How to Finish a French Letter or Email (Plus Sample Letters!)

PDF download Download Article
The perfect greetings & closing phrases to write a letter in French
PDF download Download Article

Writing and finishing a letter or email in French follows much of the same format as a letter or email in English. However, the closing to your French correspondences may vary depending on the purpose of your letter—is it a business or professional letter, or is it a casual email to a close friend? We’ve compiled this comprehensive list of all the possible French closings you could need for any situation. Plus, we’ve included some greetings and written samples to help you write your French letter from start to finish.

French Closings for a Letter

For an informal letter to friends or family, use casual closings like à bientôt (“see you soon”) or affectueusement (“affectionately”). For business or professional letters, use a formal sign-off like respectueusement (“respectfully”) or Veuillez recevoir mes salutations distinguées (“yours sincerely”).

Section 1 of 6:

14 Closings for Business Letters or Emails in French

PDF download Download Article
  1. Respectueusement essentially means "respectfully." You may use this semi-formal to formal phrase in addition to one of the more formal closings. For instance, you might write Veuillez agréer l'assurance de ma considération distinguée (“Please accept the assurance of my distinguished consideration”) at the end of your letter, then write Respectueusement just before your signature. [1]
    • If you used a formal closing that ended with respectueux , use another word like cordialement before your signature so as not to repeat yourself.
  2. 2
    Cordialement Cordialement (which means “cordially”) is considered semi-formal, and it’s often used to close business emails—although it can also be used for letters. You can also add tres or bien to the front of the word to say “very cordially” or “kind regards,” respectively, and to give it a stronger meaning. Très cordialement is considered to be slightly more formal than cordialement , while bien cordialement is slightly less formal. [2]
    • Cordialement is a standard choice when writing job applications, submitting complaint letters, or asking a professor or manager for a letter of recommendation.
    Advertisement
  3. 3
    Dans l'attente de votre réponse This phrase means “I look forward to hearing from you” or “I look forward to your reply.” It’s best used in formal correspondence when you’re expecting (or requesting) a reply from the recipient of your letter or email. You can also add this phrase to the start of a more formal closing (e.g., je vous prie d'agréer l'expression de mes sentiments respectueux ) to emphasize that you are waiting for a response. [3]
  4. 4
    Sincères salutations Sincères salutations is a semi-formal phrase that most closely translates to “best regards.” It’s best to reserve sincères salutations for letters and emails where you don’t personally know the recipient but have already established a relationship with them. For example, maybe this is the third or fourth email you’ve sent to this individual but you’ve never (or have hardly ever) interacted with them in person. [4]
  5. This French closing phrase means “with my thanks,” which makes it an appropriately semi-formal ending to a professional letter where you’d like to express gratitude. Avec mes remerciements can also be added to the beginning of more formal phrases like veuillez recevoir mes salutations distinguées or je vous prie de croire à l'assurance de mes salutations distinguées. [5]
  6. 6
    Meilleures salutations Meilleures salutations most closely translates to “best regards” or “warm regards.” It’s a very common and semi-formal type of letter and email sign-off, particularly when the correspondence is between people who don’t know each other well or who have a strictly professional relationship. [6]
  7. 7
    Merci par avance This French expression translates to “thank you in advance” and while technically a semi-formal phrase, it’s typically applied to professional situations. Merci par avance allows you to express gratitude for something that someone is going to do for you before they’ve even done it, as you might to a colleague that you’ve asked a question to. [7]
  8. 8
    En vous remerciant de l’attention que vous porterez à ma demande This formal phrase carries the same sentiment as the English “Thank you for giving attention to my request.” As the translation implies, it’s best used in business or professional situations where you’ve received a response for a request or issue you’ve raised with a formal contact.
  9. 9
    Je reste à votre disposition pour tout renseignement complémentaire This semi-formal phrase means, “Feel free to contact me for any further information.” Accordingly, it’s best used for letters and emails where you’ve explained a certain process or situation. Then, you can end the letter with this closing in order to encourage the recipient to reach out if there’s any confusion or need for additional detail. [8]
  10. This phrase—alternatively written as Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur/Madame, mes salutations distinguées —is used for general business or formal letters. It’s similar to the English phrase “yours sincerely,” although it literally translates to “please receive/accept my best regards.” [9]
  11. 11
    Veuillez agréer l'assurance de ma considération distinguée Literally translated to “Please accept the assurance of my distinguished consideration,” this French closing is used if you are writing to someone who would be considered your equal, or someone in a lower professional position than yourself. For example, you might use this expression if you were a business owner writing to a vendor. If you know the gender of the recipient, this phrase can also be written as Veuillez agréer, Monsieur/Madame, l'assurance de ma considération distinguée. [10]
  12. 12
    Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame/Monsieur, mes sincères salutations This phrase means, “Please accept, Sir/Madam, my sincere greetings.” As an extremely formal French letter closing, it’s best to use this phrase for letters to esteemed recipients or superiors. Alternatively, you can use the phrase veuillez agréer, Madame/Monsieur, l'expression de mes sincères salutations , which has the same meaning but is slightly more formal.
  13. 13
    Je vous prie d'agréer l'expression de mes sentiments respectueux This closing literally translates to “Please accept the expression of my respectful feelings.” Use this phrase if you are writing to someone who would generally be considered your superior, such as if you are applying for a job and sending a letter or email to the hiring manager or supervisor. It’s also a good choice for when you don’t know the name of your recipient. [11]
    • If you know the gender of this individual, you can make your closing even more formal by adding monsieur or madame to the middle of the phrase—i.e., Je vous prie d'agréer, Monsieur/Madame, l'expression de mes sentiments respectueux.
  14. This closing is most commonly used when writing to a dignitary or elected official, although it can be used in other scenarios. It most closely resembles the English “yours faithfully,” so it implies a subjugation to the recipient of the letter or email. [12]

