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French Phrase

Je prends un carnet de timbres.

/ʒə pʁɑ̃z‿œ̃ kaʁ.nɛ də tɛ̃bʁ/
Meaning"I am taking a stamp album."
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Meaning

The speaker is saying that they are taking (or will take) a stamp album. It can refer to picking one up in a shop, at the post office, or simply deciding to use one for a hobby.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you are in a store, a post office, or a hobby shop and you want to indicate that you are selecting a stamp album. It also works in casual conversation when you explain your next step in a philately project.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Jeprendsuncarnetdetimbres

1

Subject pronoun

‘Je’ means ‘I’ and is the subject pronoun used for the speaker.

2

Présent of ‘prendre’

‘prends’ is the first‑person singular present of the verb ‘prendre’ (to take). Remember the –s ending for ‘je’.

3

Indefinite article

‘un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article meaning ‘a/an’.

4

Noun ‘carnet’

‘carnet’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘notebook, booklet, album’.

5

Partitive preposition ‘de’

‘de’ links two nouns to show a type or content: ‘carnet de timbres’ = ‘album of stamps’.

6

Plural noun ‘timbres’

‘timbres’ is the plural of ‘timbre’, meaning ‘stamp’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Quel cadeau veux‑tu offrir à ton neveu ?

What gift do you want to give your nephew?

Je prends un carnet de timbres.

I’m taking a stamp album.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Je prend un carnet de timbres.

    The verb ‘prendre’ needs an –s ending in the first‑person singular present.

  • Je prends une carnet de timbres.

    ‘Carnet’ is masculine, so the correct article is ‘un’, not ‘une’.

  • Je prends un carnet des timbres.

    Use ‘de’ to link the two nouns; ‘carnet des timbres’ would mean ‘the notebook of the stamps’, which changes the meaning.

↔Alternatives

  • Je choisis un album de timbres.

    I choose a stamp album.

  • Je vais prendre un carnet de timbres.

    I’m going to take a stamp album.

  • Je veux un carnet de timbres.

    I want a stamp album.

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Cultural Tip

Philately (collecting stamps) is a long‑standing hobby in France. The ‘carnet de timbres’ you buy at La Poste is a small booklet of postage stamps that can also be used as a starter album for collectors. When speaking to a clerk, you can also say ‘un carnet de timbres, s’il vous plaît’ to be polite.