In English, the word 'letter' can mean two very different things: a character like 'A' or 'B', or a message you send through the post. French has a similar distinction, but with a whole lot more variety and nuance!

Whether you're learning the French alphabet, writing a formal business inquiry, or sending a quick note to a friend, there's a specific French word that's perfect for the job.

Ready to master your correspondence? Let's dive into 9 ways to say 'letter' in French!

The standard 'letter' (as in mail) – une lettre

The standard word for a 'letter' that you send in the mail is une lettre.

Une lettre is the most common and direct translation for a physical letter—a written message, typically enclosed in an envelope and sent by post.

A crucial point for learners is that the word lettre is a feminine noun. You must always use a feminine article with it, such as une lettre (a letter) or la lettre (the letter). There is no masculine version.

This term is versatile and applies to all forms of postal mail. It can be a personal note to family (une lettre personnelle), a formal business inquiry (une lettre commerciale), or a job application cover letter (une lettre de motivation).

To talk about letters, you'll frequently use these verbs:

• écrire une lettre - to write a letter
• envoyer une lettre - to send a letter
• recevoir une lettre - to receive a letter
• poster une lettre - to mail/post a letter

In France, for official or legal matters like canceling a subscription or resigning from a job, sending une lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception (a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt) is standard practice and often legally required. It provides proof of mailing and delivery.

💡 * J'ai reçu une lettre de ma banque ce matin.

• Peux-tu poster cette lettre pour moi en allant au travail ?
• Elle a écrit une longue lettre pour remercier ses grands-parents.
• N'oubliez pas de mettre un timbre sur la lettre avant de l'envoyer.

The 'mail' or 'post' in general – le courrier

The 'mail' or 'post' in general – le courrier

When you want to talk about 'mail' or 'post' as a general concept—the collection of letters, packages, and other items delivered by the postal service—the most appropriate and common French word is le courrier.

It's important to distinguish le courrier from more specific terms. While une lettre is a single letter and un colis is a package, le courrier refers to the mail collectively. It’s the word you’d use to ask, 'Has the mail arrived?' (Le courrier est arrivé?).

In everyday life, you use le courrier to talk about the day's delivery or the postal system itself. It's the general term for everything the mail carrier (le facteur or la factrice) brings to your mailbox (la boîte aux lettres).

In a more formal or professional setting, le courrier also translates to 'correspondence'. A business might have a service du courrier (mail room) or refer to an important piece of communication as un courrier officiel (an official correspondence).

The common verb paired with le courrier is envoyer (to send). So, 'to send a letter/mail' is simply envoyer un courrier. This is a versatile phrase that can cover sending anything from a simple note to a formal document.

💡 * J'attends un courrier important de la banque.

• Le facteur distribue le courrier tous les matins vers 10h.
• Avez-vous du courrier à envoyer ?
• Il faut que je vérifie la boîte aux lettres pour voir si le courrier est passé.

The formal or literary 'letter' – une missive

When you want to sound particularly formal, literary, or even a bit old-fashioned, the French word for 'letter' you might encounter is une missive.

Une missive is a direct synonym for une lettre (a letter), but it carries a much more formal and serious tone. Think of it as the difference between 'letter' and 'dispatch' or 'epistle' in English. It often refers to an official or important written message.

You are unlikely to hear une missive in casual, everyday conversation. Its use is primarily confined to literature, historical accounts, journalism, and very formal correspondence. Using it in a text to a friend would sound humorous or overly dramatic.

The term implies a certain weight or importance. A king sends a missive to his general; a government department might issue a missive to its employees. It's not typically used for a friendly, chatty letter.

As a French learner, it's a good word to recognize when reading novels or historical texts, but it's not one you'll need to use actively in most situations. Knowing it helps you appreciate the richness and different registers of the French language.

💡 * Le général a reçu une missive urgente du quartier général.