    Tip: When writing the most formal closing, use à rather than en . The phrase de croire en is more typically used when referring to God and would be considered overly exaggerated.

    15. Advertisement
Section 2 of 6:

10 Closings for Personal Letters or Emails in French

PDF download Download Article
  1. Amicalement is a word with a meaning similar to “kindly” or "best wishes" in English. Because it’s informal but still polite, amicalemente is most appropriate for letters and emails that are addressed to acquaintances and friends who are older than you. You may also add bien to the beginning of the word to mean “in friendship.” [13]
  2. 2
    Affectueusement This simple phrase most closely means “affectionately” or “with love.” You can use affectueusement to finish a letter or email to friends and family members with whom you have a very close relationship, or you can use it with people you don’t know super well but with whom you have a casual relationship (like a neighbor or distant relative). [14]
  3. 3
    Votre ami dévoué(e) Votre ami dévoué and votre ami dévouée both translate to “your devoted friend.” However, the former is used by male speakers while the latter is used by female speakers, following the French language’s rules for gender agreement. [15] As you might expect from the translation of this phrase, it’s best used to end French letters that are exchanged between two close and adoring friends.
  4. 4
    Amitiés This informal closing means “best wishes” or “all the best” in English. It’s a common email sign-off used by French speakers, largely because it’s appropriate to use regardless of how close you are to the recipient. [16]
  5. Chaleureusement is a French closing that means “warmly” or “with warm regards.” It’s commonly used among French speakers to sign off on emails and letters that are exchanged between friends and close acquaintances. [17]
  6. 6
    À bientôt / à plus tard / A+ Both à bientôt and à plus tard mean “see you soon” in English, making them good sign-off choices when you’re expecting to see the recipient of your letter in the coming hours or days. A plus tard is also often shortened to A+ in texts and emails. All three of these variations are most appropriate in very informal letters or emails, although they’re primarily used in digital correspondence. [18]
  7. 7
    À demain / À la semaine prochaine À demain means “see you tomorrow,” while à la semaine prochaine means “see you next week.” Both of these sign-offs are similar to à bientôt and à plus tard (which means “see you soon”), but they’re much more specific. So, if you know the exact date or date range that you’ll be seeing the recipient of your email or letter, you can use one of these closings to end your correspondence. [19]
  8. 8
    Bises / Bisous / Gros bisous Bises, bisous, and gros bisous are all ways to say “kisses” in French. Gros bisous is more emphatic, literally meaning “big kisses,” and bises is more casual (like the written version of a cheek kiss). Unsurprisingly, these intimate letter and email closings are reserved for very close relations—like immediate relatives and close friends. [20]

    Tip: When writing to a close friend your own age or younger, you can be even more casual—especially when writing an email. The variants bisouxx , bizoux , and bizoudou are similar to closing a letter or email with "xoxo" in English.

