bonjour madame
In French, "hi mam" is translated as bonjour madame.
bonjour madame is the standard formal way to say "hello madam" or "hi mam" in French. You should use this phrase when addressing a woman you do not know or when you are in a professional setting to show respect. If you know the woman's last name, it is even more respectful to say Bonjour, Madame [Last Name].
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly try to combine the informal greeting salut with madame. Avoid saying salut madame, as this is an oxymoron because salut is informal and madame is formal.
Did you know?
- In many French service industries, like a boutique or a bakery, it is considered quite rude to start a transaction without first saying bonjour madame to the female staff or customer.
- The word madame literally translates to 'my lady', a remnant of a time when the word functioned as a possessive term of high status.
- In French etiquette, even if you are certain the woman is much younger than you, using madame is a way to show professional deference rather than an assumption about her marital status.
Examples in context
- Bonjour madame, comment allez-vous ?Hello ma'am, how are you?
- Bonjour madame, je voudrais un café.Hello ma'am, I would like a coffee.
- Bonjour madame, est-ce que vous avez l'heure ?Hello ma'am, do you have the time?
Example conversation
Lucas is entering a bakery and greets the shop owner.
- ManonBonjour madame, je voudrais un croissant.Hello ma'am, I would like a croissant.
- LucasBonjour Lucas, un seul croissant ?Hello Lucas, just one croissant?
- ManonOui, s'il vous plaît.Yes, please.
- LucasVoilà, ça fait un euro.Here it is, that will be one euro.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, madame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
