3/13/2017 FrenchemailetiquettePaulonFrench

PAUL ON FRENCH BLOG (/) A PROPOS (/A-PROPOS.HTML) CONTACT (/CONTACT.HTML)

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ABOUT
FRENCH EMAIL ETIQUETTE (HTTP://WWW.PAULON
FRENCH.COM/A-
(HTTP://WWW.PAULONFRENCH.COM/BLOG/FRENCH-EMAIL- PROPOS.HTML)

ETIQUETTE) My experiences learning

the language of Molire.
3/6/2014 1 Comment (http://www.paulonfrench.com/blog/french-email-etiquette#comments) A blog about learning

French.

CATEGORIES
All (/blog/category/all)
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reviews)
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nch)
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autres-personnes-qui-
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Life In France
(http://www.paulonfrench.com/blog/french-email-etiquette) (/blog/category/life-in-
france)
English email conversations, even in the workplace, are now very informal. But what are the current
Linguistics
conventions in French emails?
(/blog/category/linguistic
Robert Lane Greene's articles about language in The Economist are always worth a read. RLG is a s)
polyglot who speaks nine languages, and he writes about the similarities and dierences between Music
them. I recently read his article on greetings and salutations (/blog/category/music)
(http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2014/05/etiquette) in which he explains some of the New Words & Phrases
conventions of email conversations in English, Spanish, Portuguese and German. This inspired me to (/blog/category/new-
ask various French friends about the etiquette in French emails. words-phrases)
Tips For Learners
The conclusion seems to be that conventions in French emails have become similar to those in English (/blog/category/tips-for-
- despite French's reputation for being a more formal language than English. learners)
Written In French
Salutations (/blog/category/written-
At the more formal end, email opening staples are: in-french)

Monsieur, Madame To whom it may concern / Dear Sir or Madam

Monsieur Dear Sir ARCHIVES
Madame Dear Madam

http://www.paulonfrench.com/blog/frenchemailetiquette 1/3
3/13/2017 FrenchemailetiquettePaulonFrench

Apparently Cher monsieuror Chre madameruns the risk of sounding overly familiar if you haven't met September 2014
PAUL ON
the person FRENCH
before. Cher is best left for treasured friends BLOG
and relatives.
(/) A PROPOS (/A-PROPOS.HTML) (/blog/archives/09-2014)
CONTACT (/CONTACT.HTML)
(/) August 2014
Nowadays professional emails increasingly open with Bonjour / Bonsoir. Salut is for friends, not for (/blog/archives/08-2014)
professional emails. July 2014
(/blog/archives/07-2014)
I now regularly receive business emails from people that I've spoken to before, although not June 2014
necessarily very much, which have no salutation at all but rather get straight down to it. I'm not a huge (/blog/archives/06-2014)
fan of this and, happily, it appears to be less common in France. May 2014
(/blog/archives/05-2014)
Tu/Vous
April 2014
The vous/tu rules are simple - vouvoyerin emails if you would in real life, and likewise for the tutoiement
(/blog/archives/04-2014)
March 2014
Sign os
(/blog/archives/03-2014)
French has a few variations on the following very formal set phrase which are used at the end of
letters and which can be used in ocial or very formal professional emails:
CHECK OUT THESE
Veuillez agrer, Monsieur / Madame, lassurance de Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully SITES
mes sentiments les plus distingus French Today
(http://www.frenchtoday.
It's used principally when you are asking something of somebody - and you want to predispose them
com/blog)
to doing what you want! E.g. giving you a job. Less formal sign os, which are nevertheless still suitable
Un Francais Londres
for the workplace, are:
(http://www.thefrenchblo
Merci de bien vouloir me rpondre Both mean something like "thank you in advance g.com/)
Dans l'attente de votre rponse for your response" French Spanish Online
(http://www.frenchspanis
There are plenty of sign os which are shorter still which are available to you. In descending order of honline.com/index.html)
formality, with the rst few still possible in professional communication and the latter suitable only 1Thing in a French Day
with friends and family, you can use: (http://onethinginafrenc
hday.podbean.com/)
Cordialement Sincerely
Oui C'est a
Merci d'avance Thank you in advance
(http://ouicestca.com/)
Bonne journe Good day
Talk in French
Dan l'attente Waiting for your response
(http://www.talkinfrench.
Amicalement Amicably
com/)
A bientt See you soon
I Learn French
Merci Thanks
(http://www.thefrenchblo
A plus Speak soon
g.com/)
A trs vite Cheers
A+ Later

As ever, please correct any mistakes/misunderstandings in the comments. Thanks you and veuillez
agrer, chers lecteurs, lassurance de mes sentiments les plus distingues!

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1 Comment (http://www.paulonfrench.com/blog/french-email-etiquette#comments)

26/8/2015 03:20:26 am
JEAN BUCQUET (HTTP://WWW.BUCQUET.US)

It's better not to use "sentiments" when you write to a woman and to use "considerations" instead.

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