bonsoir, monsieur
The English phrase "good evening, sir" is translated into French as bonsoir, monsieur.
bonsoir, monsieur is used both as a greeting when arriving and as a polite way to acknowledge someone in the evening.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This is a formal and respectful way to address a man. Using monsieur instead of a person's name or the informal tu ensures the phrase remains formal.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use bonne soirée to say "good evening" as a greeting. However, bonne soirée is actually used when leaving to mean "have a good evening".
Did you know?
- In France, saying bonsoir too early in the afternoon can be seen as a subtle hint that you think the day is over or that you are ready to leave.
- Because monsieur comes from 'mon sieur', it literally translates to 'my lord' in its historical form.
- In highly traditional French settings, addressing a man as monsieur followed by his last name is considered more formal than using monsieur on its own.
Examples in context
- Bonsoir, Monsieur. Comment puis-je vous aider?Good evening, sir. How may I assist you?
- Il a dit : « Bonsoir, monsieur. »He said, "Good evening, sir."
Example conversation
Emma enters a restaurant and is greeted by the manager.
- GabrielBonsoir, monsieur.Good evening, sir.
- EmmaBonsoir. Vous avez une réservation ?Good evening. Do you have a reservation?
- GabrielOui, au nom d'Emma.Yes, under the name Emma.
- EmmaParfait, suivez-moi, s'il vous plaît.Perfect, follow me, please.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonsoir, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
