Chère Madame
In French, "dear madam" is translated as Chère Madame.
Chère Madame is a formal greeting used at the beginning of a letter or email to a woman. It can be used to add a touch of warmth while maintaining formality.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective chère (dear) and the noun Madame (Madam).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Chère Madame is a standard formal greeting. If you need to be even more formal and strictly professional, you may use only Madame instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French correspondence, it is standard practice to follow this greeting with a comma, such as Chère Madame.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using Chère Madame to mean "My dear Madam" in a romantic or overly affectionate sense. In French, the phrase remains a standard professional salutation.
Did you know?
- The word chère originally meant 'face' in Old French, stemming from the Latin 'cara'. This means the adjective used to express affection once literally described the physical countenance of a person.
- While chère means 'dear' in a greeting, it is also the standard word used to describe something that is 'expensive'.
- In very traditional French etiquette, using Chère Madame in a first contact can be seen as overly presumptuous because it implies a warmth that has not yet been earned.
Examples in context
- Madame, Je tiens à vous remercier pour votre précieuse collaboration dans ce projet. Bien cordialement, Votre nomMadam, I would like to thank you for your valuable collaboration in this project. Best regards, Your name
- Chère Madame, veuillez trouver le document ci-joint.Dear Madam, please find the attached document.
- Chère Madame, j'aimerais prendre un rendez-vous.Dear Madam, I would like to make an appointment.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are reviewing a formal email draft.
- EmmaEst-ce que je commence par "Chère Madame" ?Should I start with "Dear Madam"?
- NathanOui, c'est très poli pour un email.Yes, it is very polite for an email.
- EmmaD'accord, je vais l'ajouter maintenant.Okay, I will add it now.
- NathanC'est parfait, Emma.It's perfect, Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Madame, chère, madame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
