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Is it possible to punish your children physically?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: No, slaps and spanking are forbidden by law. No, you cannot punish a child with violence. The law forbids slaps, spanking and humiliation. Violence teaches nothing. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “L'interdiction des violences faites aux enfants” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “L'interdiction des violences faites aux enfants” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✗ Yes, but only with a light spankingOui, mais seulement avec une petite fesséeSpanking is forbidden, even a light one.
- ✓ No, slaps and spanking are forbidden by lawNon, les gifles et les fessées sont interdites par la loiCorrect answer. No, you cannot punish a child with violence. The law forbids slaps, spanking and humiliation. Violence teaches nothing.
- ✗ Yes, if the child did something very bad at homeOui, si l'enfant a fait une grosse bêtiseViolence cannot be used to educate a child.
- ✗ Yes, only for children over 10Oui, seulement pour les enfants de plus de 10 ansThat is not the right answer: the sheet says slaps, spanking and other violence are forbidden.
What the source says
« Les gifles, les fessées, les humiliations ou les autres violences psychologiques et physiques sont interdites. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Est-il possible de punir physiquement ses enfants ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Est-ce possible de punir physiquement ses enfants ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “L'interdiction des violences faites aux enfants” (French).
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