Write mails In French?

 

Write mails in French to ask for or reply to something.

Here, I give you some tips and practical examples to help you learn how to write a formal email in French.

In this post, you will learn :

• How to write a general email
• How to write an email to ask for something or reply
• How to write an email to apologize

 

How to write a an email?

In general, a formal email consists of 4 parts:

• the subject line
• the opening formula,
• the body of the email
• the farewell formula.

The subject of an email

 

It is a very important point because it is the first line your contact sees when he receives your mail. And people use to read the mail with subject conversely without subjec, they can considerate them as spam.

The subject has to be clear and short, so the receiver understands what you want straight away. Most of the time people has no time to lose and like to go to the point. an email without a subject is likely to end up in the bin, unopened!

Here are a few examples in French:

• For an apology: Mes excuses. – My apologies
• To ask for something: Demande importante – Important request
• To make an appointment: Rendez-vous – Appointment
• For information: Date de l’examen – Exam date

As you can see, the subject line is very short: just a few words are enough.

You must absolutely avoid too long subject line also.

 

The opening formula of your mail

 

It is essential to begin with a polite formula. These formulas are always the same, so you just need to know them and adapt to the recipient of the email.

– If you know the name of the person whose you are writing, use its name or function in the greetings:

• Madame Leblanc – Ms Leblanc
• Madame la directrice or Monsieur le directeur – Madam Director or Mr Director

 

-If you’re writing to an administration, for example, you can start your email like this:

• Madame, ou Monsieur, – Sir, or Madam,

 

– If you are writing to a colleague, you can use a less formal formula:

• Cher Ribert, – Dear Robert,
• Chère Fanny, Dear Fanny,

Or, more simply:

• Robert,
• Fanny,

 

Take care with capitals and punctuation: capitalize Mr and Mrs, titles and surnames, and always include a comma at the end.

 

The body of the message

 

In the body of the email, you mention the main subject of your message.

We’ll look at 2 examples below: an email to ask for something and an email to apologize.

According to who you write, you need to use the proper level of language. If it is for a formal email you will have to use a sustained language level.

 

The greetings to end an email

 

This formula varies depending on the recipient.

– For a very formal email, you can use one of these two formulas, for example:

• Je vous prie d’agréer, Monsieur le directeur, (ou Madame La Directrice) l’expression de mes sentiments distingués.

Your name 

Which means in english but it is not used at all : Please accept, Mr. Director, (or Madam Director) the expression of my distinguished feelings. Instead, in English we use: Yours sincerely.

Or

•  Je vous prie de recevoir, Madame, Monsieur, mes salutations distinguées.

Same here, it means Please accept, Madam, Sir, my distinguished greetings.

Your name

 

Obviously, you need to adapt the formula to the name and title of your recipient. And don’t forget to sign with your first and last name!

For less formal forms of address, use this:

• Cordialement – respectfully

Or

• Sincères salutations – Respectful greetings,

And Your Name

 

– In professional or administrative email, we very often use these formulas:

• Cordialement – Cordially
• Bonne journée – Have a good day,

Your Name

 

Write mails in French for apologizing 

 

 

How to write an email in French to apologize politely.

Here are some different ways of apologizing politely by email:

• Je vous prie de m’excuser pour mon retard. – Please forgive me for my delay.
• Je tiens à vous présenter mes excuses pour ce retard. – I would like to apologize for this delay.
• Excusez-moi de vous répondre avec autant de retard. – Sorry for responding to you so late.

Don’t use: je m’excuse (I’m sorry) because this is not correct expression to use. Saying je m’excuse (I’m sorry) would be tantamount to apologizing yourself…

Similarly, it is not advisable to justify yourself when apologizing. So, avoid a novel of justification.

Instead, once you have politely apologized, you can continue the message with sentences like this:

• En effet, je reconnais mon erreur. – I recognise my mistake
• En effet, je me suis trompé.-  Indeed, I was wrong
• Je reconnais mes torts Indeed. – I admit I was wrong.
• J’espère cependant que nous pourrons encore collaborer ensemble. – But I hope we can still work together.

 

Write mails in French : a practical example to apologize

 

Situation: I’m writing to the director of my company to apologize for being late at work.

Subject: Excuses pour être arrivé en retard au travail

Monsieur [titre et nom du directeur],

Je tiens à vous présenter mes sincères excuses concernant mon retard.

Je comprends parfaitement les conséquences négatives que cela peut entrainer et j’en assume l’entière responsabilité.

Pour y remédier, je propose de m’organiser plus efficacement pour être à l’heure. Je m’engage à faire en sorte qu’une telle situation ne se reproduise plus.

Je vous prie d’agréer, [Votre nom], l’expression de mes salutations distinguées.

Votre nom

 

Translation :

Subject: Apology for arriving late to work

Dear [title and name of manager],

I would like to sincerely apologize for my lateness.

I fully understand the negative consequences this may have and I take full responsibility.

To remedy the situation, I propose to organize myself more efficiently so that I am on time. I undertake to ensure that such a situation does not arise again.

Yours sincerely

Your name

 

Asking for something politely by email

 

 

Here are some key phrases and a practical example to ask something by mail.

You can use these phrases to start your email. It’s up to you to adapt them to your request.

• J’aimerais connaître… – I’d like to know…
• J’aurais aimé savoir comment… – I’d like to know how…
• Je voudrais savoir si… – I’d like to know if…
• Pourriez-vous me dire… – Could you tell me…
• Pourrais-je avoir… – Could I have…
• Je voudrais vous demander… – Would you mind…

 

Use the conditional for the polite way to say things! It is essential to know the French conditional tense for asking something in French!

And don’t forget: s’il vous plait. – Please

To end your email, you can also thank in advance:

• Par avance, merci. – Thank you in advance..
• Je vous remercie d’avance de votre réponse. – Thank you in advance for your reply.

Now your time!

Ask politely by email: a practical example

Situation: You have to write to the French exam center of your town to ask for information about the DELF A2 exam.

1. Write the subject of the mail
2. the opening formula,
3. the body of the email
4. the farewell formula.

The example:

Sujet : Français A2 DELF

Madame, Monsieur

Pourriez-vous m’indiquer la date du prochain examen DELF A2 ?

J’aimerais également savoir si le prix est le même que pour le A1.

Je vous remercie d’avance.

Fanny Letierce

 

Translation:

Subject: A2 French DELF

Dear Sir or Madam

Could you please tell me the date of the next DELF A2 exam? I would also like to know if the price is the same as for the A1.

Thank you in advance.

Fanny Letierce

 

Now you know all about how to write an email in French.

I hope this has helped you.

Go to  my blog for other practical tips about French Language

A bientôt

Julie