merci de me parrainer
The English phrase "thank you for sponsoring me" is translated into French as merci de me parrainer.
merci de me parrainer is used to thank someone for providing official mentorship, patronage or acting as a sponsor for a person or project. It is an appropriate phrase for professional or formal settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of merci (thank you), de (for), me (me) and parrainer (to sponsor or to act as a godfather).
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between types of sponsorship in French. However, if you are speaking in a modern commercial or marketing context, such as an athlete receiving support from a brand, merci de me sponsoriser is more common.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the act of sponsoring is already finished or has been completed, you should use the past infinitive merci de m'avoir parrainé (thank you for having sponsored me) instead of the present infinitive.
Did you know?
- The word merci shares an ancestor with the English word 'mercy'. Both come from the Latin 'mercedem', which originally meant 'wages' or 'payment'.
- In French professional culture, parrainage can refer to a 'buddy system' where a senior employee guides a new hire, regardless of whether money is involved.
- French has a specific word for the female version of a sponsor, marraine, meaning 'godmother'. While parrainer is the general verb, the cultural root is strictly gendered.
Examples in context
- Merci de me parrainer pour ce projet.Thank you for sponsoring me for this project.
- Merci de me parrainer lors de cette compétition.Thank you for sponsoring me during this competition.
Example conversation
Manon thanks Lucas for his professional mentorship.
- ManonLucas, merci de me parrainer cette année.Lucas, thank you for sponsoring me this year.
- LucasC'est un plaisir de t'aider, Manon.It is a pleasure to help you, Manon.
- ManonVotre soutien est très important pour moi.Your support is very important to me.
- LucasJe suis sûr que tu réussiras.I am sure that you will succeed.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, me, merci, parrainer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
