What does it mean word for word?
The word enchanté literally means 'enchanted'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For even more formal situations, you can use Ravi(e) de faire votre connaissance or ravi de vous rencontrer, which means 'Pleased to make your acquaintance' or 'delighted to meet you'. Conversely, if you are in an informal setting, you might say Content(e) de te rencontrer to mean 'Glad to meet you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The spelling of the word changes based on who is speaking. If the person speaking is female, the word is spelled with an extra 'e' at the end: enchantée. If you are speaking on behalf of a group of people, you add an 's' to the end: enchantés for a masculine or mixed group or enchantées for a group of only females.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/ and consists of 3 syllables.
When do people say it?
When meeting someone for the first time in a formal setting, it is customary to shake hands while using formal phrases.
Did you know?
- In a professional French setting, the handshake that accompanies enchanté is typically brief and light, as a grip that is too firm can be seen as aggressive.
- The word enchanté shares the same root as the English word 'enchanted', coming from the Latin 'incantare', meaning to cast a spell.
- While enchanté is common, using the full phrase Je suis enchanté de faire votre connaissance can sometimes sound overly theatrical or like a character in a period drama.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je suis Jean. Enchanté de faire votre connaissance.Hello, I am Jean. Delighted to meet you.
- Madame, ravi de faire votre connaissance.Madam, pleased to make your acquaintance.
- Salut, je suis Marie. Content de te rencontrer.Hi, I am Marie. Glad to meet you.
- Enchanté, je m'appelle Marc.Glad to meet you, my name is Marc.
- Je suis enchantée de vous rencontrer.I am glad to meet you.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are introduced by a friend at a party.
- LéaBonjour Hugo, je m'appelle Léa.Hello Hugo, my name is Léa.
- HugoEnchanté, Léa.Glad to meet you, Léa.
- LéaTu habites ici ?Do you live here?
- HugoOui, j'habite dans ce quartier.Yes, I live in this neighborhood.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry enchanté, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
