bonjour madame
The English phrase 'hello lady' is translated into French as bonjour madame.
bonjour madame is a standard formal greeting used to say 'Hello, Madam' when addressing a woman. If you are introducing yourself to a lady for the first time, you might also use Enchanté(e) to mean 'delighted' or Enchantée, Madame to express pleasure upon meeting her.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bonjour (good day) and madame (madam/lady).
Did you know?
- In formal French, even if you know the woman's name, it is more polite to use Madame alone rather than saying 'Bonjour Madame [Name]'.
- The word madame evolved from the Old French phrase 'ma dame', which literally meant 'my lady'.
- While bonjour madame is the standard, using bonjour alone when entering a small French bakery or shop is often seen as a social faux pas that can result in cold service.
Example conversation
Gabriel greets Chloé as she enters a shop.
- GabrielBonjour madame, que désirez-vous ?Hello lady, what would you like?
- ChloéBonjour, je cherche un cadeau.Hello, I am looking for a gift.
- GabrielC'est par ici, Chloé.It is this way, Chloé.
- ChloéMerci beaucoup, Gabriel.Thank you very much, Gabriel.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, madame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
