Lettre informelle

Lettre formelle

Tips: Always include the following items:

1.Address of the receiver in French (preferably of a French

country)

2.Date (in French format: le 8 mars 2015)

3.Opening line and name of the person in French

4.Introduction of letter

5.Body

6.Closing line

7. “Farewell” line

8.Name or signature of person writing the letter (in French)

Example:

1.Address: you can write the full address or with abbreviations.

There are some options below. The trick is to come up with an address of your choice and stick with it (use it always). You can research on the internet the name of a real place in a Francophone country and learn it.

English French Abbreviation: Avenue Avenue av., Boulevard Boulevard blvd., Road Chemin ch., Street Rue rue,  Apartment Appartement app.

2.Opening line: it goes according to the gender of the person you are writing to (Chère Laura, Cher Papa). Again choose one and use it always.

• Cher Muhammad (Chers copains)

• Chère Mado (Chères amies)

• Salut

3.Intro: informal letters should be written using the “tu” form (throughout the entire letter: greetings, verbs, pronouns, etc)

• If you are writing to one person: Comment vas-tu? Comment ça va?

• If you are writing to more than one person: Comment allez-vous?

4.Body: define which verb tense(s) you should be using (present, past, future). If the instructions ask you to include specific information (i.e.: “mentionnez vos coordonnées”, “mentionnez ce qu’il faut acheter”, etc)

*** Also, make sure you include questions to interact with the receiver (as shown on the letter sample above). Remember it is a friendly letter, so you are writing to someone you know.

5.Closing line: the following options are all for different occasions,so please keep them in mind to use when appropriate:

• Écris-moi bientôt. (Write soon)

• Je t’écrirai bientôt. (I will write again soon)

• À bientôt. (Until next time)

6.Farewell line: the following options are all for different occasions, so please keep them in mind to use when appropriate:

• Je t’embrasse.

• Cela m’a fait plaisir d’avoir des nouvelles.

• À très bientôt

7.Some informal options are (choose one and use it always):

• Amitiés  (semi-formal)

• Amicalement/ Bien amicalement  (semi-formal)

• Bien à toi (informal)/ Bien à vous (plural)  (semi-formal)

• À bientôt

• Tendrement

• Bises / Grosses bises

• Bisous