Writing Informal Letters 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 person's 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 woman's age in order to choose the correct term, and that can prove challenging.

You Do Not Know the Person​
Monsieur Monsieur xxx	Sir Mr. xxx
Madame Madame xxx	Mrs. xxx
Mademoiselle Mademoiselle xxx	Miss Miss xxx
Messieurs	Sirs

You Do Know the Person​
Cher Monsieur Cher Monsieur xxx	Dear Sir Dear Mr. xxx
Chère Madame Chère Madame xxx	Dear Mrs. xxx
Chère Mademoiselle Chère Mademoiselle xxx	Dear Miss Dear 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 très chère 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 pensées	Best wishes
Recevez, je vous prie, mes meilleures amitiés	Yours sincerely
Je vous adresse mon très amical souvenir	Kindest regards

 

To a Friend
Cordialement (à vous)	Sincerely (yours)
Votre ami dévoué(e)	Your devoted friend
Chaleureusement	With warm regards
Bien amicalement	In friendship
Amitiés	Best wishes, Your friend
Bien des choses à tous	Best wishes to all
Bien à vous, Bien à toi	Best wishes
À bientôt!	See you soon!
Je t'embrasse	Love / With love
Bons baisers	Lots of love
Bises!	Hugs and kisses
Grosses 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.