bonjour madame
The English phrase "hello to a female" translates to French as bonjour madame.
bonjour madame is the standard polite way to greet a woman you do not know or a woman in a professional setting.
Which one should you use?
bonjour madame is used for adult women, whereas bonjour mademoiselle is used for young women or girls.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bonjour madame is a polite greeting. For a more informal alternative used with friends or peers, you can use salut.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bonjour madame does not change based on whether the person is being addressed in the singular or plural. For multiple women, you would say bonjour mesdames.
When do people say it?
It is customary to accompany a greeting with a kiss on each cheek, though a handshake is more appropriate in formal situations.
Did you know?
- In the 17th century, the term madame was frequently used as a title for the eldest daughter of the King of France.
- The word jour in bonjour shares a root with the English word 'journal', as both relate to the tracking of days.
- The word madame literally translates to 'my lady', tracing back to a time when it was used to address women of high social standing.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, madame. Comment allez-vous?Hello, madam. How are you?
- Coucou, ma chérie! Comment ça va?Hey, my darling! How are you?
- Salut, Julie! Tu viens avec nous ce soir?Hey, Julie! Are you coming with us tonight?
- Bonjour madame, comment allez-vous ?Hello madame, how are you?
- Bonjour madame, je voudrais un café.Hello madame, I would like a coffee.
- Bonjour madame, vous avez un bel accent.Hello madame, you have a beautiful accent.
Example conversation
Lucas enters a small bakery where Chloé is working.
- LucasBonjour madame, je voudrais un croissant.Hello madame, I would like a croissant.
- ChloéBonjour, bien sûr. Et avec ceci ?Hello, of course. And with that?
- LucasCe sera tout, merci.That will be all, thank you.
- ChloéTrès bien, bonne journée !Very well, have a good day!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, madame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
