutor's change;
- in a list, they are used to enumerate terms.
Example
✘ Comment vas-tu?
Je vais bien et toi?
✓ – Comment vas-tu?
– Je vais bien et toi?
Em dash | –
- To frame segments of sentences (as brackets).
Example
✘ J’aime les pâtisseries aussi bonnes que belles que fait mon pâtissier.
✓ J’aime les pâtisseries – aussi bonnes que belles – que fait mon pâtissier.
Quote marks | « »
- To quote;
- when preceded by two points, they introduce a direct speech;
- used for a word or expression which is used in an unusual context, and which we wish to emphasize.
Example
✘ Le destin est un danseur étoile qui fait des entrechats sur la pointe des si., A. Bragance
✓ « Le destin est un danseur étoile qui fait des entrechats sur la pointe des si. », A. Bragance
Please note that you should use the French quotation marks instead of the English quotation marks (“ ”), as these ones are only used for quotations within quotations.
Example
✓ Julie m'a dit « Marie lui a demandé “voulez-vous aller au théâtre avec moi?” ».
Also, notice that there is always space after the first French guillemet and another one before the second.
Brackets | ( )
- To isolate words, expressions, or small sentences inside a sentence;
- to indicate variants of gender and number.
Example
✘ J’aime les pâtisseries aussi bonnes que belles que fait mon pâtissier.
✓ J’aime les pâtisseries (aussi bonnes que belles) que fait mon pâtissier.
Ellipsis |
- To mark an omitted word or expression; represents a pause
- In incomplete enumeration, to indicate that there is more to provide. They are used in this sense instead of etc.
- to remove lexical material that is less relevant or already expected in the sentence;
- to introduce hesitation or suspense;
- There is no space before this sign, but one space after unless followed by a comma, question mark or exclamation point.
Example
✓ Il se nomme… euh… Antoine, je crois. (Hesitation)
✘ Il se nomme, euh, Antoine, je crois.
✓ Que voulez-vous? Des noms, de l’argent, des excuses…? (enumeration)
✘ Que voulez-vous? Des noms, de l’argent, des excuses? (enumeration) (without the ellipsis, there is no sign of others elements to mention)
When using etc. (expression meaning and the rest at the end of a list), you must remember that this expression:
- comes after at least 2 elements
- must always be preceded by a comma
- must not be followed by an ellipsis (redundancy)
- if it ends the sentence, do not add a period behind the abbreviation point
- the abbreviation is followed by a comma if it does not end a parenthesis or a sentence
Example
Son panier contenait des asperges, des carottes, des navets, etc.
4.2. Punctuation in greetings and closings
Regarding greetings, the comma is the punctuation used in French. Don't use the exclamation mark.
Examples
Source text: Hey!
✘ Bonjour !
✓ Bonjour,
Source text: Hey Susan!
✘ Bonjour Susan !
✓ Bonjour Susan,
As far as closings are concerned, French punctuation rules state that the formulas that contain a verb form are followed by a period.
Examples
Source text: Accept our sincerest greetings.
✘ Recevez nos salutations distinguées,
✓ Recevez nos salutations distinguées.
On the other hand, the formulas that do not contain a verb are usually followed by a comma. However, it is also frequent to have both punctuation marks (comma and period).
Source text: Kind regards.
✓ Meilleures salutations,
✓ Meilleures salutations.
Source text: Thank you.
✓ Merci,
✓ Merci.
For more information about this topic: http://bdl.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/bdl/gabarit_bdl.asp?id=4946
5. Register
Register refers to the level of formality used in the text. It shows how our clients address their customers and contributes to the voice of the brand itself. Register may vary depending on the company, the brand, the service they offer, the customers, and the target language.
Register is divided into formal and informal, as shown below.
5.1. Formal register
The formal register corresponds to a correct language, both lexically and syntactically. The sentences are sometimes complex, and the main rules of syntax are respected. It is used for professional or official communication when the interaction is impersonal and involves a distance between the interlocutors.
| Category | Examples | Type of Register |
| Personal pronouns | nous, vous | Grammatical |
|
Verbs (person used to conjugate the verb) |
second-person plural: Veuillez trouver ci-joint … |
Grammatical |
| Possessive pronouns | votre, vos | Grammatical |
| Greetings |
Cher Monsieur, Chère Madame, Bonjour, |
Lexical |
| Closings |
Meilleures salutations. Au revoir. |
Lexical |
Translations intended for a French Canadian audience, even in a high register, should be rather short and simple.
5.2. Informal register
The informal register corresponds to the ordinary language, with a larger number of liberties. This register is especially used between close friends or people belonging to the same social community in which any formalism can be limited (members of the family, friends, classmates, work colleagues).
