French Phrase
On accepte les principales devises étrangères.
Meaning
The sentence tells a customer that the establishment accepts the major foreign currencies. It is a polite, neutral way to convey the payment options available to travelers.
When to use
Use this phrase at hotels, restaurants, shops, or any service point where you need to inform customers about the currencies you accept, especially in tourist areas or border towns.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onacceptelesprincipalesdevisesétrangères
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an informal way to say ‘we’ or ‘people in general’ and takes third‑person singular verb forms.
Accepter (present tense)
‘Accepte’ is the third‑person singular present of accepter, used here with ‘on’.
Les (definite article)
‘Les’ is the plural definite article, agreeing with the plural noun ‘devises’.
Principales (adjective agreement)
‘Principales’ is a feminine plural adjective that must agree with the noun ‘devises’.
Devises (noun, feminine plural)
‘Devises’ means ‘currencies’; it is feminine and plural, so it takes ‘les’ and feminine plural adjectives.
Étrangères (adjective agreement)
‘Étrangères’ is a feminine plural adjective meaning ‘foreign’, matching ‘devises’.
🗨In Conversation
Quelles monnaies acceptez‑vous ?
Which currencies do you accept?
On accepte les principales devises étrangères.
We accept the main foreign currencies.
✕Common Mistakes
On accepte les principaux devises étrangères.
‘Principaux’ is masculine; the noun ‘devises’ is feminine, so the adjective must be ‘principales’.
On accepter les principales devises étrangères.
With ‘on’, the verb must be conjugated in the third‑person singular: ‘accepte’, not ‘acceptons’.
On accepte des principales devises étrangères.
If you use ‘des’ (indefinite article), the meaning changes to ‘some foreign currencies’, which is less precise.
↔Alternatives
Nous acceptons les principales monnaies étrangères.
We accept the main foreign currencies.
Nous prenons les principales devises étrangères.
We take the main foreign currencies.
Nous acceptons les devises les plus courantes.
We accept the most common currencies.
Cultural Tip
In France, ‘devises’ is the standard term for foreign money, while ‘monnaies’ can sound a bit more formal. When speaking to tourists, using the impersonal ‘on’ feels friendly and approachable. Remember that some regions (e.g., Alsace) may also accept the Euro’s neighboring currencies without explicit mention.