Matching game
French acronyms everyone uses: SNCF, SMIC, CAF and more
Match twelve French acronyms you'll hear daily, from the SNCF and the RER to the SMIC, the CAF and the TVA, and learn how each one is pronounced.
- B1
- 12 pairs
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In short
French daily life runs on acronyms: la SNCF (railways), le RER (Paris suburban trains), le SMIC (minimum wage), la CAF (family and housing benefits), la TVA (VAT) and le CV. Some are spelled letter by letter (S-N-C-F), others read as words (le smic, la caf).
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Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
How do you pronounce French acronyms?
| Acronym | Said as |
|---|---|
| SNCF, RER, TVA, HLM | letter by letter: « S-N-C-F » |
| SMIC, CAF, PACS, BAC | as a word: « le smic », « le bac » |
| SAMU, CNIL | as a word: « le samu », « la cnil » |
Gender follows the main noun: la SNCF (la Société), le SMIC (le salaire), la TVA (la taxe). Many acronyms become everyday words: se pacser (to enter a PACS), un smicard (someone on minimum wage), un bachelier (someone who passed the bac).
- Agent
Pour l'aide au logement, il faut faire la demande à la CAF.
For housing benefit, you have to apply to the CAF.
- Vous
D'accord. Et je suis payé au SMIC, ça compte ?
OK. And I'm paid the minimum wage, does that count?
- Agent
Oui, apportez vos trois derniers bulletins de salaire.
Yes, bring your last three payslips.
Acronyms also appear constantly on forms and signs: RIB (bank details slip), TTC (tax included), RDC (ground floor, rez-de-chaussée), SDF (homeless person) and VTC (ride-hailing car). If you don't know one, ask Ça veut dire quoi, … ?