Monsieur
/mə.sjø/
The French way to say "dear sir" is Monsieur.
In French, Monsieur is used as a standalone salutation in formal correspondence. While English speakers often include the word "Dear" in such greetings, the French equivalent of a formal "Dear Sir" or "Sir" is often just the word Monsieur itself.
Meaning: Translations (phrase)
Which one should you use?
While Monsieur can be used to address a man directly in speech, it also functions as the written equivalent of the formal "Dear Sir" or "Sir" used in English letters. The phrase Cher Monsieur is also a standard, respectful way to say "Dear Sir" in French.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Cher Monsieur is commonly used in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
How do you pronounce it?
/mə.sjø/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often try to translate "Dear Sir" literally as Cher Monsieur, but in formal French correspondence, Monsieur alone is the standard professional salutation.
Did you know?
- The word Monsieur literally translates to 'my lord' or 'my master' in its historical sense. It was formed by combining mon meaning 'my' with sieur, a shortened form of 'sire'.
- If you do not know the gender of the recipient, the French standard is to use the plural Madame, Monsieur rather than a gender-neutral 'Dear Sir/Madam'.
- In spoken French, calling a stranger Monsieur is a way to show respect, but using it too often in a casual setting can actually sound sarcastic or mockingly formal.
Examples in context
- À votre service, cher Monsieur !At your service, my dear sir!This sentence is useful for seeing how to use Monsieur in a polite expression.Tatoeba #3629548 by sacredceltic, translation #3629561 by Eldad
Example conversation
Emma is greeting Lucas at a formal business meeting.
- EmmaBonjour, Monsieur.Hello, sir.
- LucasBonjour, Mademoiselle Emma.Hello, Miss Emma.
- EmmaRavi de vous rencontrer, Monsieur.Nice to meet you, sir.
- LucasTout le plaisir est pour moi.The pleasure is all mine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Monsieur, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
