c'était un plaisir de vous parler
The English phrase 'it was nice talking to you' can be expressed in French as c'était un plaisir de vous parler.
This expression is used to politely end a conversation and signal that you enjoyed the interaction. While c'était un plaisir de vous parler is a standard way to convey this, you might also use ravi(e) de vous avoir parlé, which focuses more on the feeling of being delighted to have spoken with someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase c'était un plaisir de vous parler literally translates to 'it was a pleasure to speak to you'.
Which one should you use?
The choice of pronouns determines the level of familiarity. The version c'était un plaisir de vous parler uses 'vous' and is intended for formal or polite situations. In contrast, the informal version c'était un plaisir de te parler replaces 'vous' with 'te', making it suitable for use with friends, family or peers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase utilizes the imperfect tense c'était to describe the state of the conversation that has just concluded.
Did you know?
- If you were in parts of France like Picardy, you might hear the pronoun os instead of the standard vous used in this expression.
- While c'était un plaisir de vous parler is polite, French speakers often use the gesture la bise to physically seal a pleasant interaction with friends.
- The verb parler in this phrase shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'parable', as both stem from the Greek word for a comparison or figure of speech.
Examples in context
- C'était agréable de discuter avec vous lors de cette conférence.It was nice to talk with you during this conference.
- C'était sympa de discuter avec toi dans le parc.It was nice to talk with you in the park.
- C'était un plaisir de vous parler, Monsieur.It was nice talking to you, sir.
- C'était un plaisir de vous parler aujourd'hui.It was nice talking to you today.
- C'était un plaisir de vous parler de ce projet.It was nice talking to you about this project.
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are meeting for the first time at a professional networking event.
- ChloéMerci pour vos conseils, Nathan.Thank you for your advice, Nathan.
- NathanJe vous en prie, Chloé.You're welcome, Chloé.
- ChloéC'était un plaisir de vous parler.It was nice talking to you.
- NathanLe plaisir était partagé, au revoir.The pleasure was mine, goodbye.
