French Legal Translation of Issue: question, émission or descendance?

⚠️ A misleading word with many faces
The term issue is a false friend with multiple uses. It cannot automatically be translated as “issue” in French, except in very specific cases (such as succession law). Depending on the context, it may mean:

question or problème
litige
émission or publication
descendance

❓ Issue = question or problème

In everyday language or debates, issue refers to a matter to be addressed, an important topic, or a problem to be solved.

Examples:

We must focus on the most urgent issues
→ Nous devons nous concentrer sur les questions les plus urgentes
This is a sensitive issue
→ C’est une question sensible

⚖️ In law: litige or point in dispute

In legal contexts, issue may refer to the points in dispute, or even the case itself.

Examples:

The points at issue
→ Les points en litige ou les questions litigieuses
To join issue
→ Engager le débat sur un point litigieux

📰 In publishing or finance: numéro or émission

In publishing, issue means an edition or release:
- The June issue of the magazine → Le numéro de juin du magazine
In finance, issue refers to an issuance:
- Issue of securities → Émission de valeurs mobilières

👨‍👩‍👦 In succession law: descendance

In property or inheritance law (common law), issue refers to a person’s descendants.

Example:

He died without issue
→ Il est décédé sans descendance

🔁 The verb to issue: émettre, délivrer, prononcer

The verb to issue has several translations in French depending on the context:

English	French
to issue a check	émettre un chèque
shares issued	actions émises
to issue an injunction	prononcer une injonction
to issue a permit / document	délivrer un permis / document

✅ In summary

English word	Proper French wording	Do not render as
issue (general)	question, problème	issue (too literal)
points at issue	points en litige	sujets à l’issue de…
issue (publication)	numéro, sortie	émission (outside finance)
issue (finance)	émission	question
issue (succession)	descendance	problème, issue
to issue (verb)	émettre, délivrer, prononcer	introduire

📌 TransLex’s Advice

Before translating issue, ask yourself three questions:

Is it a matter to address, a litige, or a document issuance?
Are we in an editorial, legal, inheritance, or financial context?
Is the word being used as a noun or a verb?

👉 Issue may have up to 5 different French translations depending on context.
👉 A mistranslation can completely distort the legal or financial meaning of a text.

❓ FAQ: translating "issue" into French by context

Does English "issue" become French issue?

Only rarely. Outside succession law, "issue" almost never maps to French issue. It is a many-faced false friend that, depending on context, means question, litige, émission, or descendance.

How is "issue" translated in a litigation context?

It refers to the points in dispute. The points at issue becomes les points en litige, and to join issue means engager le débat sur un point litigieux, not to "introduce" proceedings.

Why does "issue" take on a special meaning in succession law?

In common-law inheritance, issue denotes a person's descendants. So "he died without issue" renders as il est décédé sans descendance, a meaning neither question nor émission can carry.

How do you handle the verb "to issue"?

It shifts with its object: to issue a check is émettre un chèque, to issue an injunction is prononcer une injonction, and to issue a permit is délivrer un permis. Translating it mechanically as introduire would be wrong.