un local
un local in 30 Sekunden
- A physical space or room.
- Used for business or activities.
- Irregular plural: des locaux.
- Not a rental (une location).
- Commercial Use
- In the context of business, 'un local commercial' refers to a retail space, a shop, or a boutique where goods and services are sold directly to the public.
Ils ont loué un local pour ouvrir leur nouvelle boulangerie au centre-ville.
- Associative Use
- 'Un local associatif' denotes a space utilized by a club, a charity, or a community group for meetings and activities.
La mairie a mis un local à la disposition de notre association sportive.
- Industrial Use
- 'Un local industriel' refers to a warehouse, a factory floor, or a storage facility designed for heavy operations.
L'entreprise cherche un local plus grand pour stocker sa marchandise.
Il est interdit de transformer ce local d'habitation en commerce sans autorisation.
Nous devons rénover ce local avant l'inauguration officielle de la boutique.
- Singular vs Plural
- Singular: un local. Plural: des locaux. The transformation from -al to -aux is a standard rule in French grammar, but crucial here.
Les nouveaux locaux de l'entreprise sont très spacieux et lumineux.
- Prepositions
- The most common preposition used with this noun is 'dans' (in/inside), indicating location or movement into the space.
Le matériel de nettoyage est rangé dans le local technique au sous-sol.
Ils recherchent un local commercial avec une grande vitrine sur la rue principale.
- Compound Nouns
- Sometimes, it is used in compound structures to designate specific rooms within a larger building.
Veuillez descendre vos poubelles dans le local à poubelles situé dans la cour.
Ce local d'une superficie de cinquante mètres carrés est idéal pour un bureau.
- Real Estate Agencies
- Real estate windows (vitrines d'agences immobilières) are filled with advertisements for 'locaux commerciaux' or 'locaux professionnels' available for rent or purchase.
L'agence immobilière propose un local parfaitement situé pour la restauration.
- Community Centers
- Municipalities frequently discuss the allocation of 'locaux associatifs' during city council meetings or in local newsletters.
Le maire a inauguré le nouveau local des jeunes du quartier ce week-end.
- Corporate Environments
- Employees use the term to discuss their working environment, office moves, or facility management issues.
La direction a annoncé que nous allons déménager dans de nouveaux locaux en septembre.
Il est strictement interdit de fumer dans le local à vélos de l'immeuble.
Le journal télévisé a diffusé un reportage sur la réhabilitation d'un ancien local industriel.
- Noun vs. Adjective
- As a noun, it means a premise. As an adjective, it means local (e.g., un produit local - a local product).
Il faut acheter un produit local pour soutenir l'économie, mais il faut louer un local pour le vendre.
La signature du contrat de location pour ce local aura lieu demain matin.
- Incorrect Pluralization
- Many beginners mistakenly write or say 'des locals', which is grammatically incorrect and sounds unnatural to native speakers.
L'université a investi des millions pour rénover tous ses locaux étudiants.
Ma maison a cinq pièces, mais mon entreprise n'a qu'un seul local.
- People vs. Places
- 'Les locaux' (noun) always refers to buildings or spaces, never to the local population.
Les habitants du village se réunissent souvent dans le local de la mairie.
- Un Espace
- This is a broader, more abstract term than 'un local'. It can refer to a physical area, an open area, or even a conceptual space.
Nous cherchons un grand espace de travail, de préférence un local lumineux.
Cet établissement scolaire dispose d'un excellent local pour les expériences de chimie.
- Une Pièce vs Une Salle
- 'Pièce' is for homes; 'Salle' is for specific functions (meeting room, bathroom, dining hall).
Leur nouveau local comprend une grande salle de réunion et trois petites pièces pour les bureaux.
Il a transformé ce vieux local en une magnifique boutique de vêtements.
- Un Atelier
- An 'atelier' specifically denotes a space where manual work, art, or craftsmanship is performed.
L'artiste peintre a loué un local en banlieue pour y installer son nouvel atelier.
How Formal Is It?
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Wichtige Grammatik
Irregular plurals of nouns ending in -al (cheval/chevaux, local/locaux).
Prepositions of place (dans, à, en).
Demonstrative adjectives (ce local, ces locaux).
Possessive adjectives (mon local, nos locaux).
Agreement of adjectives with masculine nouns.
Beispiele nach Niveau
Voici un local pour les vélos.
Here is a room for the bikes.
'Un' is the masculine indefinite article used with 'local'.
Le local est très grand.
The premise is very big.
