carte-cadeau
In French, the phrase for "gift card" is carte-cadeau.
The term carte-cadeau refers to a card issued by retailers.
Meaning: a card issued by retailers (noun)
Which one should you use?
While carte-cadeau is the standard term, you may encounter Chèque-cadeau, which is a more formal way to express the same idea or Bon d'achat, which is used in certain regions or communities.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Bon d'achat is used in some regions or communities to refer to a gift card.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so you use the indefinite article une to say "a gift card" (une carte-cadeau). To form the plural, both the noun and the adjective are pluralized to become cartes-cadeaux.
Did you know?
- In certain French-speaking regions and older commercial contexts, the word avoir is used to describe a credit or voucher.
- The word cadeau is the foundation for the modern marketing term cadeautage, which describes the commercial practice of giving gifts to customers to encourage loyalty.
- In France, the phrase bon d'achat is often used specifically for vouchers provided by employers or government agencies rather than personal gifts.
Examples in context
- Vous feriez mieux de lui acheter une carte-cadeau.You should buy her a gift card instead.This sentence is useful for suggesting the purchase of a carte-cadeau.Tatoeba #3586666 by sacredceltic, translation #2102248 by Hybrid
- J'ai acheté une carte-cadeau pour son anniversaire.I bought a gift card for his birthday.
- Est-ce que vous vendez une carte-cadeau pour ce magasin ?Do you sell a gift card for this store?
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are at a shopping mall.
- ChloéQuel cadeau devrais-je lui offrir ?What gift should I give him?
- GabrielTu pourrais lui donner une carte-cadeau.You could give him a gift card.
- ChloéC'est une excellente idée, merci Gabriel.That is an excellent idea, thank you Gabriel.
- GabrielDe rien, Chloé !You're welcome, Chloé!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
