Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| enchanté | /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/ |
| enchantée | |
| ravi de vous rencontrer |
The phrase is a polite formula used when being introduced to somebody. While the single word enchanté is a common and efficient way to express this in most social situations, you can also use longer phrases like enchanté de faire votre connaissance to express pleasure at making someone's acquaintance in a more elaborate way.
What does it mean word for word?
The word enchanté literally means 'enchanted'.
Which one should you use?
enchanté is a single-word exclamation, whereas ravi de vous rencontrer is a full phrase used for a more formal or complete expression of pleasure.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
enchanté is considered an informal or neutral way to say 'pleased to meet you' and is used in most social situations. In contrast, ravi de vous rencontrer provides a more formal or complete expression.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form enchanté is used by a male speaker, while the form enchantée is used by a female speaker.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of enchanté is /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word ravi shares a root with the English word 'ravished', as both stem from the idea of being seized or carried away by strong emotion.
- In some traditional French etiquette, the person of higher social or professional rank is expected to be the one to initiate the greeting and say enchanté.
- In very formal French business or diplomatic circles, saying enchanté can be seen as too abrupt or simplistic, making ravi de vous rencontrer the safer choice.
Examples in context
- Je m’appelle Cyril. Enchanté !My name's Cyril, pleased to meet you!This is useful for an introduction where you state your name and then say you are pleased to meet the person using enchanté.Tatoeba #374027 by zmoo, translation #514496 by blay_paul
- Enchanté de faire votre connaissance.I'm pleased to meet you.This sentence shows how to use the form enchanté to express pleasure in making someone's acquaintance.Tatoeba #1998088 by Rovo, translation #63898 by CK
- Je m'appelle Tom. Ravi de vous rencontrer.My name's Tom. Pleased to meet you.This example uses the form ravi de vous rencontrer to introduce oneself and express pleasure at meeting someone.Tatoeba #11602048 by Adrien_FR, translation #11598208 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is introduced to Hugo at a party.
- LéaBonjour, je m'appelle Léa.Hello, my name is Léa.
- HugoBonjour Léa, moi c'est Hugo. Enchanté !Hello Léa, I'm Hugo. Pleased to meet you!
- LéaEnchantée, Hugo.Pleased to meet you, Hugo.
- HugoTu habites ici ?Do you live here?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pleased to meet you” translations and entries enchanté, enchantée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, ravi, rencontrer, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
