cartable
/kaʁ.tabl/
The English phrase 'duotang' is translated into French as cartable.
A duotang is a folder with fasteners used to hold loose sheets of paper.
Which one should you use?
The formal way to say 'duotang' in French is chemise à rabats.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /kaʁ.tabl/.
Did you know?
- In Quebec, duotang is often used as a loanword directly from English, though cartable remains the standard term in France.
- In France, calling a folder a cartable may sound childish to adults because the word is so strongly associated with primary school children.
- The word cartable shares a linguistic root with 'carte', which means 'map' or 'card' in English and French.
Examples in context
- N'oubliez pas de ranger vos feuilles dans la chemise à rabats.Don't forget to put your sheets in the folder.
- Je préfère utiliser un classeur à deux pochettes pour mes cours.I prefer to use a two-pocket folder for my classes.
Example conversation
Two students are organizing their school supplies.
- LucasEmma, as-tu vu mon cartable ?Emma, have you seen my folder?
- EmmaOui, Lucas, il est sur la table.Yes, Lucas, it is on the table.
- LucasMerci, je dois ranger mes documents.Thanks, I need to organize my documents.
- EmmaDe rien, c'est très organisé !You're welcome, it's very organized!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cartable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cartable, CC BY-SA 4.0.
