Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mairie | /mɛ.ʁi/ /me.ʁi/ |
feminine |
| hôtel de ville | /o.tɛl də vil/ | masculine |
| maison communale | /mɛ.zɔ̃ kɔ.my.nal/ /me.zɔ̃ kɔ.my.nal/ |
Wallonia, feminine |
| hôtel communal | Wallonia, masculine |
The terms used for town hall in French refer to the building that houses local government offices. mairie can refer specifically to the physical building or to the municipal administration itself.
Which one should you use?
mairie is the standard and most common term used throughout most of France. hôtel de ville is typically reserved for the town hall of a large city or a significant administrative center. In Belgium, specifically in the Wallonia region, maison communale is used, while in parts of Canada, le palais municipal may be used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Wallonia region of Belgium, you will hear maison communale (feminine) or hôtel communal (masculine). In parts of Canada, le palais municipal is also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
mairie is a feminine noun and is preceded by the feminine article la. Because hôtel de ville begins with a silent h, the article le is elided to become l'hôtel de ville.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of mairie is /mɛ.ʁi/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, you must have a civil ceremony at the mairie to be legally married, even if you later have a religious wedding in a church.
- Even though hôtel de ville sounds like it might be a hotel, it shares a linguistic root with the word 'hospital' and originally referred to a place of shelter or a guesthouse.
- The word mairie is a direct combination of the word for 'mayor' and a suffix, essentially meaning 'the place of the mayor'.
Examples in context
- Ils vont se marier dans l'hôtel de ville.They are going to get married in the town hall.This sentence is useful for describing a wedding taking place in the hôtel de ville.Tatoeba #3259066 by Aiji, translation #3259067 by CM
- Sais-tu quelle est la distance entre la gare et l'hôtel de ville ?Do you know how far the station is from the town hall?This sentence is useful for asking about the distance to the hôtel de ville.Tatoeba #333080 by sysko, translation #10891018 by sundown
- Combien de temps cela prend-il de marcher d'ici à l'hôtel de ville ?How much time, more or less, does it take to walk from here to the town hall?This sentence is useful for asking about the walking time to the hôtel de ville.Tatoeba #2134536 by sacredceltic, translation #2133218 by AnneWy
- J'ai rendez-vous à l'hôtel de ville pour rencontrer le maire.I have a meeting at the town hall to meet the mayor.
- Pouvez-vous me diriger vers la mairie, s'il vous plaît?Can you direct me to the town hall, please?
- La réunion aura lieu au bâtiment de la municipalité demain.The meeting will take place at the town hall building tomorrow.
- Nous nous retrouverons devant la mairie de la ville.We'll meet in front of the town hall of the city.
- J'ai déposé mes documents à la mairie de mon quartier.I've submitted my documents at the town hall of my neighborhood.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are walking in the city center.
- ManonOù se trouve la mairie, s'il te plaît ?Where is the town hall, please?
- HugoLa mairie est juste au bout de cette rue.The town hall is just at the end of this street.
- ManonMerci beaucoup pour ton aide, Hugo.Thank you very much for your help, Hugo.
- HugoJe t'en prie, Manon.You're welcome, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “town hall” translations and entries mairie, hôtel de ville, maison communale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries communal, de, hôtel, mairie, maison, maison communale, ville, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