- However, when we are working with customer support communication — and the vast majority of Unbabel's translation jobs fall into this domain — "informal" actually means using the "vous" form with a more informal language, a friendlier approach.
In the rare cases in which the text is indeed informal enough to use the "tu" forms (when speaking with children or in a few gaming scenarios), you should follow the table below:
| Category | Examples | Type of Register |
| Personal pronouns | je, tu, on | Grammatical |
|
Verbs (person used to conjugate the verb) |
Second person singular: Tu vas bien? |
Grammatical |
| Possessive pronouns | ta, ton, tes | Grammatical |
| Greetings |
Salut, Coucou, |
Lexical |
| Closings |
Salut. À bientôt. |
Lexical |
6. Localization challenges
Most of these challenges refer to unique entities, such as persons, places, organizations, brands... or the specific format of dates, addresses and so on. Languages may adopt different rules regarding whether those units should be translated, reformatted or kept as in the original language. When editing a text, you should follow your language's rules for all different types of units listed below.
However, please note that if there is a glossary provided by the client that includes some of them, you should always apply the glossary items.
6.1. Names
Proper nouns refer to unique entities, such as persons, places, organizations, brands, events, etc. As foreign proper nouns are concerned, languages may adopt different rules regarding whether they should be translated or kept in the original language. When editing a text, you should follow your language's rules for all different types of proper nouns listed below.
However, please note that if there is a glossary provided by the client that includes these types of units, you should always apply the glossary items.
Proper names are kept untranslated or it can be adapted to French writing. It is also the case of celebrities whose name has an equivalent in French.
Example
Source text: Michael Jackson
✘ Michael Jackson
✓ Mickaël Jackson
6.2. Organizations
It is best not to preface company names with an article.
Example
Source text: Tech Sea Corporation will create 50 jobs
✘ La Tech Sea Corporation créera…
✓ Tech Sea Corporation créera…
When it says Province of Quebec (Ontario, etc.), it usually means the government, even though the English does not capitalize the province.
Example
Source text: Province of Quebec
✘ La Province du Québec
✓ Le gouvernement du Québec
Most of the names of English-language Canadian universities have no official equivalent in French. The Translation Bureau recommends translating them, in part or in full, and capitalizing the word university (as well as the words college and institute).
It is advisable to translate the names of the types of institutions and to capitalize them:
- University = Université
- College = Collège
- Institute = Institut
- University College = Collège universitaire
6.3. Brands and products
Brands (e.g. Sony) and products (e.g. PlayStation) are kept untranslated.
Example
Source text: I have a computer Apple.
✘ J’ai un ordinateur Pomme.
✓ J’ai un ordinateur Apple.
6.4. Titles
Wherever possible, the wording should be equally applicable to men and women. Examples of neutrality:
Je suis directeur (directrice) d’une PME
> J’occupe un poste de direction d’une PME
Je suis un(e) employé(e) de soutien dans une PME
> J’occupe un emploi de soutien dans une PME
Je suis un(e) employé(e) du gouvernement au service des PME
> Je suis au service des PME pour le compte du gouvernement
6.5. Acronyms and abbreviations
It is imperative to use the French version of acronyms if it exists. The acronyms of Canadian organizations or companies generally have an official French translation. Refer to Termium (for government agencies) or to the website of the company in question.
The abbreviations of the names of the provinces are also on Termium.
6.6. Places
Almost all countries, as well as many cities, are translated. Whenever the place has an equivalent in French, you must use it.
Example
Source text: Germany
✘ Germany
✓ Allemagne
6.6.1. Address format
Names of street types, etc. :
court : cour
crescent : croissant
drive : promenade
highway : route
lane : allée
road : chemin
row : ruelle
square : place
way : voie
In an address, do not use suite, but bureau ou pièce.
STANDARD ABBREVIATIONS FOR CANADIAN PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES
| Alberta | Alb. |
|
| Colombie-Britannique | C.-B. | |
| Île-du-Prince-Édouard | Î.-P.-É. | |
| Manitoba | Man. | |
| Nouveau-Brunswick | N.-B. | |
| Nouvelle-Écosse | N.-É. | |
| Ontario | Ont | |
| Québec | Qc | |
| Saskatchewan | Sask. | |
| Terre-Neuve | T.-N. | |
| Territoire du Yukon | Yn | |
| Territoires du Nord-Ouest | T. N.-O. |
The postal code must be capitalized after the city and province, if applicable. Where possible, the postal code should follow the city and province after a two-character space. If not, it appears on the next line.
