accuser réception
/a.ky.ze ʁe.sɛp.sjɔ̃/
To confirm receipt in French is to accuser réception.
This phrase is used to notify a sender that a message or package has been received. In professional and administrative contexts, it is common to see variations such as J'accuse réception (I acknowledge receipt), Je vous confirme la réception (I confirm the receipt to you) or Nous accusons réception (We acknowledge receipt) when acting on behalf of a company.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means 'to accuse receipt', where accuser means to acknowledge or declare and réception means receipt.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase accuser réception is primarily used in formal administrative or professional correspondence. For casual conversations, you may instead use the informal expression Bien reçu to mean 'Got it' or 'Received well'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to specify the item that was received, you must follow the verb with the preposition de, as in accuser réception de… (to acknowledge receipt of…).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /a.ky.ze ʁe.sɛp.sjɔ̃/. It consists of 5 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French legal contexts, a lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception is a specific type of registered mail that provides a signed proof of delivery.
- In English, the verb 'accuse' is almost exclusively used to mean charging someone with a crime or wrongdoing, but in the phrase accuser réception, it carries a neutral, administrative meaning of 'to acknowledge'.
- In French administrative culture, the act of accuser réception is seen as a strict professional duty. Neglecting to acknowledge a formal message can be perceived as a sign of disrespect or a deliberate attempt to ignore the sender.
Examples in context
- J'accuse réception de votre courrier daté du [date].I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated [date].
- Je vous confirme la réception du colis que vous avez envoyé.I confirm the receipt of the package you sent.
- Nous accusons réception de votre demande d'assistance.We acknowledge receipt of your request for assistance.
- Merci pour le message. Bien reçu.Thanks for the message. Got it.
- Veuillez accuser réception de ce courriel.Please confirm receipt of this email.
- J'ai oublié d'accuser réception du colis.I forgot to confirm receipt of the package.
- Pouvez-vous accuser réception du document dès que possible ?Can you confirm receipt of the document as soon as possible?
Example conversation
Nathan is asking Léa to reply to a client's email.
- NathanLéa, peux-tu accuser réception de l'e-mail du client ?Léa, can you confirm receipt of the client's email?
- LéaOui, je vais le faire tout de suite.Yes, I will do it right away.
- NathanC'est important pour qu'il soit rassuré.It is important so that he is reassured.
- LéaD'accord, c'est fait, Nathan.Okay, it's done, Nathan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry accuser réception, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
