diff --git a/src/uu/dirname/locales/en-US.ftl b/src/uu/dirname/locales/en-US.ftl
index 37f33df47..1bd4b1e6a 100644
--- a/src/uu/dirname/locales/en-US.ftl
+++ b/src/uu/dirname/locales/en-US.ftl
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@ dirname-about = Strip last component from file name
 dirname-usage = dirname [OPTION] NAME...
 dirname-after-help = Output each NAME with its last non-slash component and trailing slashes
   removed; if NAME contains no /'s, output '.' (meaning the current directory).
+dirname-missing-operand = missing operand
+dirname-zero-help = separate output with NUL rather than newline
diff --git a/src/uu/dirname/locales/fr-FR.ftl b/src/uu/dirname/locales/fr-FR.ftl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cc0c1b4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/uu/dirname/locales/fr-FR.ftl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+dirname-about = Supprimer le dernier composant du nom de fichier
+dirname-usage = dirname [OPTION] NOM...
+dirname-after-help = Afficher chaque NOM avec son dernier composant non-slash et les slashes finaux
+  supprimés ; si NOM ne contient pas de '/', afficher '.' (signifiant le répertoire courant).
+dirname-missing-operand = opérande manquant
+dirname-zero-help = séparer la sortie avec NUL plutôt qu'avec un saut de ligne
+
diff --git a/src/uu/dirname/src/dirname.rs b/src/uu/dirname/src/dirname.rs
index 02a6ea938..e7ff417db 100644
--- a/src/uu/dirname/src/dirname.rs
+++ b/src/uu/dirname/src/dirname.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
         .collect();
 
     if dirnames.is_empty() {
-        return Err(UUsageError::new(1, "missing operand"));
+        return Err(UUsageError::new(1, get_message("dirname-missing-operand")));
     } else {
         for path in &dirnames {
             let p = Path::new(path);
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pub fn uu_app() -> Command {
             Arg::new(options::ZERO)
                 .long(options::ZERO)
                 .short('z')
-                .help("separate output with NUL rather than newline")
+                .help(get_message("dirname-zero-help"))
                 .action(ArgAction::SetTrue),
         )
         .arg(