Example : Montréal (Québec) H3T 1A3
6.7. Numeric expressions
The numerical value is written in Arabic numerals and not in letters before the symbol :
5 W (not: five W)
100 °C (not: one hundred °C)
Symbols for units of measurement are written in lower case, except for symbols for units formed from a proper noun, such as °C (Celsius), °F (Fahrenheit) or °K (Kelvin):
3 s (not: 3 S)
Note: The liter symbol can be written in lower case or upper case (l or L). For the sake of readability, the symbol L should be used in front of the number 1 (1 L rather than 1 l).
A non-breaking space is placed between the numerical value and the symbol :
5 cm (not: 5cm)
The comma is used as a decimal mark:
3,25 m (not: 3.25 m)
A zero is always placed to the left of the decimal point:
0,25 kg (not: 25 kg)
No abbreviation is used for the symbols:
2 cm (not: 2 c.m. or 2 cm.)
Do not agree symbols in the plural:
4 kg (not: 4 kgs)
6.8. Time expressions
30s, 40s, etc. - : Do not use apostrophes in French.
Example
Source text: 30s, 40s, etc. -
✘ Les années ’30-40
✓ Les années 30
6.9. Date expressions
A few specific expressions :
March Break = Semaine de relâche
Black friday = Vendredi fou ou Mégasolde d'avant Noël (GDT)
Cyber Monday = Cyberlundi (GDT)
Thanksgiving = Action de grâce
6.10. Phone numbers
Common telephone numbers in Canada are written with ten digits, separating the first three digits from the next three digits with a space and the last four digits with a hyphen.
The area code is therefore written without parentheses, and there is a space between the first three digits and the next three digits, and a hyphen between these and the last four digits.
Example
Source text: 514 295 9287
✘ (514) 295 9287
✓514 295-9287
6.11. Currency
Money is written as follows :
Source text: US$16.05
✘ 16,05$US
✓ 16,05 $US (with a space between the numbers and the $ symbol, but not after the comma)
Both symbols $CAN and $CA are allowed.
6.12. Measures
In Canada today, the metric system prevails. However, many people use imperial measurements. Special attention should be paid to this situation and, if possible, the metric measurement should be indicated, followed by the imperial measurement in parentheses.
7. Tricky cases: anglicisms, loan translation and false friends
Suite à = anglicism
Replace with: comme suite à, en réponse à, à la suite de, par suite de, en conséquence de… (selon le contexte).
To realize: réaliser = anglicism
We must say: se rendre compte, trouver que, comprendre que, etc.
Initier is an anglicism in the sense of d’inaugurer, d’instaurer, d’amorcer, de lancer, d’ entreprendre, de prendre l’initiative de, de promouvoir.
Amounts of money: sommes d’argent and not montants d’argent.
Monies: des sommes d’argent, des fonds, l’argent (on occasion), but never des argents.
To derive satisfaction, profit from: tirer de, puiser, trouver dans, but not dériver.
Sévère is an anglicism in the sense of grave, considérable, difficile, draconien.
Item: rarely translated as item in French.
L’objectif du projet est... = English turn of phrase.
Source text: The objective of the project is…
✘ L’objectif du projet est…
✓ Le projet a pour objectif…
All in English does not always have to be rendered in French.
For example: « ...offers "all" participants » > offre aux participants.
8. Most frequent errors
You’ll find below a list of some of the most frequently occurring errors in English to Canadian French translation.
Cela refers to the preceding, ceci, to the following. We will say: cela dit and not ceci dit.
Responsable de cannot be followed by a verb (responsable de veiller à, de faire telle chose...); replace with: tenu de, obligé de, doit, c’est à lui de s’en occuper, relève de, etc.
As well at the start of a sentence in English cannot be rendered as aussi at the start of a sentence in French. It often means de plus, en outre, par ailleurs. Aussi must be used after the verb or in inversion. E.g.: il veut aussi ou aussi veut-il...
The verb émettre is used with emprunts, billets, chèque, voeu, opinion, ondes, radiations, signaux, images (télévisuelles), but not with permis, licence, etc. Examples of anglicisms : émettre un passeport (au lieu de délivrer un passeport); émettre un communiqué (pour publier un communiqué); émettre un ordre (pour donner un ordre); émettre un mandat (au lieu de lancer un mandat) et émettre une décision (pour rendre une décision.) Le Multidictionnaire
Il me fait plaisir de is a faulty construction. It should say: c’est avec plaisir que, j’ai le plaisir, l’honneur de, je suis heureux de.
Avoid the expression en termes de. Can be easily replaced by: en matière de, du point de vue de, pour ce qui est de, sur le plan de.
prendre pour acquis = anglicisme. Tenir pour acquis.
9. Useful online resources
La Vitrine linguistique de l’Office québécois de la langue française
Multidictionnaire de la langue française (free access one month)
Bilingual dictionaries
English verb conjugator
English grammar guide
English dictionaries
Thesauruses
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