When you're packing your bag for French class, what's the one essential item you always grab? A cahier, of course! This is the most common way to say “notebook” in French, and it's the first one every learner picks up.

But what if you need a specific kind of notebook, like a small notepad for jotting down quick ideas, a sketchbook for your artistic creations, or a formal ledger? The French language has a variety of words for these different types of notebooks.

Let's dive into nine different ways to say “notebook” in French, so you'll always have the right word at your fingertips!

The standard 'notebook' for school – un cahier

Un cahier is the most fundamental and widely used French word for a 'notebook,' particularly in an academic or educational setting.

This term refers to a book of blank or ruled paper for writing, the kind students use for different subjects in school. Think of your typical spiral-bound or composition notebook.

A crucial grammar point: cahier is a masculine noun. Therefore, you always use masculine articles with it:

• un cahier (a notebook)
• le cahier (the notebook)
• des cahiers (notebooks, plural)
• mon cahier (my notebook)

The word cahier is deeply linked to school life in France. You'll frequently encounter specific types, such as:

• un cahier de brouillon: a rough draft or scrap notebook.
• un cahier de textes: a notebook specifically for writing down homework assignments.
• un cahier de vacances: a workbook filled with exercises for students to complete during school holidays.

It's important not to confuse un cahier with un carnet. While both mean 'notebook,' un carnet usually refers to a smaller, more personal notebook for jotting down notes, ideas, or phone numbers (like a pocket notebook or a Moleskine). A cahier is larger, more formal, and typically dedicated to a single subject.

When in doubt, if you are talking about a notebook for a class, for taking structured notes, or for doing homework, un cahier is the word you need.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau cahier pour mon cours de français.

• L'élève a écrit la leçon dans son cahier d'histoire.
• N'oubliez pas d'apporter vos cahiers et vos stylos demain.
• Peux-tu me prêter une feuille de ton cahier de brouillon ?
• Mon cahier est plein, je dois en commencer un autre.

The small 'notebook' or 'notepad' – un carnet

The small 'notebook' or 'notepad' – un carnet

Un carnet is the French word for a small, portable notebook or notepad. Unlike a larger school notebook, a carnet is typically something you can easily carry in a pocket or a small bag for jotting down notes, sketches, or reminders on the go.

You may wonder how un carnet is different from un cahier. The key distinction is size and purpose. A cahier is generally larger, like a school exercise book used for extensive writing or homework. A carnet, on the other hand, is smaller and more personal, intended for quick, brief entries.

The word carnet is also a component of many specific terms. For example, un carnet de chèques is a checkbook, un carnet d'adresses is an address book, and un carnet de santé is a health record book, all of which are small, portable booklets for specific information.

Imagine a journalist quickly taking notes during an interview, an artist making a quick sketch in the park, or someone writing down a shopping list. In all these scenarios, the person would be using un carnet.

Ultimately, think of un carnet as your personal, portable companion for capturing thoughts and information. Its 'smallness' is its defining feature, making it a very common and useful word in everyday French life.

💡 * J'ai toujours un carnet dans mon sac pour noter mes idées.

• Le policier a sorti son carnet pour prendre ma déposition.
• Peux-tu me prêter une page de ton carnet ?
• Mon carnet de voyage est rempli de souvenirs et de dessins.

The 'notepad' with tear-off sheets – un bloc-notes

When you need a simple pad of paper for jotting down quick thoughts or lists in French, the term you're looking for is un bloc-notes. This is the direct equivalent of an English 'notepad' or 'writing pad'.

The name itself is a helpful clue to its meaning. It's a compound noun made from bloc (block or pad) and notes (notes). Quite literally, it's a 'block for notes', which makes it very easy to remember.

A key characteristic of a bloc-notes is its construction. The paper sheets are bound together at the top, usually with glue, allowing each page to be torn off cleanly and easily. This makes it ideal for temporary notes like shopping lists or phone numbers.

It's important to know that bloc-notes is a masculine noun. Therefore, you would say un bloc-notes for 'a notepad' and le bloc-notes for 'the notepad'. The plural form is typically invariable: des blocs-notes.

