particuliers

Particuliers is a French term that designates private individuals, i.e., natural persons acting in a private capacity, as opposed to legal entities such as companies or organizations within business, legal, and administrative contexts.

In commerce and consumer markets, the distinction between particuliers and professionnels (business customers) affects terms of sale, warranties, and invoicing. In real estate, a "vente entre particuliers" is a transaction conducted directly by private sellers without a professional intermediary, often with different negotiation dynamics and safeguards.

In law, particulier typically refers to a natural person with civil rights, contrasted with personne morale, the legal entity. In taxation, individuals are subject to impôt sur le revenu des personnes physiques; companies are taxed under impôt sur les sociétés.

In banking and finance, services are frequently segmented by "particuliers" (retail customers) and professionnels (business clients), with differences in accounts, credit terms, and regulatory requirements. In consumer policy, the term helps frame rights and obligations of private buyers and sellers.

The term is widely used in French-speaking regions, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and parts of Canada, and remains common in everyday speech and official documents when distinguishing private individuals from commercial or organizational actors.