  9. 9
    Je t’embrasse Je t’embrasse roughly translates to the English closing “lots of hugs.” Because this phrase is warm and informal, it’s best used as a closing for letters to extended family members. If you wouldn’t walk up to the recipient and give them a hug in person, then it’s probably better to go with a slightly more formal option.
  10. This phrase means “hug ____ for me,” so it’s typically used in letters to friends or relatives when you want them to pass along greetings from you to others. For example, suppose you were writing to your sister, who has a daughter named Sophie. You might close with embrasse Sophie pour moi (which means "hug Sophie for me").
    11. Advertisement
Section 3 of 6:

Greetings for Letters & Emails in French

PDF download Download Article
  1. Letters written in French have a slightly more formal tone than those written in English. When writing a letter to either a professional or personal acquaintance, it’s customary to address the recipient with some variation of cher , which means “dear” in French. For formal letters, use Cher Monsieur (“Dear sir”) or Chère Madame (“Dear ma’am”). For informal letters, try Mon cher (“My dear”) followed by the recipient's name. Here are some other accepted French salutations for letters: [21]
    • Cher Monsieur (____) = Dear Sir / Dear Mr. _____
    • Chère Madame (____) = Dear Ma’am / Dear Mrs. _____
    • Chère Mademoiselle = Dear Miss
    • Chers amis = Dear friends
    • Mon cher ____ = My dear _____
    • Ma très chère ___ = My dearest _____
    • Messieurs = Sirs
    • Monsieur le Directeur / Madame la Directrice = Sir Director / Madam Director
    • Monsieur le Ministre / Madame la Ministre = Sir Minister / Madam Minister
  2. Emails can have a more casual tone in French, as opposed to letters. Even most professional or business emails are permitted to start with a more informal greeting like bonjour or bonsoir (depending on the time of day). [22] If you don’t know the recipient well, then you might write Bonjour monsieur or Bonjour madame to slightly increase the formality. You can also start with an even more casual phrase like Salut , followed by the name of the person you’re writing to. Here are some other accepted French salutations for emails: [23]
    • Bonjour = Hello or Good day (only until 12:00 PM)
    • Salut = Hi
    • Coucou = Hey
    • Bonsoir = Good evening (only after 6:00 PM)
    • Bon matin = Good morning (only in Quebec)
    • Bon après-midi = Good afternoon (only in Quebec)
    3. Advertisement
Section 4 of 6:

Sample Letters & Emails in French

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Example 1: Personal Letter Here is one example of a personal letter written in French, with an appropriate greeting, introduction, and closing:
    • Mon cher Charles,
      J’ai le plaisir de t’écrire cette lettre pour te décrire…
      ...
      Votre ami dévouée,
      Gracie.
    • “My dear Charles,
      I have the pleasure of writing you this letter to tell you about…
      ...
      Your devoted friend,
      Gracie.”
  2. 2
    Example 2: Professional Letter Here is one example of a professional letter written in French, with an appropriate greeting, introduction, and closing:
    • Cher Monsieur Johnsen,
      Je me permets de vous ěcrire car j'aimerais attirer votre attention…
      ...
      En vous remerciant de l’attention que vous porterez à ma demande.
      Cordialement,
      Theodore Fraser.
    • “Dear Mr. Johnsen,
      I am writing to you because I would like to draw your attention to...
      ...
      Thank you for granting your attention to my request.
      Sincerely,
      Theodore Fraser.”
  3. 3
    Example 3: Personal Email Here is one example of a personal email written in French, with an appropriate greeting, introduction, and closing:
    • Salut Elodie,
      Je passe des vacances formidables à Paris…
      ...
      Bisous,
      Anaïs.
    • “Hi Elodie,
      I'm having a wonderful holiday in Paris...
      ...
      Kisses,
      Anaïs.”
  4. 4
    Example 4: Professional Email Here is one example of a professional email written in French, with an appropriate greeting, introduction, and closing: [24]
    • Bonjour Prof François,
      Je m’appelle Juliette et je suis étudiante à…
      ...
      Sincères salutations,
      Juliette Dubois.
    • “Hello Professor François,
      My name is Juliette and I am a student at…
      ...
      Sincerely,
      Juliette Dubois.”
    5. Advertisement
Section 5 of 6:

