monsieur et madame
The English phrase "mr. And mrs." is translated into French as monsieur et madame.
This phrase is used as a title for a married couple. In French, it is common to follow this phrase with the husband's surname. For example, you might say Monsieur et Madame [Name] to refer to a married couple. Note that Monsieur can be abbreviated as M. and Mademoiselle (Miss) can be abbreviated as Mlle.
Meaning: Title of a married couple (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a married couple by their shared surname, the titles are placed directly before the name.
Did you know?
- While monsieur is used for any man, the specific title Monsieur with a capital letter was historically reserved for the eldest son of the King of France.
- The word monsieur actually hides the phrase 'my lord' within it, as it is a contraction of 'mon' meaning 'my' and an old form of 'sire'.
- In formal French writing, you will see M. used for Monsieur, but using 'Mr.' is considered an English mistake since 'Mr.' is not a French abbreviation.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, Monsieur Dupont.Hello, Mr. Dupont.
- Merci, Madame Martin.Thank you, Mrs. Martin.
- C'est pour monsieur et madame Martin.It is for Mr. and Mrs. Martin.
- Monsieur et madame Dupont sont arrivés.Mr. and Mrs. Dupont have arrived.
Example conversation
Emma is checking the guest list at a party.
- EmmaEst-ce que monsieur et madame Martin sont là ?Are Mr. and Mrs. Martin here?
- LucasOui, ils viennent d'entrer.Yes, they just entered.
- EmmaParfait, je vais les accueillir.Perfect, I will go welcome them.
- LucasBonne idée, Emma.Good idea, Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries et, madame, monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