'Est' is the third-person singular of the verb 'être' (to be).
Nous avons un petit local.
We have a small room/premise.
Adjectives like 'petit' usually go before the noun.
Où est le local poubelle ?
Where is the trash room?
'Où est' is used to ask for a location.
C'est un local commercial.
It is a commercial premise.
'C'est' is used to identify or present something.
Le local est fermé aujourd'hui.
The premise is closed today.
'Fermé' acts as an adjective agreeing with the masculine noun 'local'.
Je cherche un local.
I am looking for a premise.
'Chercher' means to look for; no preposition is needed after it.
Il y a un local ici.
There is a premise here.
'Il y a' means 'there is' or 'there are'.
Ils vont louer un local pour leur nouveau magasin.
They are going to rent a premise for their new store.
'Vont louer' is the futur proche (aller + infinitive).
Les locaux de l'école sont très propres.
The school's premises are very clean.
'Locaux' is the irregular plural of 'local'.
Nous nettoyons le local tous les soirs.
We clean the premise every evening.
'Tous les soirs' indicates a recurring action.
Ce local coûte très cher par mois.
This premise costs a lot per month.
'Ce' is a demonstrative adjective used with masculine singular nouns.
L'association a besoin d'un nouveau local.
The association needs a new premise.
'Avoir besoin de' means 'to need'.
Tu travailles dans quel local ?
Which premise do you work in?
'Quel' is an interrogative adjective agreeing with 'local'.
Le propriétaire veut vendre ce local.
The owner wants to sell this premise.
'Veut vendre' uses the modal verb 'vouloir' followed by an infinitive.
Il n'y a pas de local disponible.
There is no premise available.
In negative sentences, 'un' becomes 'de' after 'pas'.
L'entreprise a déménagé dans de nouveaux locaux plus spacieux.
The company moved to new, more spacious premises.
'De' is used instead of 'des' before a plural adjective ('nouveaux') preceding a noun.
Il faut signer le bail commercial pour ce local demain.
We must sign the commercial lease for this premise tomorrow.
'Il faut' expresses necessity, followed by an infinitive.
La mairie met un local à la disposition des jeunes du quartier.
The town hall is providing a premise for the youth of the neighborhood.
'Mettre à la disposition de' is a common formal phrase meaning 'to make available to'.
Ce local nécessite d'importants travaux de rénovation.
This premise requires significant renovation work.
'Nécessite' is a more formal verb than 'a besoin de'.
Nous avons visité plusieurs locaux avant de faire notre choix.
We visited several premises before making our choice.
'Avant de' is followed by an infinitive verb.
L'accès aux locaux techniques est strictement interdit au public.
Access to the technical premises is strictly forbidden to the public.
'Aux' is the contraction of 'à + les'.
Le loyer de ce local commercial a augmenté cette année.
The rent for this commercial premise increased this year.
'A augmenté' is the passé composé of the verb 'augmenter'.
Ils ont transformé l'ancien garage en un magnifique local associatif.
They transformed the old garage into a beautiful associative premise.
'Transformer en' is the structure used for converting spaces.
L'aménagement de ces locaux a été pensé pour favoriser le travail collaboratif.
The layout of these premises was designed to encourage collaborative work.
'A été pensé' is the passive voice in the passé composé.
La vacance des locaux commerciaux en centre-ville est un problème majeur pour la municipalité.
The vacancy of commercial premises in the city center is a major problem for the municipality.
'Vacance' here means emptiness or vacancy, not holidays.
Avant d'occuper les lieux, le locataire doit s'assurer que le local est aux normes de sécurité.
Before occupying the premises, the tenant must ensure that the premise meets safety standards.
'S'assurer que' triggers the indicative mood here as it states a fact to be verified.
Le changement de destination d'un local d'habitation en local professionnel requiert une autorisation préalable.
Changing the use of a residential premise to a professional premise requires prior authorization.
'Requiert' is the third-person singular of the irregular verb 'requérir'.
La superficie de ce local est parfaitement adaptée à une activité de restauration rapide.
The surface area of this premise is perfectly suited for a fast-food business.
'Adaptée à' means suited for or adapted to.
Les charges locatives pour l'entretien des locaux communs sont réparties entre les copropriétaires.
The rental charges for the maintenance of the common premises are divided among the co-owners.
'Réparties' is the past participle agreeing with the feminine plural subject 'Les charges'.
Malgré la crise, la demande pour des locaux industriels en périphérie reste forte.
