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The French language

Q: In which year did French replace Latin in administrative texts?

1539. It was in 1539 that French replaced Latin in administrative texts.

Q: Which language does the word "chiffre" come from?

From Arabic. The sheet says that the word "chiffre" comes from Arabic.

Q: How can regional languages be taught at school?

In optional lessons. Regional languages can be taught at school, in lessons that are not compulsory.

Written by the Hexaciv editorial team · Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026 · Our method

Read in: Français · العربية

In short

The sheet presents the place of French in the history of France. It also covers the languages used in France and the influence of other countries on French.

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Key points of the sheet

French is the only official language in France. It is used in schools, the administration, the justice system and public life.
In 1539, French replaced Latin in administrative texts. At that time, people used many local languages. It was the first step to unify the language.
In 1992, the French language was written into the Constitution: "the language of the Republic is French". It was the time of the creation of the European Union.
One single language guarantees equal access to rights and to information. It also strengthens national cohesion.
French keeps changing. It takes new words from other countries: banque (Italian), week-end (English), chiffre (Arabic).
Other languages are used in regions of France: Breton, Corsican, Alsatian, Basque or Creole. They are not official languages, but they are part of French heritage.

Words to know

official language (langue officielle): In France, the only official language is French, used in public life.
Latin: In 1539, French replaced Latin in administrative texts.
Constitution: Since 1992, the Constitution says: "the language of the Republic is French".
national cohesion (cohésion nationale): Having one language strengthens national cohesion.
regional languages (langues régionales): They are languages such as Breton or Basque. They are not official, but they are part of French heritage.

Test yourself: 3 questions

In which year did French replace Latin in administrative texts?

In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année le français remplace-t-il le latin dans les textes administratifs ?

It was in 1539 that French replaced Latin in administrative texts.

Which language does the word "chiffre" come from?

In French, the language of the exam: De quelle langue vient le mot « chiffre » ?

The sheet says that the word "chiffre" comes from Arabic.

How can regional languages be taught at school?

In French, the language of the exam: Comment les langues régionales peuvent-elles être enseignées à l'école ?

Regional languages can be taught at school, in lessons that are not compulsory.

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Source

Sheet “La langue française” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.

Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.

Hexaciv is an independent tool for preparing the French civic exam. It is not an official site, is not linked to any administration and gives no legal advice. For your file, the authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.