Things to Keep in Mind When Writing French Correspondence

PDF download Download Article
  1. Like many romance languages, the form of “you” that you use to address others in French varies based on your relationship. Tu is used to address people informally—such as close friends, children, and family members. Vous is used in formal settings, like when speaking to a stranger, an acquaintance, a professional contact, or someone who is older than you. [25]
  2. Write your return address at the top left of the paper that you’ve written your letter on. Write your name and your organization (if this is a business letter on one line, then write your address or the address of your company on the line below. Move one more line down and write the recipient’s address from the right margin. Write their name and address, then finish by writing the town or city and the date of sending on a separate line. [26]
  3. Even if you have a relationship with the recipient of the letter, if you are writing for a business purpose, the closing of the letter requires a certain formality. This communicates respect for the business relationship, apart from any personal acquaintance you may have, which is part of why it’s so important to consider your audience when writing in French. [27]
    • If you're writing to someone who would be considered your superior, end a letter in French with even more formality than you use in standard business letters.
  4. If you are writing in a business or professional capacity, you typically would use the first person plural nous rather than the first person singular je . This indicates that you are speaking for the entire organization. [28]
    • For example, suppose you were writing to a business owner on behalf of a nonprofit organization to request a donation. You might close your letter with Nous vous prions d'agreer, Monsieur/Madame, l'expression de nos sentiments respectueux.
  5. Although formal closings may be used in emails, particularly if you are writing to someone you don't know, most French speakers are less formal over email. However, you still want to address the recipient as vous (if you have a professional or formal relationship) and use a respectful tone. [29]
  6. In your closing expression, use the full title and name that you used for the salutation at the opening of the letter. If you used cher or chère before the recipient's name, it's typical to also include that in your closing. [30]
    • For example, suppose you're writing to a business owner named Jacques Cousteau to apply for a job. You might close your letter Je vous prie d'agréer, Cher Monsieur Cousteau, l'expression de mes sentiments respectueux.
  7. The way you sign your name on a personal letter generally depends on how you addressed the recipient. If you addressed them more formally as monsieur or madame, carry that same formality into your signature as well. [31]
    • For example, if you addressed a letter to an older relative to Madame Cousteau, you would typically sign the letter using Madame or Monsieur, as appropriate, followed by your last name.
    • If you addressed the letter to the recipient by their first name, you would typically sign the letter with your first name.
    8. Advertisement
Section 6 of 6:

