merci de votre lecture
The French phrase for "thank you for reading" is merci de votre lecture.
merci de votre lecture is a polite expression used to thank someone for having read a piece of writing. It is typically used at the end of an article, a letter or a blog post.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, merci de votre lecture translates to "thanks for your reading".
How does it change in a sentence?
In merci de votre lecture, using the possessive adjective votre makes the phrase formal or directs it toward a group of readers. To make the phrase informal and suitable for a single person you know well, you can replace votre with ta to say merci de ta lecture.
Did you know?
- The word lecture is a 'false friend' for English speakers. While it looks like 'lecture', in French it refers specifically to the act of reading a text, not a formal speech or academic lesson.
- The word merci originally referred to a 'reward' or 'wages' rather than just an expression of gratitude. This stems from the Latin 'mercedem', which meant a price or fee paid for services.
- In very formal French correspondence, a writer might avoid merci entirely and use a complex phrase like Je vous remercie d'avoir pris connaissance de ce texte to express the same sentiment.
Examples in context
- Merci de m'avoir lu(e) jusqu'au bout de cet article intéressant.Thank you for reading through this interesting article.
- Merci de votre lecture de cet article.Thank you for reading this article.
- Merci de votre lecture et à bientôt.Thank you for reading and see you soon.
Example conversation
Gabriel sends an article to Chloé for feedback.
- GabrielVoici mon article, merci de votre lecture.Here is my article, thank you for reading.
- ChloéJe vais le lire avec plaisir, Gabriel.I will read it with pleasure, Gabriel.
- GabrielDites-moi ce que vous en pensez.Tell me what you think of it.
- ChloéJe vous envoie mes notes demain.I will send you my notes tomorrow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, lecture, merci, votre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
