What does it mean word for word?
The word enchanté is the past participle of the verb enchanter (to enchant), so it literally means "enchanted".
Which one should you use?
While enchanté is a common single-word response, ravi de vous rencontrer serves as a more explicit and slightly more formal alternative, meaning "delighted to meet you".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Enchanté is a formal and elegant way to say "nice to meet you". For even more formal situations, you can use the phrase ravi de vous rencontrer. In informal settings, you might use the friendly expressions content de te rencontrer or heureux de faire ta connaissance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The spelling of enchanté changes based on the gender of the person speaking. If the speaker is female, the spelling changes to enchantée, although the pronunciation remains the same.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and is pronounced /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/.
Did you know?
- The word ravi, used in ravi de vous rencontrer, comes from the same root as the English word 'ravished', though in French it simply means 'thrilled' or 'very happy'.
- In very traditional French high society, some etiquette experts suggest that saying enchanté is actually too direct and that one should instead use longer, more elaborate phrases.
- In a professional setting, a French speaker might respond to enchanté by saying de même, which means 'likewise' or 'same here'.
Examples in context
- Je suis ravi de vous rencontrer. J'ai entendu parler de votre travail impressionnant.I am delighted to meet you. I have heard about your impressive work.
- Je suis content de te rencontrer enfin. J'ai entendu dire que tu as les mêmes intérêts que moi.I am happy to finally meet you. I heard you share the same interests as me.
- Enchanté.Pleased to meet you.
- Je suis enchanté de faire votre connaissance.I am delighted to make your acquaintance.
- Enchanté de vous rencontrer.Happy to meet you.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa meet for the first time at a professional networking event.
- HugoBonjour, je m'appelle Hugo.Hello, my name is Hugo.
- LéaEnchantée, moi c'est Léa.Pleased to meet you, I'm Léa.
- HugoEnchanté, Léa.Pleased to meet you, Léa.
- LéaVous travaillez dans quel secteur ?In which sector do you work?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry enchanté, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
