bonjour, madame
bonjour, madame is the French way to say hello, my lady.
This phrase is used as a polite greeting when addressing a woman. It is the standard and most common way to say 'Hello, Madam' in French.
Did you know?
- The word madame shares the exact same linguistic roots as the English word 'mistress', as both stem from the Old French 'ma dame' meaning 'my lady'.
- In very formal French settings, it is considered impolite to say bonjour to a shopkeeper or waiter before you have made eye contact or been acknowledged.
- The word madame is used as a title for any adult woman, regardless of her marital status, making it a universal term of respect rather than a marital indicator.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, madame, comment allez-vous ?Hello, ma'am, how are you?
- Elle a dit : « Bonjour, madame ».She said, "Hello, ma'am."
Example conversation
Nathan enters a bakery and greets the owner.
- NathanBonjour, madame.Hello, ma'am.
- ManonBonjour ! Vous désirez quoi ?Hello! What would you like?
- NathanUne baguette, s'il vous plaît.A baguette, please.
- ManonTrès bien, voilà.Very well, here it is.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, madame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
