Here I have for you a pretty complete list (I think) of acronyms and their corresponding English acronyms or just their translation/definition. You definitely don’t have to know what each of them stands for, just knowing the acronym itself will do (and believe me, you’ll meet them regularly in daily French). To make it easier, I underlined the ones whose complete expression/meaning you should still know if you wanna learn them; some are used in daily life, some in more specific domains like geography and economics, and some are simply known by most French people even if the complete expression is rarely used; it’s up to you to pick the ones that’ll be useful to you!
ADN (acide désoxyribonucléique) = DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
ALENA (Accord de libre-échange nord-américain) = NAFTA (North American free trade agreement)
AOP (Appellation d'origine protégée) = PDO (Protected designation of origin)
APL (Aide personnalisée au logement) = Personal housing allowance
AVC (accident vasculaire cérébral) = stroke, cerebrovascular accident
BCBG (bon chic bon genre) = posh, preppy
BD (bande-dessinée) = comic, graphic novel
BO (bande originale) = OST (original soundtrack)
BTS (Brevet de technicien supérieur) = advanced technician’s certificate
CAF (Caisse d’allocations familiales) = welfare office, family allowance department
CDD (contrat à durée déterminée) = fixed-term contract, temporary contract
CDI (contrat à durée indéterminée) = permanent contract
Or CDI (centre de documentation et d'information) = school library
CM (cours magistral) = lecture (university)
CNED (Centre national d'enseignement à distance) = National distance learning center
CPE (conseiller principal d'éducation) = chief education adviser (secondary school)
CRS (Compagnie républicaine de sécurité) (un CRS) = State security police force, riot police
DDASS (Direction départementale des affaires sanitaires et sociales) = Department of health and social security
EDF (Electricité de France) = French national electricity supplier
EDT (emploi du temps) = timetable, schedule
ENA (Ecole nationale d’administration) = a business school in Strasbourg from which a lot of politicians graduate
ENT (Environnement numérique de travail) = virtual learning environment (most secondary schools and unis have it; you can check your homework, grades and timetable online, contact your teachers, see if any of them is absent…)
ESPT (état de stress post-traumatique) = PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
EU[A] (Etats Unis [d’Amérique]) = US[A] (United States [of America])
DOM-TOM (Départements et territoires d'Outre-Mer) = Overseas departments and territories
FAQ (foire aux questions) = same acronym, the meaning was just adapted to still fit the letters in French
FLE (français langue étrangère) = French as a foreign language
FMI (Fonds monétaire international) = IMF (International monetary fund)
FN (Front national) = former name of the far-right political party (National front); now called “le Rassemblement national” (RN) = National rally
HLM (habitation à loyer modéré) (un HLM) = social housing
HS (hors service) = out of order, out of service
Or HS (hors sujet) = off topic, out of scope
IVG (interruption volontaire de grossesse) = abortion
JT (journal télévisé) = TV news
LEA (Langues étrangères appliquées) = AFL (Applied foreign languages) (I honestly added it mostly because it’s my major in uni hehe)
LR (Les Républicains) = the Republicans (right-wing party)
LREM (La République en marche) = Macron’s political party (centre party)
MJC (Maison des jeunes et de la culture) = community youth club and arts center
MST (maladie sexuellement transmissible) = STD (sexually transmitted disease)
NTIC (nouvelles technologies de l'information et de la communication) = NICT (new information and communication technologies)
OCDE (Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques) = OECD (Organisation for economic cooperation and development)
OGM (organisme génétiquement modifié) = GMO (genetically modified organism)
OMC (Organisation mondiale du commerce) = WTO (World trade organization)
ONG (organisation non gouvernementale) = NGO (non-governmental organization)
ONU (Organisation des nations unies) = UN (United nations)
OTAN (Organisation du traité de l’Atlantique nord) = NATO (North Atlantic treaty organization)
OVNI (objet volant non-identifié) = UFO (unidentified flying object)
PDV (point de vue) = POV (point of view)
PIB (Produit intérieur brut) = GDP (Gross domestic product)
PMA (Pays les moins avancés) = LDC (least developed countries)
or PMA (Procréation médicalement assistée) = ART (Assisted reproductive technology)
PNB (Produit national brut) = GNP (Gross national product)
PS (Parti socialiste) = left-wing party (Socialist party)
PV (procès-verbal) = ticket, fine (for traffic and parking)
QCM (questionnaire à choix multiples) = multiple-choice questionnaire
RAS (rien à signaler) = nothing to report
RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire) = bank details (document)
RNB (Revenu national brut) = GNI (Gross national income)
RSA (Revenu de solidarité active) = tax credits/welfare
SAV (service après-vente) = after-sales service
SAMU (Service d’aide médicale d’urgence) = paramedics ; SAMU member = EMT (Emergency medical technician)
SDF (sans domicile fixe) = homeless person
SIDA (Syndrome d’immunodéficience acquise) = AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
SMIC (Salaire minimum interprofessionel de croissance) = minimum wage
SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français) = national French rail network (I hate them lololol)
SPA (Société protectrice des animaux) = society for the prevention of cruelty to animals (UK equivalent = RSPCA)
TD (travaux dirigés) = tutorial, seminar (college class in small groups)
TDAH (trouble du déficit de l’attention/hyperactivité) = ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) (I don’t see the acronym a lot, mostly just “hyperactivité” or “trouble de l’attention” but this is still the equivalent to the English acronym)
TGV (train à grande vitesse) = high-speed train
TOC (trouble obsessionnel compulsif) = OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)
TP (travaux pratiques) = practical class (mostly in university or science classes in general)
TVA (taxe sur la valeur ajoutée) = VAT (value-added tax)
UE (Union européenne) = EU (European Union)
VIH (Virus de l’immunodéficience humaine) = HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus)
VO (version originale) = original language (movie, show…)
VOST (version originale sous-titrée) = subtitled version (any language for the subtitles)
VOSTFR (version originale sous-titrée en français) = subtitled version (French subs)
ZEP (Zone d'éducation prioritaire) = Educational priority area
ZES (Zone économique spéciale) = SEZ (Special economic zone)
