serrer la main
/sɛ.ʁe la mɛ̃/
To shake hands in French is to serrer la main.
The phrase is used to describe the physical act of grasping another person's hand.
Meaning: grasp another person's hands (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, serrer la main means 'to squeeze the hand'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to describe two people shaking hands with each other, use the reflexive form se serrer la main.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ.ʁe la mɛ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say serrer les mains (to squeeze the hands). Even though two people are involved, you typically use the singular serrer la main.
Did you know?
- The root of the word serrer traces back to a Latin word for a 'bolt' or 'crossbar', suggesting the hand is being held fast or secured.
- While serrer la main is the standard, French people often use la bise (kissing on the cheeks) for friends and family. Using a handshake in these contexts can be perceived as cold or an intentional signal that you are creating distance.
- In some formal French contexts, the person of higher seniority or status is expected to be the one to initiate serrer la main. Doing so out of order can be a subtle breach of protocol.
Examples in context
- Veuillez vous serrer la main.Please shake hands.This sentence is useful for practicing the request serrer la main.Tatoeba #9416693 by Micsmithel, translation #28514 by CK
- Il a refusé de me serrer la main.He refused to shake hands.This sentence is useful for seeing serrer la main used in a negative context.Tatoeba #4710866 by sacredceltic, translation #293483 by CK
- Il est poli de serrer la main.It is polite to shake hands.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shake hands” translations and entries serrer la main, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, main, serrer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
