sur l' instruction

You will mostly use this in professional or legal settings. It usually follows a noun or a verb to show the reason for an action. For example, you might say you changed a file sur l'instruction de la direction. This tells everyone you didn't just decide to do it on a whim. You had permission—or rather, a command. You can also use it to describe the status of a project or a court case. It sounds very precise and a bit serious. If you want to sound like you know your way around a French office, this is a great phrase to keep in your pocket.

Use this phrase when you need to be clear about who gave an order. It is perfect for emails to colleagues. It is also the correct term if you are discussing a news story about a trial. If a journalist says a file is sur l'instruction, they mean the judge is still looking for clues. You can also use it in a slightly humorous way with friends. If your partner makes you clean the kitchen, you can joke that you are acting sur l'instruction du chef. It adds a layer of mock-formality to mundane tasks.

Avoid this phrase in very casual, relaxed settings unless you are being funny. If a friend asks why you bought a specific type of cheese, don't say sur l'instruction. It sounds like the cheese was part of a criminal investigation! Also, do not confuse it with une recette (a recipe) or un mode d'emploi (a manual). Even though those provide instructions, we don't use sur l'instruction for them. It is strictly for human-led orders or legal processes. Using it for a LEGO set would make you sound like a robot.

France has a unique legal figure called the juge d'instruction. Unlike in the US or UK, this judge actually leads the investigation. They gather evidence both for and against the suspect. This phase is called l'instruction. Because this is such a central part of French law, the word instruction feels much more 'legal' to a French person than the word 'instruction' does to an English speaker. It evokes images of thick paper files and stern magistrates in robes. It represents the methodical, slow, and thorough nature of French administration.

You will often hear sur instruction (without the l'). This is even more common in business. For example, Paiement sur instruction. You might also see en cours d'instruction, which means 'currently being processed' or 'under investigation'. Another common one is sous l'instruction de, which is almost identical but emphasizes being 'under' someone's command. If you want to be less formal, you might just say selon les ordres de, but that sounds a bit more like the military.