bonjour monsieur
bonjour monsieur is the French way to say "good day sir".
bonjour monsieur is a polite greeting used when meeting a man during the day. It is typically used as a greeting upon arrival or when meeting someone during daylight hours.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of bon, meaning "good", jour, meaning "day" and monsieur, meaning "sir" or "mister".
Which one should you use?
While bonjour monsieur is used during the day, bonsoir monsieur is used as a greeting once evening begins. Additionally, Bonne journée Monsieur. can be used in formal settings as a substitute to wish someone a good day, rather than just as a greeting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding monsieur makes the greeting more formal and polite than simply saying bonjour. Both bonjour monsieur and Bonne journée Monsieur. are considered formal.
Did you know?
- In France, saying bonjour monsieur is not just a polite greeting but a social requirement. Entering a shop or a cafe without first addressing the staff with bonjour is often viewed as a significant breach of etiquette.
- The word monsieur actually contains the word for 'my' within it. It is a contraction of 'mon' and 'sire', which historically meant 'my lord'.
- In many French-speaking cultures, it is considered more polite to say bonjour monsieur while making brief eye contact and perhaps a slight nod. Simply saying the words while looking away can feel dismissive.
Examples in context
- Bonjour monsieur, comment allez-vous ?Good day sir, how are you?
- Bonjour monsieur, je cherche la gare.Good day sir, I am looking for the station.
- Bonjour monsieur, votre café est prêt.Good day sir, your coffee is ready.
Example conversation
Emma enters a small boutique and greets the shopkeeper.
- EmmaBonjour monsieur.Good day sir.
- LucasBonjour madame, bienvenue dans ma boutique.Good day madam, welcome to my shop.
- EmmaJe cherche un cadeau pour mon frère.I am looking for a gift for my brother.
- LucasTrès bien, je peux vous aider.Very well, I can help you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