You will commonly find a bloc-notes on an office desk, next to a telephone, or in a kitchen for quick reminders. It's a ubiquitous and practical stationery item for everyday life.

💡 * J'ai écrit la liste de courses sur un bloc-notes. (I wrote the shopping list on a notepad.)

• Peux-tu m'arracher une feuille de ton bloc-notes, s'il te plaît ? (Can you tear a sheet from your notepad for me, please?)
• Il garde toujours un petit bloc-notes dans sa poche pour ses idées. (He always keeps a small notepad in his pocket for his ideas.)
• J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau bloc-notes pour le bureau. (I need to buy a new notepad for the office.)

The 'binder' or 'ring binder' – un classeur

The French word for a 'binder' or 'ring binder' is un classeur. It refers to the common office and school supply used for organizing papers.

The noun classeur is masculine. Therefore, you must use masculine articles with it, such as un (a/an) or le (the). For example, you would say le classeur for 'the binder'.

You will frequently encounter this word in contexts related to school, university, or office work. It specifically denotes a binder with metal rings that open and close to hold hole-punched documents.

It's important not to confuse un classeur with un dossier (a file or folder) or un cahier (a notebook). A classeur is defined by its ring mechanism, which allows for adding and removing pages.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouveau classeur pour l'école. (I need a new binder for school.)

• Peux-tu me passer le classeur bleu sur ton bureau ? (Can you pass me the blue binder on your desk?)
• Tous les documents importants sont dans ce classeur. (All the important documents are in this binder.)
• Mon classeur est plein, je dois en acheter un autre. (My binder is full, I need to buy another one.)

The 'spiral notebook' – un cahier à spirale

To talk about a 'spiral notebook' in French, you use the direct and descriptive term un cahier à spirale.

The phrase literally translates to 'a notebook with a spiral.' Un cahier means 'a notebook,' and the prepositional phrase à spirale describes its binding type.

The noun cahier is masculine. Therefore, you must use masculine articles like un (a) or le (the). For example, le cahier à spirale means 'the spiral notebook.'

To talk about multiple spiral notebooks, you make 'cahier' plural: des cahiers à spirale. The descriptive part, à spirale, remains unchanged.

This is the standard term used in everyday situations, from school supply shopping (faire les courses de la rentrée) to office settings. It's universally understood in French-speaking countries.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouveau cahier à spirale pour la rentrée.

• Tu peux me prêter une feuille de ton cahier à spirale ?
• Les cahiers à spirale sont très pratiques pour prendre des notes.
• J'ai acheté un lot de cinq cahiers à spirale en promotion.

1. The 'Draft Notebook' or 'Scratchpad' – Un Cahier de Brouillon

In French, the term for a 'draft notebook' or 'scratchpad' is un cahier de brouillon. Let's break it down: un cahier means 'a notebook,' and un brouillon means 'a draft' or 'rough copy.' Together, they describe a notebook used specifically for rough work, brainstorming, and practice exercises.

The cahier de brouillon is an essential item for every student in the French school system. It's the designated place for doing math calculations, drafting sentences, or outlining essays before writing the final, clean version (the version au propre) in their main notebook (cahier du jour) or on an official exam sheet (une copie).

While cahier de brouillon refers to the physical notebook, the word brouillon on its own is widely used to mean 'draft' for anything—an email, a report, a drawing, etc. You might hear someone say, Ce n'est qu'un brouillon (It's just a draft) to indicate that the work is not yet finalized.

This is not slang; it's a standard and very common term. You can confidently use cahier de brouillon when talking about school, university, or any learning context. It's the perfect term to use when you need to ask for scrap paper or refer to your preparatory notes.

💡 * Sors ton cahier de brouillon pour faire l'exercice.

• J'ai d'abord écrit mon discours sur un cahier de brouillon.
• Excusez mon écriture, ce n'est qu'un brouillon.
• Avant de peindre, je fais toujours quelques croquis dans un cahier de brouillon.

The 'planner' or 'homework notebook' – un agenda or un cahier de textes

In French, the concept of a 'planner' or 'homework notebook' is typically expressed by two main terms: un agenda or un cahier de textes.

