Enchanté
/ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/
The English phrase 'pleasure to meet you' is translated into French as Enchanté.
Enchanté is a polite way to express that you are happy to meet someone for the first time. In spoken French, 'Enchanté' is often used as a standalone exclamation immediately after being introduced to someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Enchanté literally means 'enchanted' or 'delighted'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The spelling changes to include an extra 'e' if the person speaking is female.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/
Did you know?
- The word Enchanté carries a magical connotation, as it is the same word used to describe someone who has been placed under a magic spell.
- While English speakers often shake hands when saying 'pleasure to meet you', the French custom of la bise involves kissing on the cheeks depending on the region.
- The word enchanté shares the same root as the English word 'chant', as both come from the Latin word for singing.
Examples in context
- Je suis enchanté de vous rencontrer.Pleasure to meet you.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Enchanté in a full sentence.Tatoeba #10851 by sacredceltic, translation #456639 by lukaszpp
- Monsieur Dupont, enchanté de faire votre connaissance.Mr. Dupont, pleasure to meet you.
- Madame Martin, ravi de vous rencontrer aujourd'hui.Mrs. Martin, delighted to meet you today.
- Salut Anne, content de te rencontrer enfin !Hi Anne, happy to finally meet you!
- Enchanté.Nice to meet you.
- Enchantée de faire votre connaissance.Delighted to make your acquaintance.
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are introduced by a mutual friend.
- LéaBonjour Hugo, enchanté.Hello Hugo, pleasure to meet you.
- HugoEnchanté également, Léa.Pleasure to meet you too, Léa.
- LéaVous habitez ici ?Do you live here?
- HugoOui, j'habite tout près.Yes, I live very close by.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry enchanté.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