Despite the crisis, the demand for industrial premises in the suburbs remains strong.
'Malgré' is a preposition meaning 'despite', followed by a noun.
L'architecte a su optimiser chaque mètre carré de ce local atypique.
The architect managed to optimize every square meter of this atypical premise.
'A su' (passé composé of savoir) here means 'managed to' or 'was able to'.
La jurisprudence récente a clarifié les obligations du bailleur concernant la délivrance d'un local conforme à sa destination.
Recent case law has clarified the landlord's obligations regarding the delivery of a premise that conforms to its intended use.
Advanced legal vocabulary: 'jurisprudence', 'bailleur', 'délivrance', 'conforme à'.
L'acquisition de ces locaux tertiaires s'inscrit dans la stratégie de développement foncier du groupe.
The acquisition of these service-sector premises is part of the group's real estate development strategy.
'S'inscrit dans' is a sophisticated way to say 'is part of' or 'aligns with'.
Il convient de vérifier si le local est assujetti à la taxe sur les friches commerciales.
It is advisable to check whether the premise is subject to the tax on vacant commercial properties.
'Il convient de' is a formal impersonal structure meaning 'it is appropriate/advisable to'.
La réhabilitation de ce local industriel en friche a permis de redynamiser l'ensemble du tissu économique local.
The rehabilitation of this abandoned industrial premise has helped revitalize the entire local economic fabric.
'En friche' means abandoned or wasteland; 'tissu économique' is an advanced metaphor.
Toute sous-location totale ou partielle du local est formellement prohibée par les clauses du présent contrat.
Any total or partial subletting of the premise is strictly prohibited by the clauses of this contract.
'Toute' here means 'any'; 'prohibée' is a formal synonym for 'interdite'.
L'ergonomie des locaux a un impact direct et mesurable sur la productivité et le bien-être des collaborateurs.
The ergonomics of the premises have a direct and measurable impact on the productivity and well-being of the employees.
'Collaborateurs' is the modern corporate term for 'employés'.
Le preneur s'engage à restituer le local dans son état initial, exception faite de l'usure normale.
The lessee agrees to return the premise in its original condition, except for normal wear and tear.
'Preneur' is the legal term for tenant/lessee; 'exception faite de' means 'except for'.
L'implantation de ce local commercial dans une zone de chalandise très dense garantit un retour sur investissement rapide.
The establishment of this commercial premise in a very dense catchment area guarantees a rapid return on investment.
'Zone de chalandise' is specialized marketing/real estate vocabulary for 'catchment area'.
L'obsolescence programmée de certains locaux tertiaires soulève des interrogations quant à la durabilité des politiques d'aménagement urbain.
The planned obsolescence of certain service-sector premises raises questions about the sustainability of urban planning policies.
Highly abstract and academic vocabulary: 'obsolescence programmée', 'soulève des interrogations'.
L'affectation domaniale de ce local implique qu'il est inaliénable et imprescriptible, échappant ainsi aux règles du droit privé.
The public domain allocation of this premise implies that it is inalienable and imprescriptible, thus escaping the rules of private law.
Extremely specialized legal jargon: 'affectation domaniale', 'inaliénable', 'imprescriptible'.
La gentrification du faubourg s'est traduite par une éviction insidieuse des artisans, leurs locaux historiques étant phagocytés par des enseignes franchisées.
The gentrification of the suburb resulted in an insidious eviction of artisans, their historic premises being swallowed up by franchised brands.
Advanced literary and sociological vocabulary: 'éviction insidieuse', 'phagocytés'.
Il argua que la vétusté du local constituait un manquement grave du bailleur à son obligation de délivrance, justifiant la résiliation du bail aux torts exclusifs de ce dernier.
He argued that the dilapidation of the premise constituted a serious breach by the landlord of his obligation to deliver, justifying the termination of the lease at the exclusive fault of the latter.
Use of the passé simple ('argua') and complex legal phrasing ('aux torts exclusifs de').
La morphologie de ces locaux, héritage d'une ère industrielle révolue, se prête remarquablement bien à une muséographie contemporaine et immersive.
The morphology of these premises, a legacy of a bygone industrial era, lends itself remarkably well to contemporary and immersive museography.
'Se prête à' means 'lends itself to'; 'révolue' means 'bygone' or 'past'.
L'expropriation pour cause d'utilité publique a frappé l'ensemble des locaux situés sur le tracé de la future ligne de tramway.
Expropriation for public utility affected all the premises located on the route of the future tram line.
