If you know the gender but do not know the name or title- Madame / Monsieur If you do not know the gender OR name of the person- Madame, Monsieur If you know the name of the person- Monsieur X / Madame X To summarize, here’s a quick reference guide for an opening a formal letter opening: Some people will tell you to use only 'Monsieur' or 'Messieurs' (Sir or Sirs), and some will even tell you that French still do this sexist practice. If you still can't find that, use 'Madame/Monsieur'. What if, after a ton of research, you still don't know? In that case, try as best as you can to know the gender of the person to be able to say 'Monsieur' or 'Madame'. This seems like a useless thing, but writing by keeping a particular person in your head helps a great deal in choosing the words. It helps you visualize the person you're writing to.This will show you've done your research – thus impress the person reading it, and.The politest thing to do is address your letter directly to the person: 'Monsieur Dupont' or 'Madame Bijoux'. Understanding these will help you be in the right state of mind right from the start. I'll also include ready-to-use French letter phrases that you can copy and paste directly into your letter.Īnd because we're super nice people, you can download a French formal letter example at the end of this article!īefore anything else, you need to know a few things to 'prime' your letter. However, there's no need to weep in a fetal position if you need to write one.įollow the step-by-step in this article to write a great formal letter in French. To be completely honest, even the native French dread to write a formal letter in French. It's advised to avoid all abbreviations as well.

For starter, in French, there's a strict structure to follow. The funny thing is: formal French letters tend to be more formal than formal English letters. A well-written formal letter often gets more attention than one that doesn't look as polished.Īlso, some formal letters are considered legally binding in France, for example, letters that are used to inform your boss of your resignation. It is no wonder then, for French people, eloquent formal letters are taken in high regard. It may sound unbelievable, but in the world of texts, Snapchats, and Instagram stories, French people still hold writing skill very dearly. If you have zero clues in writing a French letter, no worries. For example, if you're applying for an exchange program in a campus in France. When you're studying French, there may be instances where you need to write a formal letter in French.

How to write a letter