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Whether you’re applying for a job, contacting a landlord, or emailing a professor, knowing how to write an email in French is an essential skill.
French emails tend to be more formal than English ones, especially in professional settings. Using the correct greeting, structure, and closing can make a great first impression.
When I first moved to France, writing emails was one thing I had no idea how to do. Many of the phrases we use in English aren’t common in French either.
I made plenty of mistakes, but like anything else, the more you practice, the easier it becomes. I gradually picked up on the conventions and etiquette of sending emails, and now I’m sharing everything I’ve learned with you!
In this guide, I’ll break down the formula for writing the perfect email in French, including the most common vocabulary and expressions that will help you sound like a native speaker.
You’ll also find French email templates and several examples you can adapt for your own situation.
French Email Etiquette
Tu vs. Vous
One of the trickiest aspects of French is knowing whether to use tu or vous. Chances are, you’ll need to use one or the other in almost every email you write.
Unlike English, French has two ways of saying “you,” and choosing the right one depends on your relationship with the recipient.
- Tu is the informal form used with friends, family, children, and people you know well. It conveys familiarity and equality.
- Vous is the formal form used with strangers, colleagues, clients, professors, and anyone you want to address respectfully.
If you’re ever unsure, it’s almost always safest to use vous. It comes across as polite and professional, and it’s much easier to become less formal later than to recover from being too familiar.
As your relationship develops, it’s common to switch to tu. Sometimes one person will even suggest it by saying On peut se tutoyer ? (“Can we use tu with each other?”) or Tu peux me tutoyer. (“You can use tu with me.”)
The good news is that most native French speakers are understanding of learners. As long as you’re polite and respectful, they’re unlikely to be offended if you choose the wrong pronoun.
Subject Line
In French, the subject line of an email is called l’objet.
Just like in English, your subject line should be short, clear, and specific so the recipient immediately understands the purpose of your email.
Some common examples include:
- Demande d’informations (Request for information)
- Candidature au poste de… (Application for the position of…)
- Rendez-vous du 12 juillet (Appointment on July 12)
- Confirmation de réservation (Booking confirmation)
- Question concernant votre annonce (Question about your listing)
Avoid vague subject lines such as:
- Bonjour
- Question
- Important
A descriptive subject line looks more professional and makes it easier for the recipient to prioritize and find your email later.
How to Start an Email in French
The greeting you choose depends on your relationship with the recipient and how formal the email is.
For professional emails, these are the most common greetings:
- Bonjour, (Hello / Good day)
- Bonsoir, (Good evening)
- Cher Monsieur, (Dear Sir,)
- Chère Madame, (Dear Madam,)
- Madame, Monsieur, (Dear Sir or Madam / if you don’t know the recipient’s name)
You may also come across Cher or Chère, the French equivalent of “Dear.” While they’re perfectly correct, they’re less common in everyday emails than Bonjour, especially in professional settings.
Be careful not to confuse cher (“dear”) with chéri or chérie, which mean “my darling” or “my love.”
If you don’t know who will read your email, Madame, Monsieur, is the standard professional greeting. For very formal letters (rather than emails), you may also see À qui de droit (To whom it may concern).
For more casual emails, you can use:
- Salut (Hi)
- Coucou (Hey / Hi / very informal, used with close friends and family)
How to Write the Body of an Email in French
After your greeting, it’s common to begin with a brief opening sentence before getting to the purpose of your email.
Many English speakers instinctively write:
I hope this email finds you well.
While this is perfectly natural in English, there isn’t a direct equivalent in French. A literal translation sounds awkward and isn’t something native speakers typically say.
If you’re writing to someone you already know, you could instead use one of these expressions:
- J’espère que vous allez bien. (I hope you’re doing well.)
- J’espère que tout va bien. (I hope everything is going well.)
- J’espère que vous passez une bonne semaine. (I hope you’re having a good week.)
However, these phrases are generally reserved for informal or semi-formal emails. In professional correspondence, French speakers usually skip the pleasantries altogether. It’s perfectly normal to begin with Bonjour, and move straight to the reason for your email.
Some of the most common opening lines include:
- Merci pour votre message. (Thank you for your message.)
- Merci de votre réponse. (Thank you for your reply.)
- Je me permets de vous contacter… (I’m reaching out to you… / I am contacting you…)
- Je vous écris concernant… (I’m writing regarding…)
- Suite à notre conversation… (Following our conversation…)
Addressing an Attachment
If you are attaching a file, it’s important to mention it clearly in your email. Common phrases include:
- Veuillez trouver ci-joint le document demandé. (Please find the requested document attached.)
- Vous trouverez en pièce jointe le contrat signé. (Please find the signed contract attached.)
- Ci-joint, vous trouverez les documents demandés. (Attached, you will find the requested documents.)
- Je joins les fichiers nécessaires. (I am attaching the necessary files.)
