à qui de droit
The English phrase "to whom it may concern" is translated into French as à qui de droit.
à qui de droit is used as a formal opening for a letter or document when the specific recipient is unknown. It is the most common equivalent of the English "To Whom It May Concern".
Meaning: phrase used to begin a formal letter to an unknown recipient (prep_phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "to whom of right" or "to whom it is a right".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
à qui de droit is a highly formal, standard formula suitable for administrative or legal correspondence. If you are addressing a specific group of people whose individual names or titles are unknown, you can use Mesdames, Messieurs. If you wish to use a conventional salutation to address a recipient directly, you may use Madame, Monsieur.
Did you know?
- The word droit stems from the Latin 'drictus', a syncopated form of 'dīrēctus', which means 'straightened' or 'set upright'.
- In French administration, à qui de droit is frequently seen on 'attestations' or certificates of employment, rather than in the body of a personal letter.
- Because à qui de droit is so heavy and formal, modern French business correspondence often prefers Madame, Monsieur to avoid sounding like a court summons.
Examples in context
- À qui de droit.To whom it may concern:This example shows the use of à qui de droit as a formal salutation.Tatoeba #1110544 by Eldad, translation #1110496 by Eldad
- Madame, Monsieur,Dear Madam, Dear Sir,
- Ce certificat est adressé à qui de droit.This certificate is addressed to whom it may concern.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing how to write a formal letter.
- NathanJe ne connais pas le nom du destinataire.I do not know the name of the recipient.
- ChloéUtilise simplement la formule « à qui de droit ».Just use the phrase "to whom it may concern".
- NathanEst-ce que c'est assez formel pour ce courrier ?Is that formal enough for this mail?
- ChloéOui, c'est parfait pour ce genre de lettre.Yes, it is perfect for this kind of letter.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “to whom it may concern” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, droit, qui, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
