Module VII·Article III·~2 min read
Business Email in French
Office, Business Environment, and Basic Business Vocabulary
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Structure of a Business Email
1. Objet (Subject of the Email)
Brief, clear, specific:
- Objet: Réunion du 15 mars — Proposition d'ordre du jour
- Objet: Suite à notre entretien téléphonique — Documents joints
- Objet: Offre commerciale réf. 2024-051 — Urgent
2. Greeting (Formule d'appel)
| Situation | Greeting |
|---|---|
| Formal, unfamiliar | Madame, Monsieur, |
| Formal, known gender | Madame, / Monsieur, |
| Less formal | Madame Martin, / Monsieur Dupont, |
| Colleagues, well acquainted | Chère Sophie, / Cher Pierre, |
3. Introductory Phrase
- Suite à notre conversation téléphonique, je vous contacte pour... — Following our telephone conversation, I am contacting you to...
- Je me permets de vous écrire concernant... — Allow me to write to you regarding...
- J'espère que vous vous portez bien. — I hope you are in good health.
- Je fais suite à votre message du [date]. — I am replying to your message of [date].
4. Body of the Email
Key Phrases:
Providing information:
- Veuillez trouver ci-joint... — Please find attached...
- Je vous transmets... — I am sending you...
- Ci-dessous, vous trouverez... — Below you will find...
- Comme convenu, je vous envoie... — As agreed, I am sending you...
Request:
- Je me permets de vous demander de... — I kindly ask you to...
- Auriez-vous la possibilité de... — Would you have the possibility to...?
- Pourriez-vous me faire parvenir...? — Could you send me...?
- Merci de bien vouloir... — Please...
Deadlines:
- dans les plus brefs délais — as soon as possible
- avant le [date] — before [date]
- d'ici le [date] — by [date]
- au plus tard le [date] — no later than [date]
5. Closing Formula (Formule de politesse)
| Formality | Formula |
|---|---|
| Very formal | Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame/Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées. |
| Formal | Cordialement, |
| Neutral | Bien cordialement, |
| