We often go to the town hall for an identity card, a marriage or a local registration. The prefecture handles many state procedures in the department. The post office is used for mail, parcels and certain local services. The court handles justice matters. At the counter, one speaks directly to an employee to submit an application or retrieve a document. In the vocabulary of Politics and Government, these places frequently come up when talking about public services.

A agent works for a public service and receives users. A fonctionnaire is an agent of the State or of a local authority. The secrétaire prepares files, sorts papers and sometimes schedules appointments. The guichetier welcomes the public at the counter. The inspecteur checks a situation, a file or an activity. In a school, at the town hall or in the services of Education, one often encounters this type of staff.

employéguichetieradministrateurinspecteurmaireagent d accueilsecrétairepréposéfonctionnaireagent

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Une personne qui travaille derrière le guichetLa personne qui dirige une mairieUne personne qui exerce un emploi dans le service publicUne personne qui gère un service ou une organisationUne personne qui organise les rendez vous et les papiersUne personne qui s occupe d une tâche précise pour le publicUne personne qui donne les premières informations aux visiteursUne personne qui contrôle une situation ou des documentsUne personne qui travaille pour renseigner ou aider le publicUne personne qui fait un travail dans un bureau ou un service

Job and role in the administration

Word	Definition
agent	A person who works to inform or help the public.
fonctionnaire	A person who holds a job in the public service.
secrétaire	A person who organizes appointments and papers.
guichetier	A person who works behind the counter.
inspecteur	A person who checks a situation or documents.
agent d accueil	A person who gives the first information to visitors.
employé	A person who does work in an office or a service.
administrateur	A person who manages a service or an organization.
maire	The person who runs a town hall.
préposé	A person who takes care of a specific task for the public.

Scramble

To start a procedure, one to request a piece of information or a document. One to fill a form with personal information. One to file a file when all papers are ready. One to make an appointment to come at a specific time. These verbs are used in the structure subject + verb + object, like to request a form or we file a file. In the services related to Technology and Media, these steps are also often done online.

signerretirerenvoyerattendredemanderremplirprésenterprendre rendez vousdéposercompléter

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Prendre un document ou un objet au guichetAjouter les informations qui manquentFaire une requête officielle à une administrationFixer une date et une heure pour être reçuÉcrire son nom pour valider un documentFaire partir un document vers un service ou une personneMontrer un document à une personne du serviceDonner un document ou un dossier à l administrationMettre les informations nécessaires dans un formulaireRester sur place jusqu au moment d être appelé

Frequent actions for a procedure

Word	Definition
demander	To make an official request to an administration.
remplir	To put the necessary information in a form.
déposer	To give a document or file to the administration.
prendre rendez vous	To set a date and a time to be received.
présenter	To show a document to a service employee.
signer	To write one's name to validate a document.
envoyer	To send a document to a service or a person.
attendre	To remain on site until being called.
compléter	To add the information that is missing.
retirer	To take a document or an object at the counter.

Scramble

The identity card proves who you are. A proof of address is used to show an address, a situation or a payment. An attestation confirms official information. The birth certificate is a civil status document that indicates a person’s birth. These documents are often requested together for a file, especially in the procedures of Education or of Politics and Government.

photocopieacte de naissancedossierreçuattestationcarte d identitéformulairejustificatifphoto d identitépasseport

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Photo officielle utilisée pour un document administratifDocument qui prouve une adresse une situation ou une dépenseDocument qui indique la naissance d une personneDocument officiel qui prouve qui vous êtesPapier officiel qui confirme une informationDocument avec des cases à remplirDocument officiel pour voyager à l étrangerPetit document qui prouve un paiement ou une remiseEnsemble de documents réunis pour une demandeCopie papier d un document original

Documents often requested at the office

Word	Definition
carte d identité	Official document that proves who you are.
justificatif	Document that proves an address a situation or an expense.
attestation	Official paper that confirms information.
acte de naissance	Document that indicates a person's birth.
dossier	Set of documents gathered for a request.
formulaire	Document with boxes to fill in.
reçu	Small document that proves a payment or a handover.
photocopie	Paper copy of an original document.
passeport	Official document for traveling abroad.
photo d identité	Official photo used for an administrative document.

Scramble

The civil status records birth, marriage and death. The taxes concern taxes and tax declarations. The social security manages part of reimbursements and social rights. The permit allows driving or exercising certain authorized activities. The vehicle registration certificate is the official document of a vehicle. These services are part of daily administrative life.

permiscarte griseposteimpôtstribunalsécurité socialeguichetétat civilpréfecturemairie

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Service qui aide à payer des soins ou des prestationsLieu où l on traite les affaires de justiceService où l on envoie le courrier et certains colisDocument officiel qui identifie un véhiculeService de l État qui gère plusieurs démarches officiellesBâtiment où l on s occupe des affaires de la communeService qui gère les actes de naissance mariage et décèsAutorisation officielle pour faire quelque chose comme conduirePetite ouverture où l on parle à un agentSomme d argent que l on verse à l administration publique

Frequent administrative services

Word	Definition
état civil	Service that handles birth, marriage, and death records.
impôts	Sum of money paid to the public administration.
sécurité sociale	Service that helps to pay for care or benefits.
permis	Official authorization to do something like driving.
carte grise	Official document that identifies a vehicle.
mairie	Building where municipal affairs are handled.
préfecture	State service that handles several official procedures.
tribunal	Place where justice matters are treated.
poste	Service where mail and certain parcels are sent.
guichet	Counter where one talks to an agent.

Scramble

We often begin with hello and address the person with madam or sir. To make a request, one says I would like followed by the desired object, like I would like a form. Please accompanies the request. Thank you closes the exchange with politeness. At the counter, these phrases make the sentence more natural and more suited to the public service.

Polite phrases at the counter

Usage	Explanation
Initial greeting	Used to open the exchange politely before talking about your request.
Soft request	Used to express a wish in a polite manner.
Polite request	Added to soften a request.
Thanks	Said to show appreciation after help.
Addressing staff	Used to address a woman respectfully.
Addressing staff	Used to address a man respectfully.
Direct request	Used to clearly introduce what one wants.
Take leave	Used to end the exchange properly.
Attention call	Used to attract attention without bluster.
Increased politeness	Used to show great respect in a request.

At the reception, one receives visitors and directs them to the right service. The waiting line gathers people who are waiting their turn. A ticket or a number helps determine the order of service. To wait means to stay inactive until one’s turn. To direct means to send someone to the right desk, the right floor, or the right person.

orienterhallnuméroticketattendreaccueilfile d attenteguichetorientationaffiche

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Action de diriger une personne vers le bon serviceMontrer la bonne direction à une personneEndroit où l on reçoit les visiteurs et les demandesPetit papier ou numéro qui donne un ordre de passageChiffre qui permet de savoir quand on passeGrande pièce d entrée d un bâtimentFeuille visible qui donne une information au publicGroupe de personnes qui attendent leur tourRester sur place jusqu à être appeléPetit poste où l on parle à un agent

Vocabulary for reception and waiting

Word	Definition
file d attente	Group of people who are waiting their turn.
ticket	Small paper or number that gives an order of service.
numéro	Digit that allows you to know when you will be served.
attendre	To remain on site until being called.
orienter	To show a person the right direction.
accueil	Place where visitors and requests are received.
guichet	Small station where one speaks to an agent.
hall	Large entrance room of a building.
affiche	Visible sheet that gives information to the public.
orientation	Action of directing a person to the right service.

Scramble

When a request is correct, one can to accept or to validate it. If it does not meet the rules, one to refuse it. The administration to process a file when it reviews it and makes a decision. It can also to transmit a file to another service. These verbs describe the internal work of offices and the responses given to users.

corrigertransmettreexamineraccepterclasservaliderrefusertraiterannulerconfirmer

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Regarder attentivement un document ou une situationDire non à une demande ou à un documentChanger ce qui n est pas correctMettre les documents dans le bon ordre ou le bon endroitEnvoyer quelque chose à une autre personne ou un autre serviceS occuper d un dossier pour le faire avancerFaire disparaître une demande ou une réservationConfirmer que quelque chose est correctDire officiellement que quelque chose est vrai ou fixéDire oui à une demande ou à un document

Verbs to respond to a request

Word	Definition
accepter	To say yes to a request or a document.
refuser	To say no to a request or a document.
valider	To confirm that something is correct.
traiter	To take care of a file to move it forward.
transmettre	To send something to another person or another service.
examiner	To look at a document or situation carefully.
classer	To put documents in the right order or place.
corriger	To change what is not correct.
confirmer	To officially say that something is true or fixed.
annuler	To make a request or booking disappear.

Scramble

A user is a person who uses a public service. The applicant is the one who makes the request. The beneficiary receives a right, an aid or a service. A holder officially possesses a document, a right or a position. A contractor works with a contract, without holding the status of a civil servant. These words are used to specify everyone’s role in a procedure.

demandeurtitulairecontractuelrésidentcitoyenusagerbénéficiaireélecteurredevableallocataire

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Personne qui fait une demande officiellePersonne qui travaille avec un contrat sans être titulairePersonne qui fait partie d un pays et de sa vie publiquePersonne qui possède officiellement un droit ou un documentPersonne qui habite dans un lieu donnéPersonne qui doit payer une somme ou accomplir une obligationPersonne qui reçoit une allocationPersonne qui reçoit un avantage ou une aidePersonne qui utilise un service publicPersonne qui a le droit de voter

Words for the user situation

Word	Definition
titulaire	Person who officially possesses a right or document.
contractuel	Person who works under a contract without being a holder.
usager	Person who uses a public service.
demandeur	Person who makes an official request.
bénéficiaire	Person who receives an advantage or aid.
résident	Person who lives in a given place.
citoyen	Person who is part of a country and its public life.
allocataire	Person who receives an allowance.
électeur	Person who has the right to vote.
redevable	Person who must pay a sum or fulfill an obligation.

Scramble

An agent can to inform a user by giving precise information. He can also to assist someone who needs help. To provide is used to hand over a document, a item or a service. To attach means to add a document to a file or to contact a person. To report is used to indicate a problem, an error or a missing piece.