'Expropriation pour cause d'utilité publique' is a specific French administrative law concept.
La porosité entre l'espace public et ce local hybride redéfinit les paradigmes de la sociabilité urbaine au XXIe siècle.
The porosity between the public space and this hybrid premise redefines the paradigms of urban sociability in the 21st century.
Academic/sociological discourse using terms like 'porosité', 'hybride', 'paradigmes'.
Nonobstant les stipulations contractuelles, le juge a estimé que la configuration du local obérait toute possibilité d'exploitation paisible par le preneur.
Notwithstanding the contractual stipulations, the judge ruled that the configuration of the premise compromised any possibility of peaceful operation by the lessee.
'Nonobstant' (notwithstanding) and 'obérait' (compromised/hindered) are highly formal, archaic-leaning terms used in law.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Wird oft verwechselt mit
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
Leicht verwechselbar
Satzmuster
So verwendest du es
'Un local' implies a functional, utilitarian space rather than a cozy, personal living space.
Standard across all Francophone regions.
Neutral to Formal
- Writing or saying 'des locals' instead of 'des locaux'.
- Using 'une location' when meaning a physical place or premise.
- Using 'un local' to refer to a bedroom or a cozy room in a house.
- Using 'les locaux' to mean 'the local people' or 'the locals'.
- Forgetting that 'local' is a masculine noun and using feminine adjectives with it.
Tipps
Master the Plural
Always remember that the plural of 'un local' is 'des locaux'. Write it down on a sticky note. Say it aloud: 'un local, des locaux'. Never write 'des locals'. This is the most important grammatical rule for this word.
Beware the False Friend
Do not translate the English word 'location' (meaning place) to 'location' in French. 'Location' in French means rental. If you mean a physical place or premise, use 'un local' or 'un lieu'.
Business Context
If you are doing business in France, 'un local commercial' is your go-to phrase. Use it when searching for retail space. Real estate agents will immediately understand what you are looking for.
Apartment Living
If you rent an apartment in France, look for the 'local à vélos' and 'local poubelle'. Knowing these terms will help you navigate your building and understand the rules set by the landlord.
Matching Adjectives
Because 'local' is masculine, ensure your adjectives match. It's 'un beau local', not 'une belle local'. In the plural, it's 'de beaux locaux'. Pay attention to this agreement in your writing.
Using 'Dans'
The most common preposition to use with 'local' is 'dans' (in/inside). You work 'dans un local', you put things 'dans le local'. It emphasizes the enclosed nature of the space.
Vary Your Vocabulary
To sound more advanced, don't just repeat 'local'. Mix it up with synonyms like 'un espace' (a space), 'un établissement' (a facility), or 'une pièce' (a room) depending on the exact context.
The 'O' Sound
Pronounce the 'o' in 'local' as an open 'o' (like in the English word 'law', but shorter), not a closed 'o' (like in 'low'). It sounds like /lɔ.kal/.
Not for People
Never use 'les locaux' to refer to the local population. It sounds very strange to French ears, as if you are calling the people 'the buildings'. Use 'les habitants' instead.
Legal Terminology
For advanced learners, familiarize yourself with 'la destination du local' (the intended use). This is crucial if you ever plan to buy property in France, as you cannot freely change a residential space into a commercial one.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Imagine a LOCAL person unlocking the door to their new LOCAL (shop).
Wortherkunft
Late Latin
Kultureller Kontext
In sports, 'jouer dans ses locaux' means playing on home turf, carrying a strong sense of pride.
Access to a 'local' is often the biggest hurdle for young entrepreneurs and artists in France due to high real estate prices.
In rural areas, a 'local' might refer to an agricultural storage space, while in Paris, it almost exclusively means high-rent commercial or office space.
The rise of the 'local commercial' is tied to the urbanization of France in the 19th century and the creation of the modern 'boutique'.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Gesprächseinstiege
"Tu as vu le nouveau local commercial qui a ouvert dans notre rue ?"
"Où se trouvent les locaux de ton entreprise ?"
"Est-ce que ton association a un local pour se réunir ?"
"Combien coûte la location d'un local dans ce quartier ?"
"Sais-tu où est le local à vélos dans cet immeuble ?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Décrivez le local idéal pour l'entreprise de vos rêves.
Racontez une fois où vous avez dû chercher un local (pour habiter, travailler ou une association).
Comment les locaux commerciaux de votre ville ont-ils changé ces dernières années ?