Un agenda is a general-purpose planner or diary used for scheduling appointments, tasks, and reminders. Un cahier de textes, on the other hand, is more specific and traditionally refers to the notebook exclusively used by students to write down their homework assignments.

While both terms are correct, today's students most commonly use un agenda to keep track of everything, including homework, exams, and personal activities. The term un cahier de textes can sound a bit more traditional or formal, but is still understood.

💡 * N'oublie pas d'écrire tes devoirs dans ton agenda. (Don't forget to write your homework in your planner.)

• Le professeur nous a demandé de sortir notre cahier de textes. (The teacher asked us to take out our homework notebooks.)
• J'ai un rendez-vous chez le dentiste, je dois le marquer dans mon agenda. (I have a dentist appointment, I need to mark it in my planner.)

1. The old-fashioned 'pocket notebook' – un calepin

The French word for a small, pocket-sized notebook is un calepin. This term has a slightly old-fashioned, charming feel to it, evoking images of writers, artists, or detectives jotting down notes on the go.

The word calepin comes from Ambrogio Calepino, an Italian lexicographer from the 15th century whose name became synonymous with dictionaries and notebooks. Today, while you might hear petit carnet (small notebook) more often, calepin specifically refers to a notebook meant to be carried in a pocket.

Using un calepin in conversation can add a touch of literary or nostalgic flair. It's the perfect word to describe the notebook you carry for sudden inspirations, important thoughts, or quick sketches, distinguishing it from a more general-purpose cahier (exercise book) or carnet (notebook).

💡 * Il a sorti son calepin pour noter l'adresse.

• Le détective consultait son vieux calepin rempli d'indices.
• J'ai toujours un calepin sur moi, au cas où l'inspiration viendrait.

1. The 'Register' or 'Ledger' – Un Registre

The French word for a 'register,' 'record book,' or 'ledger' is un registre. It is a masculine noun. This term is used for official books where information is systematically recorded.

You will commonly encounter un registre in formal or administrative settings. For example, a registre de commerce is a business register, and a registre d'état civil is a civil registry for births, marriages, and deaths.

Beyond a physical book, un registre can also refer to a 'style,' 'tone,' or 'level,' especially in language, music, or art. For instance, un registre de langue familier means a 'colloquial style of language'.

The verb related to un registre is enregistrer, which means 'to record,' 'to register,' or 'to check in' (like luggage). The action of writing something into a registre is enregistrer.

💡 * Le comptable note toutes les transactions dans le registre.

• Il faut signer le registre des visiteurs en entrant dans le bâtiment.
• L'auteur est connu pour son utilisation d'un registre de langue très soutenu.
• Je dois enregistrer mes bagages avant le vol.
• Chaque nouvelle entreprise doit s'inscrire au registre de commerce.

Are there other ways to say 'notebook' in French?

Are there other ways to say “notebook” in French?

Our list features the most essential words for “notebook” in French, but the language is full of specific terms. You'll find different words for school exercise books, spiral-bound notebooks, personal journals, and artist sketchpads, each with its own nuance.

You can uncover more specific vocabulary by searching online for “fournitures de bureau” (office supplies) or “matériel d'artiste” (artist materials) in French. This will introduce you to a wider world of stationery terms.

When you encounter a new word for a notebook, like cahier versus carnet, try to see it used in context. Notice if it's for school, work, or creative purposes. This will help you understand the subtle differences and use the right word at the right time.

Pay attention when you watch French films, read French books, or browse French websites. You might notice which type of notebook a character uses for their diary versus their schoolwork, which is a great way to learn passively.

For a deeper dive into related vocabulary, online dictionaries like WordReference or Larousse are fantastic. Look up a word like cahier, and you'll often find a list of related expressions and specific types, like “cahier de brouillon” (draft book).

I hope this guide helps you find the perfect French word for your notebook. To finish, here is a fitting quote from the writer Voltaire that celebrates the power of filling those blank pages: “L'écriture est la peinture de la voix.” (Writing is the painting of the voice.)