Writing an email in French
Want to know how to write better emails in French? You are in the right place! We will show you how to write emails in French, more professional and eloquent. Beyond the typical structure of a French email, you will find an example of an email that puts the theoretical explanations into practice.
The typical structure of an email in French and its formulation
It is important that you write your French emails in a clear and well-structured way in order to capture the recipient's interest and effectively convey your message. The typical structure of an email in French is as follows.
Subject
The subject is a short, concise description of the email. It must be included in every e-mail, otherwise it risks being spammed, neglected or considered unimportant by the recipient. A good subject line in a French email sums up the content of the email in a few words. Here are some examples of a good subject line in French.
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Address formulation
Choosing the right tone and level of formality when addressing someone via email is important, depending on the context and relationship with the recipient.
In a formal setting, it is best to use a more formal greeting, while in a casual or personal setting, an informal greeting may be more appropriate. The choice between a formal greeting and an informal greeting in your French e-mail also depends on the quality and the seniority of your knowledge of the recipient of your e-mail.
Use the following phrases in your French email:
Greeting :
| Formal greetings:
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Introducing an email
A short greeting and a transition to the main subject of the message. The reader should immediately know what the rest of the message is about. Don't make the introduction too long and use the following phrasing tools:
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The main body of your email
Clearly and concisely state the purpose of the email, including details, questions, or requirements. Here are some sentences corresponding to typical scenarios in a professional context:
Presentation of information:
- Je tenais à vous faire part de ce... - I wanted to let you know about this...
- J'aimerais attirer votre attention sur... - I would like to draw your attention to..
- J'ai pensé que les informations suivantes pourraient vous être utiles... - I thought the following information might be useful to you......
Request confirmation or feedback:
- Could you confirm if...? - Pourriez-vous confirmer si... ?
- Could you share your thoughts on...? - Pourriez-vous nous faire part de vos réflexions sur... ?
- I would like to know your opinion on... - J'aimerais connaître votre avis sur...
Action request:
- Could you please make arrangements for... - Pourriez-vous, s'il vous plaît, prendre des dispositions pour..
- I would be grateful if you could... - Je vous serais reconnaissant si vous pouviez...
- I ask you to be willing... - Je vous demande de bien vouloir...
Transition to another topic:
- Let's move on to the next item on the agenda... - Passons au point suivant de l'ordre du jour...
- Let's step up a gear and talk about... - Passons à la vitesse supérieure et parlons de...
- Before concluding, I would like to mention... - Avant de conclure, je voudrais évoquer...
Thanks :
- Thanks for your help with... - Merci de votre aide pour...
- I greatly appreciate your support on... - J'apprécie grandement votre soutien sur...
- Thanks for taking the time to... - Merci d'avoir pris le temps de...
Closing and signing
At the end of your email in French, say goodbye, end your email with a polite phrase and put your signature below. You can thus formulate the conclusion of your e-mail in English:
Positive closing statements:
| Final formal declarations:
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Signature: First and last name, contact details (telephone, email), presence on social networks, company name and other information.
Sample email in French
Subject : Demande de réunion pour discuter de la proposition de projet
Cher Jack
J'espère que vous allez bien. Je vous écris pour solliciter une réunion afin de discuter d'une proposition de projet qui, je pense, pourrait intéresser votre entreprise.
Comme vous le savez, notre entreprise a fait ses preuves dans la réalisation de projets réussis et je pense que nos compétences et notre expertise pourraient être très utiles à votre équipe. J'aimerais avoir l'occasion de discuter de cette proposition plus en détail et de répondre à vos questions.
Si vous êtes disponible la semaine prochaine, je serais heureux d'organiser une réunion à votre convenance. Veuillez me faire savoir si cela est possible et quelles sont les dates qui vous conviennent le mieux.
Je vous remercie d'avoir pris en considération cette proposition et je me réjouis d'en discuter plus avant.
Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées,
Monsieur Peter
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