lettre
/lɛtʁ/feminine
The English word "letter" can be translated into French as lettre.
lettre refers to a written message, similar to the English word missive. Just like in English, lettre can also refer to a character of the alphabet.
Meaning: written message (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
lettre is a feminine noun. This means you must use feminine articles and adjectives when using it, such as une lettre or la lettre.
How do you pronounce it?
/lɛtʁ/
When do people say it?
When writing a letter, your choice of greeting and closing depends on formality. For formal letters, you might begin with Madame (Madam) or Monsieur (Sir). For informal letters or notes, you can use casual greetings like Salut! (Hi!) or Coucou! (Hey!). Informal closings include À bientôt! (See you soon!), Grosses bises (Big kisses) and Amicalement (Warm regards). In a formal or literary context, the word Épître can be used to refer specifically to a letter.
Did you know?
- In French, the term lettre de cachet refers to a historical royal warrant that allowed for an arrest without trial. These private letters were once powerful tools of absolute monarchy.
- In French, the term lettres in the plural often refers to literature or scholarship. A person with a degree in the humanities is said to have fait ses lettres.
- French has a specific term lettré for a person who is well-read or cultured, deriving from the same root as lettre.
Examples in context
- Tu as une lettre.There is a letter for you.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say there is a letter for you using lettre.Tatoeba #4599597 by sacredceltic, translation #680993 by Source_VOA
- Je lis une lettre.I am reading a letter.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say reading a letter using lettre.Tatoeba #3759147 by sacredceltic, translation #1872698 by Asma
- Tom lut la lettre.Tom read the letter.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say the letter was read using lettre.Tatoeba #6863875 by GB3, translation #6863383 by CK
- J'ai reçu une lettre de mon amiI received a letter from my friend
- Je vais chercher le courrierI am going to get the mail
- Je me permets de vous écrire pour vous féliciter de vos accomplissements récents.I am writing to congratulate you on your recent achievements.
- Veuillez agréer, Madame, mes salutations distinguées.Please accept, Madam, my distinguished greetings.
- 939 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are talking in the living room.
- LucasChloé, as-tu reçu ma lettre ?Chloé, did you receive my letter?
- ChloéOui, j'ai lu ta lettre ce matin.Yes, I read your letter this morning.
- LucasC'était une lettre très longue.It was a very long letter.
- ChloéC'était une très belle lettre, Lucas.It was a very beautiful letter, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “letter” translations and entries lettre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
