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Logement pour tous!

In early 2018, a group of protesters gathered in front of the headquarters of the SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français [French National Railway Company]) to demand that the company convert its empty buildings into public housing:

 

Logement! -Pour qui? -Pour tous!

Housing! -For whom? -For everyone! 

Captions 19-21, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Logement is the word for "housing" or "lodging" in general, but it can also refer more specifically to an apartment, house, or home: 

 

J'aurais pas pu avoir mon logement.

I wouldn't have been able to get my apartment.

Caption 58, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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Lorsque j'avais pas mon logement.

When I didn't have my home.

Caption 110, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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The verbal form of logementloger, means "to house" or "to accommodate." It's synonymous with héberger:

 

ces beaux immeubles vides pour héberger, pour loger les personnes qui sont à la rue.

these beautiful empty buildings to house, to provide housing for people who are on the street.

Captions 17-18, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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On the flip side, loger can also mean "to be housed," "to stay," or "to live":

 

Je loge chez mon amie
I'm staying at my friend's place.

 

If someone is mal logé, they're living in poor housing conditions:
 

La honte, la honte à ce pouvoir qui fait la guerre aux mal-logés.

Shame, shame on this authority that's waging war on the poorly housed.

Captions 28-29, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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And if someone is homeless, they're SDF—an acronym for sans domicile fixe (without a fixed abode):

 

Moi, je suis là parce que je suis SDF. Je suis sans domicile fixe.

Me, I'm here because I'm homeless. I'm without a fixed abode.

Caption 100, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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Another word for "homeless" is sans-abri (without shelter).

 

Many people lucky enough to have a fixed abode pay un loyer (rent) to un/une propriétaire (a landlord/landlady):

 

j'ai de quoi payer un... un loyer

I have enough to pay... rent

Caption 120, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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La propriétaire a vendu son appartement.

The landlady sold her apartment.

Caption 103, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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Propriétaire is also the word for "owner." Un propriétaire foncier is a property owner, such as the SNCF:

 

Faut quand même savoir que la SNCF, c'est le deuxième propriétaire foncier du pays après l'État.

You should know, however, that the SNCF is the second largest property owner in the country after the State.

Captions 43-45, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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You'll find two words for "building" in this video—immeuble and bâtiment:

 

Vous avez vu dimanche le bel immeuble vide

On Sunday you saw the beautiful empty building

Caption 10, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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Parce qu'ils ont des bâtiments vides, complètement vides

Because they have vacant buildings, completely vacant

Caption 30, Actus Quartier - Devant la SNCF

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BANNER PLACEHOLDER

While both are general terms for "building," un immeuble can also be an "apartment building" or "apartment block," which is what the protesters are hoping the SNCF will provide for those in need.

Vocabulary

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