Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| Mesdames et Messieurs | /me.dam.z‿e me.sjø/ |
| messieurs-dames |
This phrase is used to address an audience composed of both men and women. While Mesdames et Messieurs is the most common and universally accepted way to say 'ladies and gentlemen' in formal settings, there are variations depending on the context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Mesdames et Messieurs literally translates to 'My ladies and my gentlemen'. This is because Mesdames and Messieurs are the plural forms of Ma dame (my lady) and Mon sieur (my lord/sir).
Which one should you use?
Mesdames et Messieurs is the standard formal way to address an audience. In contrast, messieurs-dames reverses the traditional order and is used in much more casual, often slightly irreverent or playful contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
/me.dam.z‿e me.sjø/
When do people say it?
In certain official or high-level diplomatic contexts in Canada and parts of West Africa, it is customary to follow Mesdames et Messieurs with Honorables Invités. In social or cultural events in Quebec or certain French-speaking Caribbean countries, it is common to include Chers Amis alongside Mesdames and Messieurs.
Did you know?
- In French, the plural form Messieurs comes from mon sieur, where sieur was a shortened version of seigneur, meaning 'lord'.
- The word et (and) has a history of being written simply as the letter e in Old French before the 't' was added back to mimic Latin.
- While English speakers use 'ladies and gentlemen' for almost any formal group, French speakers might use Mesdames et Messieurs even when addressing a room of strangers who are not actually 'ladies' or 'gentlemen' in a social class sense.
Examples in context
- Bonsoir Mesdames et Messieurs !Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.This sentence shows how to use Mesdames et Messieurs in a greeting.Tatoeba #1598006 by sacredceltic, translation #1597893 by fanty
- Mesdames et Messieurs, bienvenue à bord.Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard.This sentence demonstrates an announcement using Mesdames et Messieurs.Tatoeba #12185875 by Rovo, translation #32255 by Zifre
- Chers mesdames et messieurs, bienvenue à bord.Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board.This sentence shows a polite welcome using Mesdames et Messieurs.Tatoeba #5814956 by nimfeo, translation #5821013 by PaulHat
- Mesdames et Messieurs, je vous souhaite la bienvenue à cette conférence.Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to this conference.
- Dames et Messieurs, permettez-moi de vous présenter notre invité d'honneur.Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce our guest of honor.
- Chères Mesdames, chers Messieurs, merci d'être venus à notre réunion informelle.Dear ladies, dear gentlemen, thank you for coming to our informal meeting.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan is giving a presentation to a group of people.
- NathanMesdames et Messieurs, s'il vous plaît.Ladies and gentlemen, please.
- EmmaOn t'écoute, Nathan.We are listening, Nathan.
- NathanMerci, Mesdames et Messieurs.Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
- EmmaC'est parti !Let's get started!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ladies and gentlemen” translations and entries Mesdames et Messieurs, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mesdames, Messieurs, et, mesdames, messieurs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
