Common mistakes
Fournitures means supplies: French office vocabulary without the trap
Distinguish fournitures, meubles, mobilier and matériel in French office orders. Learn eight pictured items and repair purchasing requests.
- B1
- 3 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
Les fournitures de bureau are office supplies such as paper and pens. Furniture is les meubles or, collectively, le mobilier. Le matériel de bureau is broader: it can cover the equipment and materials used for office work.
- les fournitures de bureauoffice furnitureoffice supplies
Nous commandons du papier et des stylos pour le bureau.We are ordering paper and pens for the office.
For chairs, desks and cupboards as a group, use le mobilier de bureau.
- le mobilieran individual piece of furniturefurniture as a collective category
Le mobilier de la salle comprend une table et six chaises.The room’s furniture includes a table and six chairs.
For one item, say un meuble. Mobilier is masculine singular.
- le matérielonly stationeryequipment and materials
Le matériel informatique comprend les ordinateurs et les écrans.The IT equipment includes the computers and screens.
Specify the category: matériel informatique, matériel de bureau or fournitures de bureau.
Eight things on an office order
Find:
| Request | Contents | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| des fournitures de bureau | du papier, des stylos, des chemises cartonnées | office supplies |
| du mobilier de bureau | des bureaux, des chaises, une armoire | office furniture |
| du matériel informatique | des ordinateurs, des écrans | IT equipment |
These are useful everyday groupings. A supplier may organise a catalogue differently, and matériel can overlap with supplies. Naming the item and quantity keeps an order precise: deux chaises tells the purchasing team more than a broad category alone. French un bureau can mean a desk or an office; the order below makes the desk meaning clear.
- Nora
Pour les fournitures, il nous faut deux ramettes de papier et cinq stylos.
For supplies, we need two reams of paper and five pens.
- Achats
Et pour le mobilier ?
And for furniture?
- Nora
Un bureau avec des tiroirs et deux chaises réglables.
A desk with drawers and two adjustable chairs.
- Achats
Je les ajoute au devis. Faut-il aussi remplacer l’imprimante ?
I’ll add them to the quotation. Does the printer need replacing too?
- Nora
Oui, mais nous gardons les deux écrans.
Yes, but we’re keeping both monitors.
- Nous achetons de nouvelles fournitures : un canapé et une armoire.Nous achetons de nouveaux meubles : un canapé et une armoire.
The listed items are furniture. Use meubles for countable items, with masculine plural agreement.
- Il nous faut trois mobiliers pour la salle.Il nous faut trois meubles pour la salle.
For three individual pieces, use trois meubles. Le mobilier groups furniture collectively.
- La matériel informatique est prêt.Le matériel informatique est prêt.
Matériel is masculine singular, including when it refers to several items of equipment.