• Dans le roman, l'héroïne attendait avec anxiété une missive de son amant.
• La direction a envoyé une missive à tous les employés concernant les nouvelles politiques.
• L'historien a découvert une ancienne missive écrite par le roi.

The short, informal 'note' – un mot

While un mot literally translates to "a word," in everyday French, it is commonly used to mean a short, informal message or note. It's the perfect term for a quick, casual communication.

The use of un mot implies brevity. It's what you would use when talking about leaving a sticky note on the fridge, sending a quick line, or writing a short message for a colleague. The most common phrase is laisser un mot (to leave a note).

It's crucial to distinguish un mot from une note. While une note can also mean 'a note,' it is a much broader term that can also refer to a school grade, a formal memo, or a musical note. Un mot is specifically for a brief, personal message.

💡 * Je vais te laisser un mot sur la table avant de partir. (I'm going to leave you a note on the table before I go.)

• Elle m'a envoyé un petit mot pour me remercier. (She sent me a little note to thank me.)
• As-tu lu le mot que j'ai mis sur le frigo ? (Did you read the note I put on the fridge?)
• Juste un mot pour te dire que le dîner est prêt. (Just a quick note to tell you that dinner is ready.)

The 'folded letter' or sealed document – un pli

The 'folded letter' or sealed document – un pli

Un pli literally means 'a fold' or 'a crease.' However, in a very common and important secondary meaning, it refers to a folded letter or a sealed piece of mail, especially in formal or administrative contexts.

This term is frequently used in business, legal, or official correspondence. For instance, receiving a pli recommandé (registered mail) is a standard procedure for important notifications. It emphasizes the physical, sealed nature of the document being sent.

While une lettre is the general word for 'a letter,' un pli often implies a more formal or confidential document that is folded and sealed. Think of it as 'a piece of sealed correspondence' rather than just a personal letter.

Don't forget the primary meaning! You can also talk about le pli d'un vêtement (the crease in an item of clothing). The context will always clarify whether you're talking about a letter or a fold.

💡 * J'ai reçu un pli de l'administration fiscale. (I received a letter from the tax office.)

• Veuillez envoyer les documents sous pli cacheté. (Please send the documents in a sealed envelope.)
• Le facteur a déposé un pli urgent pour vous. (The mail carrier dropped off an urgent letter for you.)
• Fais attention à ne pas faire de pli sur cette photo. (Be careful not to make a crease on this photo.)

The old-fashioned, informal 'love note' – un poulet

In French, while un poulet literally means 'a chicken,' this word has a surprising and charming alternative meaning in old-fashioned slang: a love note or an intimate message. It's a piece of classic French argot that showcases the language's playful side.

The origin of this term is linked to the Paris police force. The headquarters of the Parisian police was once located on the site of a former poultry market, leading to police officers being nicknamed poulets. As these officers were sometimes used to carry discreet messages, the notes themselves eventually adopted the nickname.

It's important to know that un poulet in this sense is very dated. You are highly unlikely to hear it in modern, everyday conversation. Its usage is now mostly confined to historical contexts, classic literature, and period films. Using it today would sound deliberately quaint or literary.

For a contemporary equivalent, you would use phrases like un mot d'amour (a love note), une lettre d'amour (a love letter), or simply un message or un texto for a text message. These are the standard terms used today.

💡 * Il a glissé un poulet dans sa poche avant de partir.

• J'ai retrouvé un vieux poulet écrit par mon arrière-grand-père.
• Dans le film, l'héroïne reçoit un poulet anonyme.
• Écrire un poulet est un geste romantique un peu désuet.

The 'correspondence' or exchange of letters – la correspondance

The noun la correspondance refers to the act of exchanging letters or maintaining written communication, just like the English word 'correspondence'. It highlights the relationship built through this exchange.

While traditionally associated with snail mail, la correspondance can also apply to a sustained exchange of emails or other written messages. The key is the ongoing and mutual nature of the communication.

