Writing to Friends and Family in French

Writing letters in French can be somewhat tricky because they require particular opening and closing conventions. Following some basic rules of French etiquette and grammar will help you find the correct expressions to use when writing to family, friends, or acquaintances. Following Conventions For personal correspondence, there are two important conventions in French letters: greetings and closings. The expressions you use depend on your relationship with the person you are writing to, particularly whether you know her personally. Also, consider whether to use  tu  or  vous—tu  is the familiar you,  while vous  is the formal greeting for you in French. Remember that these  French expressions do not always translate well into English. These are usable equivalents, rather than literal translations. Following are possible greetings and closings you can use, depending on whether you know the person. Greetings You can use these greetings either by themselves or with the salutation followed by the persons name. The greeting in French is listed on the left, while the English translation is on the right. French greetings can be particularly tricky. For example, the French title  Mademoiselle—literally my young lady—has long been used to distinguish between women, whether due to their age or marital status. Shopkeepers and bank clerks always greet female customers with a  polite  Bonjour, Mademoiselle  or  Bonjour, Madame. But in a letter, you have to assess  the womans age in order to choose the correct term, and that can prove challenging. You Do Not Know the Person​ MonsieurMonsieur xxx SirMr. xxx MadameMadame xxx Mrs. xxx MademoiselleMademoiselle xxx MissMiss xxx Messieurs Sirs You Do Know the Person​ Cher MonsieurCher Monsieur xxx Dear SirDear Mr. xxx Chre MadameChre Madame xxx Dear Mrs. xxx Chre MademoiselleChre Mademoiselle xxx Dear MissDear Miss xxx Chers amis Dear friends Chers Luc et Anne Dear Luc and Anne Chers grandsparents Dear Grandparents Mon cher Paul My dear Paul Mes chers amis My dear friends Ma trs chre Lise My dearest Lise Closings Closings in French letters can also be tricky, even in personal missives. To help you craft your closing correctly, the following chart uses the same conventions as the previous one: The closing is listed in French on the left, while the translation is on the right. To an Acquaintance​ Je vous envoie mes bien amicales penses Best wishes Recevez, je vous prie, mes meilleures amitis Yours sincerely Je vous adresse mon trs amical souvenir Kindest regards   To a FriendCordialement (à   vous)Sincerely (yours)Votre ami dà ©vouà ©(e)Your devoted friendChaleureusementWith warm regardsBien  amicalementIn friendshipAmitià ©sBest wishes, Your friendBien des choses à   tousBest wishes to allBien à   vous, Bien à   toiBest wishesÀ bientà ´t!See you soon!Je tembrasseLove / With loveBons  baisersLots of loveBises!Hugs and kissesGrosses bises!Lots of hugs and kisses Considerations These latter expressions—such as Bons  baisers  (Lots of love) and Bises! (Hugs and kisses)—might seem too informal in English. But, such closings are not necessarily romantic in French; you can use them with friends of the same or opposite sex.