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Fichier or dossier: a quick guide to French files and folders

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Find, attach and organise documents in French. A practical reference for fichier, dossier, sous-dossier and pièce jointe, with a location quiz.

In short

On a computer, un fichier is a file and un dossier is a folder that groups files. Le CV est dans le dossier « Candidature » tells you where the CV is. Both nouns are masculine.

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A tidy physical document folder holding several plain loose sheets beside a closed laptop.
A collection of documents helps picture un dossier. Illustration: Atelier

Find it, move it, send it

1 · Name the individual file

A file can contain text, a photograph or a recording. Add its type or name.

un fichier textea text file
un fichier audioan audio file

Ouvre le fichier audio.Open the audio file.

Le fichier s’appelle « entretien.mp3 ».The file is called “entretien.mp3”.

2 · Name the containing folder

A folder can contain files and other folders. A folder inside another is un sous-dossier.

Crée un dossier pour les candidatures.Create a folder for job applications.

Déplace le CV dans le sous-dossier « Juin ».Move the CV into the “June” subfolder.

3 · Name the attachment

Une pièce jointe describes a file attached to a message.

Mon CV est en pièce jointe.My CV is attached.

Je joins le fichier à mon message.I’m attaching the file to my message.

Recognise the objects and icons

What is the difference between fichier and dossier?

A folder called Candidature, with a June subfolder
LocationWhat is thereSay it in French
CandidatureCV.pdfLe CV est dans le dossier « Candidature ».
Candidature → Juinlettre.pdfLa lettre est dans le sous-dossier « Juin ».
Email messageCV.pdf attachedLe CV est en pièce jointe.

Away from the screen, un dossier de candidature means the set of documents for an application. A digital folder can hold those documents, but the application dossier names the collection you submit. Le dossier d’une chaise has another meaning: the back of a chair.

Question 1No account needed
A colleague wants the folder, rather than one recording. What do you send?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le dossier. The folder is le dossier. An audio file is one item that it can contain.

Question 2No account needed
Where is lettre.pdf in the example above?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Dans le sous-dossier « Juin ».. The location table puts lettre.pdf inside Juin, which is a subfolder of Candidature.

Question 3No account needed
Which phrase means “attach a file to a message”?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

joindre un fichier à un message. Joindre un fichier à un message names the action of adding an attachment.

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