code postal
/kɔd pɔs.tal/
The English phrase 'postal code' is code postal in French.
A code postal is a series of letters and numbers used to identify a specific geographic area for sorting mail. In France and many other French-speaking countries, the code postal is a five-digit number used in addresses. For example, 75001 is a code for central Paris and 06000 corresponds to Nice.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation: code means 'code' and postal means 'postal'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of code postal is codes postaux. In this plural form, the adjective postal changes to its masculine plural form postaux.
Did you know?
- The word postal comes from the root poste, which entered French from the Italian 'posta'.
- In Canada, a code postal is not just numbers but a six-character alphanumeric sequence of letters and numbers, such as H3Z 2Y7, which is much more specific than the French system.
- In France, the first two digits of the code postal indicate the 'département' or administrative region, meaning you can identify which part of the country a letter is from just by looking at the start of the code.
Examples in context
- Quel est votre code postal?What is your postal code?
- Pouvez-vous me donner votre code postal?Can you give me your postal code?
- Quel est le code postal ?What is the postal code?
- N'oubliez pas d'écrire le code postal.Don't forget to write the postal code.
- Le code postal est indiqué sur l'enveloppe.The postal code is indicated on the envelope.
Example conversation
Chloé is helping Nathan fill out an online form.
- ChloéNathan, il manque le code postal.Nathan, the postal code is missing.
- NathanAh, quel est le code postal de Paris ?Ah, what is the postal code for Paris?
- ChloéC'est 75001 pour ce quartier.It is 75001 for this neighborhood.
- NathanD'accord, je l'ai ajouté.Okay, I added it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry code postal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries postal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
