excusez-moi, monsieur
The English phrase "excuse me, sir" is translated into French as excusez-moi, monsieur.
The phrase excusez-moi, monsieur is used to politely interrupt a stranger to ask a question or to apologize for a minor social blunder, such as bumping into someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative verb excusez (excuse), the object pronoun moi (me) and the title monsieur (sir/mister).
Which one should you use?
You can also use Pardon, monsieur. or Je vous prie de m'excuser, monsieur. to say "Excuse me, sir". To address a woman instead of a man, replace monsieur with madame.
Did you know?
- The word monsieur actually comes from the Latin word senior, which means 'older'.
- In France, it is common to add monsieur or madame to almost every polite request, even if you do not know the person, to avoid seeming curt or rude.
- If you were to use the singular, informal version Excuse-moi, monsieur, it would sound strangely contradictory to a native speaker, as you would be using an intimate verb with a formal title.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, monsieur. Pourriez-vous nous apporter le menu, s'il vous plaît?Excuse me, sir. Could you bring us the menu, please?
- Excusez-moi, monsieur, où est la gare ?Excuse me, sir, where is the train station?
- Excusez-moi, monsieur, je vous ai bousculé.Excuse me, sir, I bumped into you.
- Excusez-moi, monsieur, est-ce que vous avez l'heure ?Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?
Example conversation
Manon is asking Hugo for directions in the street.
- HugoExcusez-moi, monsieur, est-ce que c'est loin ?Excuse me, sir, is it far?
- ManonNon, c'est juste au bout de la rue.No, it is just at the end of the street.
- HugoMerci beaucoup pour votre aide.Thank you very much for your help.
- ManonJe vous en prie, bonne journée !You're welcome, have a nice day!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
