Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| carte | /kaʁt/ | feminine |
| fiche | /fiʃ/ | feminine |
In French, the term for a flat, typically rectangular piece of stiff paper or plastic depends on what kind of card it is. Use carte for common items like a credit card (carte de crédit), a business card (carte de visite), a playing card (carte à jouer), a menu or a map. The verb contrôler is used when you want to say 'to check IDs', while the verb carder refers to the action of using a carding device.
Which one should you use?
Use carte when referring to playing cards, credit cards, menus or maps. In contrast, use fiche when you are referring to an index card, a file or a small information sheet such as a data sheet.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, the term fiche is used to refer to cards used for studying, such as flashcards or index cards.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both carte and fiche are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʁt/
Did you know?
- While carte is used for credit cards, the term carte bleue is often used as a generic term for any bank card in France, regardless of the actual color of the card.
- The term carte de visite for a business card literally translates to 'visit card', reflecting a historical custom of leaving a card when visiting someone's home.
- The word carte is a cognate of the French word charte, which refers to a legal charter or constitution.
Examples in context
- Pioche une carte !Pick a card.This sentence is useful for practicing the command to pick a carte.Tatoeba #4626038 by sacredceltic, translation #3295493 by Hybrid
- Il présenta sa carte.He presented his card.This sentence is useful for showing how someone might present a carte.Tatoeba #133411 by Julien_PDC, translation #304041 by CK
- Où est la carte de Tom ?Where's Tom's card?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a specific carte.Tatoeba #5484488 by pititnatole, translation #2240343 by CK
- J'ai perdu ma carte de crédit.I lost my credit card.
- Veuillez me donner votre carte de visite.Please give me your business card.
- Regarde cette carte postale que j'ai reçue!Look at this postcard I received!
- 175 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are preparing to pay at a restaurant.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu as ta carte ?Do you have your card?
- HugoNon, j'ai oublié ma carte à la maison.No, I forgot my card at home.
- ChloéCe n'est pas grave, je paye avec ma carte.It's okay, I will pay with my card.
- HugoMerci beaucoup, Chloé !Thank you very much, Chloé!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “card” translations and entries carte, fiche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carte, fiche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
