Bâtiment vs. immeuble vs. édifice
The French words bâtiment, édifice, and immeuble all translate to building, but they are not interchangeable. Each word carries a specific nuance related to the building's size, function, or cultural importance.
Bâtiment
A2Bâtiment is the most general and common term for building. It is the neutral, all-purpose word for any constructed structure designed to shelter people, animals, or objects, regardless of its size, style, or function.
L'école se trouve dans le grand bâtiment jaune au bout de la rue.
(The school is in the big yellow building at the end of the street.)
Un incendie a détruit plusieurs bâtiments agricoles dans la région.
(A fire destroyed several farm buildings in the region.)
Le chantier concerne la construction d'un nouveau bâtiment administratif.
(The construction site is for a new administrative building.)
J'ai visité le bâtiment principal du musée.
(I visited the main building of the museum.)
Immeuble
A2Immeuble specifically refers to a large, multi-story building, most often a residential apartment building or an office block. You would not call a single-family house an immeuble. It emphasizes the verticality and the presence of multiple units (apartments or offices).
Mes parents habitent dans un immeuble de dix étages en centre-ville.
(My parents live in a ten-story building in the city center.)
Les bureaux de l'avocat sont au rez-de-chaussée de cet immeuble.
(The lawyer's offices are on the ground floor of this building.)
Il y a une fuite d'eau dans notre immeuble.
(There is a water leak in our apartment building.)
Cet agent immobilier est spécialisé dans la vente d'immeubles haussmanniens.
(This real estate agent specializes in selling Haussmann-style buildings.)
Édifice
B2Édifice denotes a large, imposing, and notable building, usually one with public, historical, or architectural significance. It carries a connotation of grandeur and importance. This word is reserved for structures like cathedrals, palaces, monuments, and major government buildings.
La cathédrale Notre-Dame est un édifice magnifique.
(The Notre-Dame Cathedral is a magnificent edifice.)
Le palais du Parlement est un édifice symbolique de la démocratie.
(The Parliament Palace is a symbolic edifice of democracy.)
La restauration de cet édifice religieux a pris plusieurs années.
(The restoration of this religious edifice took several years.)
La ville est fière de ses nombreux édifices historiques.
(The city is proud of its numerous historical buildings.)
Summary
In short: use bâtiment for any building in a general sense. Use immeuble for a multi-story apartment or office building. Use édifice for a large, grand, and important public or historical building like a monument, a cathedral, or a palace.