ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles
The English phrase 'good to hear from you' can be expressed in French as ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles.
This is a friendly expression used to tell someone that you are happy they contacted you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'delighted to have your news'.
Which one should you use?
The use of vos in ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles makes this version suitable for formal correspondence or for addressing more than one person.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the adjective ravi must take an extra 'e' to become ravie. To use the phrase with a friend or someone you address as tu, change vos to tes to get ravi d'avoir de tes nouvelles.
Did you know?
- The word ravi comes from the verb ravir, which can mean both 'to delight' and 'to seize by force' or 'to kidnap'.
- In French, you do not actually 'hear' the news, but rather 'have' them. The phrase avoir de vos nouvelles uses the verb 'to have' rather than 'to hear' to express the same sentiment.
- In very formal French correspondence, ravi is often replaced by heureux, as ravi can sometimes sound overly enthusiastic or emotional for a professional context.
Examples in context
- Je suis ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles.I am happy to hear from you.
- C'est un plaisir, ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles.It is a pleasure, good to hear from you.
- Ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles après tout ce temps !Good to hear from you after all this time!
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are exchanging emails after a long time.
- NathanBonjour Emma, ravi d'avoir de vos nouvelles.Hello Emma, it's good to hear from you.
- EmmaMerci Nathan, ça fait longtemps !Thanks Nathan, it has been a long time!
- NathanComment allez-vous depuis le dernier voyage ?How have you been since the last trip?
- EmmaJe vais très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, ravi, vos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
