bonjour monsieur
The English phrase 'good afternoon sir' is translated into French as bonjour monsieur.
bonjour monsieur is a polite and traditional greeting used to address a man. Because bonjour is used for both 'good morning' and 'good afternoon', this phrase functions as a standard greeting for any time of day until evening. In a social setting, you should use monsieur alongside bonjour to address a man. Using monsieur alone would be considered abrupt or rude.
Which one should you use?
While bonjour monsieur is the standard greeting used upon arrival, the phrase bon après-midi monsieur is typically used when departing to mean 'have a good afternoon'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, the word bonjour covers the greeting for both the morning and the afternoon.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Bonjour monsieur, comment allez-vous ?Good afternoon sir, how are you?
- Bonjour monsieur, je voudrais un café.Good afternoon sir, I would like a coffee.
- Bonjour monsieur, vous avez un rendez-vous ?Good afternoon sir, do you have an appointment?
Example conversation
Manon greets her teacher in the hallway.
- ManonBonjour monsieur, j'ai une question.Good afternoon sir, I have a question.
- LucasBonjour Manon, je t'écoute.Hello Manon, I am listening.
- ManonEst-ce que le cours est annulé ?Is the class cancelled?
- LucasNon, le cours commence à midi.No, the class starts at noon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