To talk about the action itself, you use the verb correspondre avec quelqu'un, which means 'to correspond with someone'. For example, 'Je corresponds avec mon ami' means 'I correspond with my friend'.

💡 * J'ai gardé toute la correspondance de ma grand-mère. (I kept all of my grandmother's correspondence.)

• Ils ont entretenu une correspondance pendant des années avant de se rencontrer. (They maintained a correspondence for years before meeting.)
• La correspondance entre les deux poètes a été publiée dans un livre. (The correspondence between the two poets was published in a book.)

The formal, literary, or religious 'epistle' – une épître

The formal, literary, or religious 'epistle' – une épître

The word une épître is the French equivalent of 'an epistle.' It refers to a letter, but with a significant formal, literary, or religious connotation. It's a term you'd encounter when discussing historical documents, literature, or religious texts, not for everyday correspondence.

You will most often see this word in specific contexts, such as les Épîtres de Paul (the Epistles of Paul) in the New Testament or in discussions about classical literature. It implies a letter of great importance, often written for public instruction or as a formal treatise.

For a normal, everyday letter, you would always use the word une lettre. Reserve une épître for when you are specifically referring to these grand, formal communications from history or literature. The distinction is similar to 'letter' versus 'epistle' in English.

💡 * L'auteur a publié un recueil de ses épîtres. (The author published a collection of his epistles.)

• Nous avons étudié les épîtres de Saint Paul en cours de religion. (We studied the Epistles of Saint Paul in religion class.)
• Cette épître révèle les pensées secrètes du philosophe. (This epistle reveals the philosopher's secret thoughts.)

1. The 'letter' (as in a character of the alphabet) – la lettre

The primary French word for 'letter' as in a character of the alphabet is la lettre. It is a feminine noun, so it is always preceded by feminine articles like la (the) or une (a/an).

Crucially, la lettre also means 'letter' in the sense of a piece of mail. The context of the sentence makes the meaning clear. For instance, 'A is the first letter' is clearly about the alphabet, while 'I'm writing a letter' refers to mail. The more general term for 'mail' is le courrier.

The plural form is les lettres. A fundamental phrase you'll often use is les lettres de l'alphabet, which means 'the letters of the alphabet'.

To talk more specifically about letters, you can use une majuscule for an 'uppercase/capital letter' and une minuscule for a 'lowercase letter'. The word for 'alphabet' itself is l'alphabet (masculine).

💡 * « Z » est la dernière lettre de l'alphabet.

• Combien de lettres y a-t-il dans ce mot ?
• Peux-tu m'aider à écrire cette lettre en majuscules ?
• J'ai reçu une lettre de mon ami, pas la lettre 'A' de l'alphabet.

Are there other ways to say 'letter' in French?

Are there other ways to say “letter” in French?

Our list features the most essential ways to say “letter” in French, distinguishing between a character of the alphabet (une lettre) and a piece of mail (une lettre or un courrier). However, French, with its rich literary tradition, offers more nuanced and specific terms.

You can discover more by searching for specific contexts, like 'lettre de motivation' (cover letter) or 'lettre recommandée' (registered letter). You might also encounter the more formal or literary term 'une missive'.

Always pay attention to context. Is someone talking about the postal service, the alphabet, or formal correspondence? This will guide you to the right word and help you understand its specific meaning.

As you read French novels or watch French films, listen for how characters talk about mail and writing. You'll begin to notice these different words in their natural habitat, which is the best way to learn.

For a deeper dive into expressions involving correspondence, online dictionaries like Larousse or Le Robert are invaluable. Searching for 'lettre' or 'courrier' will reveal a wealth of related vocabulary and phrases.

I hope this article has clarified the different ways to talk about letters in French. To finish, here is a fitting quote from the French philosopher Joseph Joubert: Les lettres sont l'âme de leur auteur. (Letters are the soul of their author.)