madame
/ma.dam/feminine
The English phrase 'madam' is translated into French as madame.
madame is a polite term used to address a woman. You can use it on its own when speaking to a woman, or you can use it with respect by following it with her last name.
Meaning: polite term of address to a woman (noun)
Which one should you use?
The masculine counterpart to madame is monsieur, which means 'sir' or 'mister'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of madame is mesdames.
How do you pronounce it?
/ma.dam/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the English spelling 'madam' instead of the French spelling madame, which ends in an -e.
Did you know?
- In some historical contexts, Madame with a capital M was a title reserved for the eldest daughter of the King of France.
- The word dame within madame shares a linguistic root with the English word 'domain', referring to the sphere or territory over which a lady might have authority.
- In French, madame is often used to address any woman regardless of her marital status, whereas it once strictly indicated a married woman.
Examples in context
- Madame, puis-je prendre vos mensurations ?May I take your size, madam?This sentence shows how to use madame when asking for someone's measurements.Tatoeba #9747 by sacredceltic, translation #25693 by auxitt
- Bonjour Madame !Hello Madam!This sentence shows a common greeting using madame.Tatoeba #482479 by sacredceltic, translation #6581114 by Eccles17
- Bonsoir Madame !Good evening, madam!This sentence shows an evening greeting using madame.Tatoeba #1143749 by sacredceltic, translation #6581151 by Eccles17
- Excusez-moi, madame. Pouvez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît?Excuse me, madam. Can you help me, please?
- Bonjour, madame Dupont. Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?Hello, Mrs. Dupont. How are you today?
- Bonjour, madame Lefèvre. Je suis ravi de vous rencontrer.Hello, Mrs. Lefèvre. I'm delighted to meet you.
- Madame Bouchard, auriez-vous un moment pour discuter des nouveaux projets?Madam Bouchard, do you have a moment to discuss the new projects?
- Madame Pierre, vous avez entendu parler de la fête ce week-end?Madam Pierre, have you heard about the party this weekend?
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo is returning a lost item to Chloé at a cafe.
- HugoMadame, vous avez fait tomber votre sac.Madam, you dropped your bag.
- ChloéOh, merci beaucoup, Monsieur !Oh, thank you very much, Sir!
- HugoJe vous en prie, Madame.You are welcome, Madam.
- ChloéC'est très gentil de votre part.That is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “madam” translations and entries madame, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
