Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| affidavit | /a.fi.da.vit/ | |
| attestation sur l'honneur | feminine |
An affidavit is a legal, signed document in which an affiant makes a sworn statement. In French, the word affidavit is a loanword from English used specifically in legal contexts, often involving international law or common law jurisdictions, rather than standard French civil administration.
Which one should you use?
While affidavit is used in specific legal contexts, attestation sur l'honneur is the much more common term used for a signed statement of truth in everyday administrative or civil matters in France.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term déclaration assermentée is often used as a formal equivalent of affidavit.
How does it change in a sentence?
attestation sur l'honneur is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /a.fi.da.vit/ and has 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- Writing a false attestation sur l'honneur is a criminal offense in France, punishable by fines or imprisonment for 'faux et usage de faux'.
- Unlike an affidavit in common law systems, an attestation sur l'honneur does not always require a notary or lawyer to witness the signature.
- The word sur in the phrase is a 'doublet' of the Latin 'super', making it a distant relative of the English word 'super'.
Examples in context
- Veuillez signer la déclaration sous serment.Please sign the affidavit.
- Mon ami a fourni une déclaration écrite à la police.My friend provided an affidavit to the police.
- J'ai besoin de votre témoignage écrit pour soutenir mon cas.I need your affidavit to support my case.
- Vous devez signer cet affidavit devant un notaire.You must sign this affidavit before a notary.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are discussing legal documents for a court case.
- ChloéAs-tu préparé l'affidavit pour demain ?Did you prepare the affidavit for tomorrow?
- GabrielOui, je l'ai terminé ce matin.Yes, I finished it this morning.
- ChloéEst-ce que c'est déjà signé et tamponné ?Is it already signed and stamped?
- GabrielPas encore, je m'en occupe maintenant.Not yet, I'm taking care of it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “affidavit” translations and entries affidavit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries attestation, sur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
