French Business Letters - Correspondance commerciale
Salutations
Of course it would be impossible to list every possible title, but this list should give you an idea of how to address your letter.
| Monsieur, Madame | To whom it may concern |
| Messieurs | Dear Sirs |
| Monsieur | Dear Sir |
| Madame | Dear Madam |
| Mademoiselle | Dear Miss |
| Monsieur le Directeur | Dear Director |
| Monsieur le Ministre | Dear Minister |
| Monsieur/Madame le* Professeur | Dear Professor... |
| Cher/Chère + salutation | Used only if you know the person that you are writing to |
| Also see my lesson on personal correspondence. | |
Note: The exact salutation that you use to begin your letter must be used in your closing formula.
* In so-called "standard" French, the word professeur is always masculine. However in Québec and parts of Switzerland, there is a feminine version: la professeure, so pay attention to the country of the person you are addressing.
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