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À la Poste — French post office vocabulary | Vocabulary

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Sending letters and parcels in French. This French sending letters parcels vocabulary list gives you 22 essential words — from la poste (the post office) to un accusé de réception (proof of receipt) — each with audio and its English translation. Use it to build the French words you need to talk about sending letters parcels, then test yourself with the games below.

À la Poste

Sending letters and parcels in French

Les objets ✉️

la postethe post office
un timbrea stamp
une lettrea letter
un colisa parcel
une enveloppean envelope
une carte postalea postcard
la boîte aux lettresthe letterbox
le facteurthe postman

Les actions 📮

envoyerto send
recevoirto receive
affranchirto put a stamp on
peserto weigh
en recommandéby registered post
le code postalthe postcode
l’adressethe address
livrerto deliver

Qui & où 🏤

l’expéditeurthe sender
le / la destinatairethe addressee
un guicheta counter / window
faire la queueto queue
La Banque Postalethe post office bank
un accusé de réceptionproof of receipt
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🎬 The 20-second version

5 quick questions on « À la Poste » — guess before the reveal. Practise with the free games → Open this short as a page — transcript included →

📘 Posting, French-style

  • Ask at the counter (le guichet): « Je voudrais envoyer ce colis, s’il vous plaît. »
  • For important documents, send them en recommandé (avec accusé de réception) — registered, with proof of delivery.
  • A French address ends with a 5-digit code postal + town: « 75001 PARIS ». The code comes BEFORE the town.
  • The facteur (postman) usually passes in the morning; mail goes in la boîte aux lettres.
  • La Poste is also a bank (La Banque Postale) — you can do far more than buy stamps there.

🔊 Useful phrases

Je voudrais un timbre pour l’Angleterre.I’d like a stamp for England.
Combien pour envoyer ce colis ?How much to send this parcel?
Je préfère l’envoyer en recommandé.I’d rather send it registered.
Le facteur est déjà passé ?Has the postman already come?

🔊 Example sentences

J’ai reçu une carte postale de Paris.I received a postcard from Paris.
Il faut affranchir la lettre avant de l’envoyer.You must stamp the letter before sending it.
N’oublie pas le code postal sur l’enveloppe.Don’t forget the postcode on the envelope.

✍️ Practice

a stamp = un ___ (for a letter)

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timbre

a parcel = un ___ (bigger than a letter)

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colis

registered post = en ___ (for important mail)

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recommandé

🎮 Practise this with games

🎯 More practice — vocabulary recall — both directions

How do you say « the post office »? (recall)

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la poste

What does « une lettre » mean? (recall)

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a letter

How do you say « an envelope »? (recall)

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une enveloppe

What does « la boîte aux lettres » mean? (recall)

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the letterbox

How do you say « to send »? (recall)

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envoyer

What does « affranchir » mean? (recall)

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to put a stamp on

How do you say « by registered post »? (recall)

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en recommandé

What does « l’adresse » mean? (recall)

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the address

French sending letters parcels vocabulary — FAQ

How do you say common sending letters parcels words in French?

For example: the post office is « la poste », a stamp is « un timbre », a letter is « une lettre ». The full list above has 22 French sending letters parcels words, each with audio so you can hear the pronunciation.

What are the most useful French sending letters parcels words to learn first?

Start with the basics: la poste (the post office), un timbre (a stamp), une lettre (a letter), un colis (a parcel), une enveloppe (an envelope), une carte postale (a postcard). Master these core French words before moving on to the rest of the list.

How can I memorise French sending letters parcels vocabulary?

Learn the words in small themed groups, say each one out loud with the audio, and use it in a short sentence about your own life. Spaced repetition is what makes new vocabulary stick — see our guide to learning French vocabulary that sticks.

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