français · A2 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Phones and technology
Send files, manage passwords, charge devices, and follow links.
Understand the choice
Digital French varies regionally but the core actions are stable: envoyer un fichier, cliquer sur un lien, saisir un mot de passe, charger un portable, and télécharger a file in either direction depending on local convention and context.
Core rule: An indirect-object pronoun marks the recipient; par introduces the channel used to send something.
Notice it in context
Je t’envoie le fichier par courriel.
I am sending you the file by email.
T’ is the recipient before vowel-initial envoie; par courriel names the channel.
Je ne me souviens plus de mon mot de passe.
I no longer remember my password.
Se souvenir de requires de before the remembered item.
Il faut charger le portable.
The phone needs to be charged.
Il faut + infinitive states a general necessity.
What to remember
- Portable means mobile phone in France; téléphone cellulaire is common in Canada.
- Courriel is standard in Canada and official usage; e-mail, mail, and mél are also encountered.
Common trap: Télécharger can be ambiguous across regions for upload/download. Use mettre en ligne or téléverser when the upward direction must be explicit.