Pourquoi est-il important pour une ville d'avoir des locaux associatifs ?
Décrivez les locaux de votre école ou de votre lieu de travail.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, 'un local' as a noun refers to a physical premise or room. To talk about a local person, you should use 'un habitant' or 'une personne du coin'. While 'local' can be an adjective (e.g., un produit local), the noun form is strictly for places. This is a very common mistake for English speakers. Always remember: places, not faces.
The plural is 'des locaux'. This follows the general French grammar rule where nouns ending in '-al' change to '-aux' in the plural. It is crucial to memorize this because 'des locals' is incorrect and sounds very unnatural. You will use the plural very often when talking about office buildings.
No, it is not appropriate to use 'un local' for a bedroom or a cozy living space. For a bedroom, use 'une chambre'. For a general room in a house, use 'une pièce'. 'Un local' implies a functional, commercial, or administrative purpose, like a storage room or a shop.
'Un local' is the physical space itself (the premise, the room, the building). 'Une location' is the act of renting or the rental agreement. For example, you sign 'une location' (a rental contract) to get the keys to 'un local' (the physical shop). They are related but distinct concepts.
The exact translation is 'un local commercial'. This is the standard term used in real estate, business, and law in France. If you are looking to open a shop, this is the phrase you will use with real estate agents. The plural is 'des locaux commerciaux'.
It means 'bicycle room' or 'bike storage area'. In French apartment buildings, it is very common to have specific shared rooms for utilities. You will also see 'local poubelle' (trash room) or 'local poussette' (stroller room). These are everyday examples of the word.
'Un local' is a masculine noun. Therefore, you must use masculine articles and adjectives with it. For example, you say 'un grand local' (a big premise) or 'le nouveau local' (the new premise). In the plural, it remains masculine: 'de grands locaux'.
Yes, especially in the plural form 'les locaux', it can refer to the entire suite of offices or the whole facility occupied by a company or institution. For example, 'les locaux de l'université' refers to the university's buildings and facilities as a whole. In the singular, it usually refers to a specific unit.
The most natural verbs to use are 's'installer dans' (to settle into) or 'emménager dans' (to move into). For example, 'L'entreprise s'est installée dans ses nouveaux locaux' (The company settled into its new premises). You can also simply use 'occuper' (to occupy).
While the noun 'un local' doesn't have many poetic idioms, in sports jargon, you might hear 'jouer dans ses locaux' (to play on home turf) or 'le local de l'étape' (the local competitor in a race stage, though this uses it almost as a noun-adjective hybrid). Generally, it is used very literally.
Teste dich selbst 180 Fragen
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
'Un local' is the essential French word for any functional physical space, from a corner shop to an office building, and it has a highly irregular plural form ('des locaux') that you must memorize.
- A physical space or room.
- Used for business or activities.
- Irregular plural: des locaux.
- Not a rental (une location).
Master the Plural
Always remember that the plural of 'un local' is 'des locaux'. Write it down on a sticky note. Say it aloud: 'un local, des locaux'. Never write 'des locals'. This is the most important grammatical rule for this word.
Beware the False Friend
Do not translate the English word 'location' (meaning place) to 'location' in French. 'Location' in French means rental. If you mean a physical place or premise, use 'un local' or 'un lieu'.
Business Context
If you are doing business in France, 'un local commercial' is your go-to phrase. Use it when searching for retail space. Real estate agents will immediately understand what you are looking for.
Apartment Living
If you rent an apartment in France, look for the 'local à vélos' and 'local poubelle'. Knowing these terms will help you navigate your building and understand the rules set by the landlord.
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr work Wörter
à distance
A2Aus der Ferne, ohne physische Anwesenheit vor Ort.
à durée déterminée
B1For a fixed or definite period; fixed-term.
à durée indéterminée
B1Unbefristet; auf unbestimmte Zeit abgeschlossen.
à la fin
A2Am Ende eines Zeitraums oder Ereignisses.
à la journée
B1Täglich oder für die Dauer oder Bezahlung eines einzelnen Tages.
à la semaine
B1Weekly, by the week.
à l'année
B1Annually, by the year.
à l'attention de
B1Zu Händen von (z. Hd.); wird in der formalen Korrespondenz verwendet, um den Empfänger anzugeben.
à l'avance
A2Etwas im Voraus oder vorher tun.
à l'issue de
A2Am Ende von; nach Abschluss von. Dieser Ausdruck wird oft in formellen Kontexten wie Besprechungen oder Berichten verwendet.