merci d'avoir patienté
In French, "thank you for waiting" is expressed as merci d'avoir patienté.
A polite expression used to thank someone for their patience after they have spent time waiting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "thanks for having waited", which is achieved by using the past infinitive avoir patienté.
Which one should you use?
The phrase merci d'avoir patienté refers to a completed period of waiting. In contrast, merci de patienter is used when the waiting is still ongoing or when you are asking someone to wait.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal or professional settings, such as customer service, you can use the phrases Merci de votre patience. or Je vous remercie pour votre attente. The phrase Je te remercie d'avoir patienté. is used in informal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
While merci d'avoir patienté focuses on the completed action of waiting, merci de patienter is used for the continuous action or as an instruction to wait.
Did you know?
- The word merci is etymologically linked to 'wages' or 'price' rather than 'grace', as it stems from the Latin mercēdem.
- While English speakers often say 'sorry for the wait', French speakers prefer to focus on the positive by saying merci d'avoir patienté.
- The verb patienter is an intransitive verb, meaning it describes the state of being patient rather than the act of waiting for a specific object.
Examples in context
- Merci d'avoir patienté, le chef arrive.Thank you for waiting, the chef is coming.
- Merci d'avoir patienté, votre table est prête.Thank you for waiting, your table is ready.
Example conversation
A customer is being seated at a restaurant.
- EmmaBonjour, merci d'avoir patienté.Hello, thank you for waiting.
- GabrielDe rien, nous avons très faim.You're welcome, we are very hungry.
- EmmaJe vous apporte la carte tout de suite.I will bring you the menu right away.
- GabrielC'est très gentil, merci beaucoup.That's very kind, thank you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries merci, CC BY-SA 4.0.
