# How do you say “@“ in French? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193 "2019-05-19T18:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/1 "2019-05-19T18:58:20Z")
For courriel / e-mail : what word is used for the @ sign. “Vers” ? “ à “? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/2 "2019-05-19T19:26:31Z")
chez Or arrobe, arobase ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/3 "2019-05-19T19:53:23Z")
I’ve heard “at” as well ; but yeah “arobase” is probably the most common. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/4 "2019-05-19T20:34:04Z")
I’ve always been somewhat fascinated by what various languages call that sign. In Polish, in an email address, it’s called a “małpa” (“monkey.”) In Hungarian, it’s “kukac” (“worm” or “maggot.”) [Wikipedia has an article about it](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_sign). Under French, it says (with a specific note about Quebecois): > [@](#): > > In French, it is now officially the arobase[33][34] (also spelled arrobase or arrobe), or a commercial (though this is most commonly used in French-speaking Canada, and should normally only be used when quoting prices; it should always be called arobase or, better yet, arobas when in an email address). Its origin is the same as that of the Spanish word, which could be derived from the Arabic ar-roub. In France, it is also common (especially for younger generations) to say the English word “at” when spelling out an email address.[citation needed] In everyday Québec French, one often hears “a commercial” when sounding out an e-mail address, while TV and radio hosts are more likely to use arobase. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/5 "2019-05-19T20:39:25Z")
In Hebrew it’s called a “strudel”, which I personally find adorable. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/6 "2019-05-19T20:48:08Z")
And the pronunciation ends in -s and has the stress in the last syllable. > [@Alessan](#): > > In Hebrew it’s called a “strudel”, which I personally find adorable. Edible certainly. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/7 "2019-05-20T14:31:37Z")
Québec French: I haven’t heard the expression “A commercial” in a long time, at least from people under 60. “Arobas” is the term used in radio ads or when discussing the character with (IT) coworkers. If I’m asked to state my e-mail address verbally, I’ll use “à”, as in “à GMail point com”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/8 "2019-05-20T16:17:26Z")
I’ve found the French will understand ‘at’, but a lot of people who speak French as a second language have a difficult time with the names of all the punctuation characters. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/9 "2019-05-20T17:27:08Z")
Maybe a better way to phrase the question is how would a French speaker say an email address? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/10 "2019-05-21T01:56:39Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > Québec French: I haven’t heard the expression “A commercial” in a long time, at least from people under 60. I would say “a commercial”: for example, **bump a commercial straightdope point com**. I feel that just saying “à” could be misunderstood as the letter a. I’m well under 60. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/11 "2019-05-21T02:08:12Z")
Et pourquoi “a commercial”? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/12 "2019-05-21T04:17:55Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Maybe a better way to phrase the question is how would a French speaker say an email address? Well, the Académie tried to make courriel happen. It’s basically a straight transliteration of email : a shortening of “courrier électronique” just like email stands for electronic mail (and “pourriel” for spam, a pun on “pourri” which is French for rotten). It thankfully didn’t happen, and I will strangle anyone I hear using courriel in earnest. It sounds horrible to my ears. But most people just say “mail” (no e) and “adresse mail” ; or sometimes “adresse électronique” for older folks. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/13 "2019-05-21T06:16:06Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Et pourquoi “a commercial”? Because it was used in some commercial communications back when there was such a thing as typing pools; the name is decades older than email. > [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve found the French will understand ‘at’, but a lot of people who speak French as a second language have a difficult time with the names of all the punctuation characters. That happens with any second language. Sometimes it’s because the names are so different (why do EFL people refer to “two dots” by the name of the end of the intestine?), sometimes because the characters themselves are used in one language but not the other (its proper name is not the literal translation of “upside-down question mark”, it’s _signo de interrogación de apertura_ or “opening question mark”; conversely, “what do you mean, that’s not a dash it’s an m-dash?”). ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/14 "2019-05-21T06:19:30Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Et pourquoi “a commercial”? [According to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_sign), it’s been used in commerce since the Renaissance to refer to the unit price of goods. > [@Kobal2](#): > > Well, the Académie tried to make courriel happen. It’s basically a straight transliteration of email : a shortening of “courrier électronique” just like email stands for electronic mail (and “pourriel” for spam, a pun on “pourri” which is French for rotten). > > It thankfully didn’t happen, and I will strangle anyone I hear using courriel in earnest. It sounds horrible to my ears. But most people just say “mail” (no e) and “adresse mail” ; or sometimes “adresse électronique” for older folks. _Courriel_ doesn’t come from the French Academy, though they may have started suggesting it at some point. It comes from Quebec, is very commonly used here, and is how I’ll generally refer to electronic mail when speaking French. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/15 "2019-05-21T08:43:38Z")
I use “at”, but most people tend to say “arobase” (Belgium). I’ve never heard “chez” used in this context. “Courriel” hasn’t really caught on in Europe, true. Personally, I don’t care much for it, but I just \*love \*“pourriel” for spam. It’s way more descriptive and fun than its English equivalent for once. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/16 "2019-05-21T11:21:39Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > That happens with any second language. Sometimes it’s because the names are so different (why do EFL people refer to “two dots” by the name of the end of the intestine?), sometimes because the characters themselves are used in one language but not the other (its proper name is not the literal translation of “upside-down question mark”, it’s _signo de interrogación de apertura_ or “opening question mark”; conversely, “what do you mean, that’s not a dash it’s an m-dash?”). Well sure. Aside from an old corny comedy routine people don’t pronounce the punctuation marks. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/17 "2019-05-21T11:43:38Z")
Punctuation marks get pronounced all the time: what they don’t get so much is named, but even that is done routinely in situations such as when giving an address (both physical and electronic). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/18 "2019-05-21T12:55:45Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > _Courriel_ doesn’t come from the French Academy, though they may have started suggesting it at some point. It comes from Quebec, is very commonly used here, and is how I’ll generally refer to electronic mail when speaking French. Yes, that’s the term I’ve always heard used. ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/19 "2019-05-21T17:02:41Z")
In French, “shit” is “merde!” Just thought I’d throw that in 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193/20 "2019-05-21T17:08:30Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Punctuation marks get pronounced all the time: what they don’t get so much is named, but even that is done routinely in situations such as when giving an address (both physical and electronic). Not sure what you mean by ‘pronounced’, but here’s [Victor Borge demonstrating what I meant about a comedy routine.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf_TDuhk3No) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-in-french/834193.md?page=2)