- Recevez ci-joint (ou ci-jointes) les pièces demandées. (Please find attached the requested documents.)
The agreement of ci-joint depends on its position in the sentence:
- At the beginning of a sentence, it is invariable: Ci-joint les documents demandés.
- Before a noun, it may agree or remain invariable (both are accepted): Vous trouverez ci-joint / ci-jointe la facture.
- After a noun, it agrees with the noun: Les documents ci-joints sont importants.
Always make sure to attach the correct file before sending, and use a clear, descriptive file name so your recipient immediately understands what they are opening.
How to End an Email in French
You’ve just composed the perfect email, now how do you end it? Choosing the right French email sign off depends on the level of formality and your relationship with the recipient.
Standard Professional Closings
These are the safest, most widely used options in professional emails:
- Cordialement (Best regards / Yours sincerely)
- Bien cordialement (Kind regards / Warm regards)
- Bien à vous (Best regards / Yours sincerely)
- Bonne journée (Have a nice day)
- Bonne soirée (Have a nice evening)
- Merci, (Thank you) / Used when closing after a request or expression of gratitude
- Sincères salutations (Sincere regards) / Formal and slightly traditional
- Avec mes salutations (With my regards) / Formal, less commonly used in modern emails
Informal Closings
Use these with friends, family, and close colleagues:
- Bises / Grosses bises (Kisses / Big hugs)
- Bisous (Kisses)
- À plus / À + (See you)
- À demain (See you tomorrow)
- À bientôt (See you soon)
- À très vite (See you very soon)
Very Formal Closings
Used in administrative, legal, or highly formal institutional contexts:
- Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l’expression de mes salutations distinguées. (Please accept, Sir/Madam, the expression of my distinguished regards.)
- Je vous prie de croire, Madame, Monsieur, ma considération distinguée. (Please accept, Sir/Madam, my highest consideration.)
- Veuillez recevoir, Madame la Directrice, l’assurance de ma considération distinguée. (Please accept, Madam Director, the assurance of my highest consideration.)
- Veuillez agréer, Madame, mes sincères salutations. (Please accept, Madam, my sincere regards.)
Although grammatically correct, these are generally reserved for official letters rather than everyday emails.
French Email Templates
Applying for a Job
Subject: Candidature pour [poste]
Bonjour,
Je me permets de vous contacter afin de vous soumettre ma candidature pour le poste de [poste].
Vous trouverez ci-joint mon CV ainsi que ma lettre de motivation.
Je reste à votre disposition pour tout complément d’information et serais ravi(e) d’échanger avec vous lors d’un entretien.
Je vous remercie par avance pour votre considération.
Cordialement,
[Nom]
Requesting Information
Subject: Demande d’informations
Bonjour,
Je me permets de vous contacter afin d’obtenir des informations concernant [sujet].
Pourriez-vous me préciser [question spécifique] ?
Je vous remercie par avance pour votre aide.
Bien cordialement,
[Nom]
Thanking Someone
Subject: Remerciements
Bonjour,
Je tenais à vous remercier pour [raison : votre aide / votre message / votre temps].
C’était très apprécié.
Merci encore pour votre disponibilité.
Cordialement,
[Nom]
Answering Back
Subject: Re: [objet de l’email]
Bonjour,
Merci pour votre message.
En réponse à votre demande, voici les informations :
[réponse claire et directe]
N’hésitez pas si vous avez besoin de précisions supplémentaires.
Bien cordialement,
[Nom]
Contacting a Landlord
Subject: Location – [adresse / appartement]
Bonjour,
Je me permets de vous contacter concernant l’annonce de location pour le logement situé à/au [adresse].
Le bien correspond à mes critères et je serais très intéressé(e) pour organiser une visite.
Je reste disponible selon vos disponibilités.
Merci par avance pour votre retour.
Cordialement,
[Nom]
Following Up
Subject: Relance – [sujet]
Bonjour,
Je me permets de revenir vers vous concernant mon précédent message envoyé le [date], au sujet de [sujet].
Je souhaitais simplement savoir si vous aviez eu l’occasion de le consulter.
Je reste bien entendu à votre disposition si vous avez besoin de plus d’informations.
Je vous remercie par avance pour votre retour.
Bien cordialement,
[Nom]
Saying an Email Address in French
Most French email addresses follow the same format as internationally:
prenom.nom@example.com (it’s also very common in France to use .fr domains, but not required)
When reading an email address aloud in French, each symbol is pronounced clearly:
- arobase (@)
- point (.)
- tiret (-)
For example:
marie.dupont@example.fr
is read as:
marie point dupont arobase example point fr
Unlike English, you do not say “at” when reading email addresses. You always say “arobase” in French.
Discover More on Learning French
- The 6 Best French Newspapers in English
- How to Order Coffee in France
- 10 Best French Books for Beginners in 2026
What French phrases or expressions should we cover next? Let me know in the comments below.
