If you're ever received (or worse, had to write) a formal French letter, then you'll know how absurdly difficult they can be to understand (and compose).
Here's a list of some of the most commonly occurring greetings, phrases, and sign-offs that you need to know before putting pen to paper. Perhaps the best thing is, you just don't need to understand some of them, just to learn them off by heart.
Starting a letter
There are rules galore for how you start off a letter, so if you want to make a good impression then take note.
Forget Cher
Never assume that you can start off a formal letter with the French word for “Dear” – Cher, or Chère if you're writing to a woman – unless you're sure you can get away with it (a letter to family, or a friend for example).
Begin formally
If you're unsure who to send the letter or email to, write:
Monsieur (or Messieurs) – meaning Sir (or Sirs). Sexist, sure.
If you do know the surname of the person, go for:
Monsieur Dupois or Madame Dupois, for example.
Photo: alecska/Flickr
Continue formally
There are loads of useful little phrases for letter writing in French that regularly crop up, all longer and far more complicated than their English cousins. Here are a few. Just learn them, don't try to understand them.
Je vous prie de bien vouloir me faire savoir… Can you please let me know…
Je vous prie d'avoir l'obligeance de… Would you please be so kind as to…
Veuillez trouver ci-joint… Please find enclosed/attached…
Nous vous serions reconnaissants de nous faire parvenir…. We'd be grateful if you could send us…
N'hésitez pas à me contacter le cas échéant… Do not hesitate to contact me if need be…
Dans l'attente de votre réponse… Looking forward to hearing from you…
Here are a few more examples courtesy of Laura K Lawless over at About Education.
Je suis au regret de vous faire savoir que.. I'm sorry to inform you that…
Je me permets de vous signaler que… Allow me to inform you that…
Je vous remercie de votre lettre du [date]… Thank you for your letter dated…
Je vous adresse, sous pli séparé … I'm sending you, under separate cover….
Je vous serais très obligé de bien vouloir... I would be obliged if you could be so kind as to…
Photo: anna/Flickr
End it formally
If you thought the intro was formal, get your teeth around these formal (and admittedly clunky) ways to essentially say “Yours sincerely” in French.
Je vous prie de bien vouloir agréer l’expression de mes salutations distingués
Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur/Madame, nos salutations distingués
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur/Madame, l’assurance de notre parfait considération.
Je vous prie de croire, Monsieur/Madame, à l’assurance de mes salutations distinguées
Or, lastly, you could tone it down if you think you can get away with it:
“Meilleures salutations” or “Salutations distinguées”.
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