bonjour monsieur
The English phrase "hello teacher" is translated into French as bonjour monsieur.
In French, it is standard to address a teacher using a title of respect rather than the word for teacher itself. To greet a male teacher, you use bonjour monsieur. To greet a female teacher, use bonjour madame. If the teacher holds the specific title of professeur, you may use Bonjour, Professeur. In primary schools, teachers are often addressed as maître or maîtresse.
Which one should you use?
While bonjour monsieur is the standard greeting for a male teacher, you should use bonjour madame if the teacher is female. In primary school settings, you might use maître or maîtresse instead.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say bonjour professeur to mean "hello teacher". In French, it is much more natural and polite to use monsieur or madame to greet a teacher instead.
When do people say it?
In French schools, students typically address their teachers by monsieur or madame rather than using the word for teacher as a title.
Did you know?
- The terms maître and maîtresse used in primary schools literally translate to 'master' and 'mistress'.
- If you were to address a teacher using only their name, such as bonjour Monsieur Smith, it would be considered quite unusual in a French classroom setting.
- The word monsieur is a contraction of the Old French terms for 'my lord', combining 'mon' and 'sieur'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour monsieur, comment allez-vous ?Hello teacher, how are you?
- Bonjour monsieur, j'ai une question.Hello teacher, I have a question.
- Bonjour monsieur, voici mon devoir.Hello teacher, here is my homework.
Example conversation
A student enters a classroom to greet her male teacher.
- LéaBonjour monsieur, est-ce que je peux entrer ?Hello teacher, may I come in?
- HugoOui Léa, entre s'il te plaît.Yes Léa, please come in.
- LéaMerci beaucoup monsieur.Thank you very much, teacher.
- HugoDe rien, assieds-toi.You're welcome, sit down.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
