Merci pour ces gentils mots
The English phrase "thank you for the kind words" can be translated into French as Merci pour ces gentils mots.
This phrase is a polite expression used to show gratitude when someone says something nice or complimentary about you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Thank you for these kind words" because ces means "these".
Which one should you use?
While Merci pour ces gentils mots is a direct translation, a more natural and common way to express this sentiment in French is Merci pour vos compliments.
Did you know?
- While gentils mots is a literal translation, calling a person gentil in modern French can sometimes backfire, subtly implying they are 'simple' or 'naive' rather than just kind.
- The word gentil used in gentils mots originally described someone of noble birth or the same clan rather than someone with a kind personality.
- The word merci actually shares a root with the English word 'mercy', but it originally meant a reward or a wage from the Latin 'mercēdem'.
Examples in context
- Merci pour ces gentils mots, cela me touche beaucoup.Thank you for the kind words, it touches me a lot.
Example conversation
Lucas compliments Manon on her presentation at work.
- ManonC'était un excellent travail, Manon.It was excellent work, Manon.
- LucasMerci pour ces gentils mots, Lucas.Thank you for the kind words, Lucas.
- ManonC'est vrai, tu as été très claire.It's true, you were very clear.
- LucasC'est gentil de ta part.That's kind of you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries merci, pour, CC BY-SA 4.0.