Frequently Asked Questions About French Letter-Writing

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    How do you say “warm regards” in French? There is no French closing statement that directly translates to “warm regards” in English. However, cordialement is considered the closest in terms of tone and meaning.
  2. 2
    Can I end an email with “Merci” in French? Yes, you can end an email with merci (which means “thank you”) in French . For formal or polite emails, however, consider following the merci with cordialement or sincères salutations . [32]
  3. 3
    How do you type out French accents in an email? The best way to type out accented letters on your computer keyboard depends on the type of device you have. On a Windows computer, the most common way to type accent symbols is to hold down the “Ctrl” key, press the appropriate accent symbol, and then tap the correct letter. To type é , for example, you’d press "Ctrl + ' " then "e". [33]
    • On an Apple or Mac device, simply press and hold down the letter key that you want to accent. Then, click or select the indicated number to choose an accent from the menu that appears. To type à , for example, hold down the “a” key, then press the “1” key. [34]
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you sign off a formal letter in French?
    Lorenzo Garriga
    Native French Speaker
    Lorenzo is a native French speaker and French language connoisseur. He has many years of experience as a translator, writer and reviewer. He is also a composer, pianist, and globe-trotter, who has been travelling the world on a shoestring for almost 30 years with a backpack.
    Lorenzo Garriga
    Native French Speaker
    Expert Answer
    In French-speaking regions, formality is often taken very seriously, especially with strangers or in business settings. If you're unsure of how formal a situation or relationship is, use the formal endings. It's always better to be a bit too formal than too casual.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2
  • Question
    How do you say best wishes in French?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    While there isn't a direct translation for best wishes in a letter, you can use the word amicalement, which has a similar meaning to "best wishes" in English. It's an appropriate affectionate salutation to use in a letter to a friend or close acquaintance.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Be careful with punctuation if you are typing. Unlike in English, most punctuation marks require a space both before and after. The comma and the period are exceptions. [35]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Speak French
      How to
      Say Good Morning in French with Pronunciations
      How to
      Describe Yourself in French
      How to
      Write the Date in French
      How to
      Type French Accents
      How to
      Learn French Fast
      Pronounce Les Misérables Properly with This Step-By-Step Guide
      How to
      Say Goodnight in French
      How to
      Tell Time in French
      How to
      Pronounce French Words
      How to
      Pronounce the Letters of the French Alphabet
      How to
      Speak Basic French
      French Phrases to Call Your Boyfriend
      How to
      Study for a French Exam
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.frenchclass.in/write-email-in-french/
      2. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/how-to-write-letter-french
      3. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      4. ↑ https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/apcentral/ap16_french_language_interpersonal_writing.pdf
      5. ↑ https://blog.rosettastone.com/how-to-say-thank-you-in-french/
      6. ↑ https://www.reginacoeli.com/blog/writing-a-proper-email-in-french.html
      7. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      8. ↑ https://www.frenchclass.in/write-email-in-french/
      9. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      1. ↑ https://www.linguee.com/french-english/translation/veuillez+agréer+l'assurance+de+ma+considération.html
      2. ↑ https://www.frenchclass.in/write-email-in-french/
      3. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/how-to-write-letter-french
      4. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      5. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/how-to-write-letter-french
      6. ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/dévoué
      7. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      8. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/french-english/chaleureusement
      9. ↑ https://academichelp.net/language-learning/french/see-you-soon.html
      10. ↑ https://academichelp.net/language-learning/french/see-you-soon.html
      11. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/french-english/bisous
      12. ↑ https://frenchlibrary.org/2020/02/25/blog-business-french-part-1/
      13. ↑ https://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/minniear/LanguageAids.pdf
      14. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/how-to-write-letter-french
      15. ↑ https://www2.gwu.edu/~francais/Fr-descr/courriel.html
      16. ↑ https://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/pr/pro2.html
      17. ↑ https://www.berlitz.com/blog/how-to-write-letter-french
      18. ↑ https://www.valpo.edu/world-languages-and-cultures/french/writing/
      19. ↑ https://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/pr/pro2.html
      20. ↑ https://www.frenchclass.in/write-email-in-french/
      21. ↑ https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-learners/learning-french/french-letter-writing/
      22. ↑ https://fusac.fr/french-letter-writing/
      23. ↑ https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/writing-an-email-in-french
      24. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/keyboard-shortcuts-to-add-language-accent-marks-in-word-and-outlook-3801b103-6a8d-42a5-b8ba-fdc3774cfc76
      25. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/enter-characters-with-accent-marks-on-mac-mh27474/mac
      26. ↑ https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tcdnstyl-chap?lang=eng&lettr=chapsect17&info0=17

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To close out an email or letter in French, make sure to maintain formality and tell the recipient you look forward to their reply using specific expressions, like "dans l'attente de vous lire." If you're writing a business letter, try something like "Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur/Madame, mes salutations distinguées," which means something similar to "yours sincerely." Alternatively, if you are writing to a business associate who you consider your equal or inferior to you, use "Veuillez agréer, Monsieur/Madame, l'assurance de mon parfaite considération." To use the proper protocol, make sure to include the same full title and name that you used in your opening, and check that you are using the correct pronouns as well. Finally, finish your letter with a handwritten signature, which will convey a sense of formality and respect. For more tips, like how to close a formal email in French, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 155,014 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • David Roddis

        Nov 21, 2021

        "I needed a quick refresher about the formal complimentary close in French for a blog post I was writing. I ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement