bon de commande
/bɔ̃ d(ə) kɔ.mɑ̃d/masculine
The English phrase 'purchase order' is translated into French as bon de commande.
This term is used in professional and commercial contexts to refer to the official document sent by a buyer to a seller.
Meaning: commercial document (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bon (voucher/slip), de (of) and commande (order).
Which one should you use?
bon de commande is a formal way to say 'purchase order' in French, while commande d'achat is another formal way to express the same concept. For a more casual or shorthand approach, you can use the abbreviation BDC.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, only the word bon takes an s. commande remains singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ̃ d(ə) kɔ.mɑ̃d/
Did you know?
- The word bon in bon de commande descends from the Latin bonus, meaning 'good'. In a commercial sense, it evolved from a 'good' or 'valid' voucher that proves a transaction is legitimate.
- In French, the word bon is used for a huge variety of slips, from a bon de livraison for a delivery note to a bon d'achat for a gift voucher.
- French uses the word commande for both the physical 'purchase order' and the actual 'order' of goods being shipped.
Examples in context
- J'ai envoyé le bon de commande ce matin.I sent the purchase order this morning.
- Veuillez vérifier les détails sur le bon de commande.Please check the details on the purchase order.
- Le bon de commande est déjà signé.The purchase order is already signed.
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are in an office discussing an order.
- ChloéHugo, est-ce que tu as reçu le bon de commande ?Hugo, did you receive the purchase order?
- HugoOui, je viens de l'imprimer.Yes, I just printed it.
- ChloéParfait, merci beaucoup.Perfect, thank you very much.
- HugoDe rien, je l'envoie au client tout de suite.You're welcome, I'm sending it to the client right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “purchase order” translations and entries bon de commande, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
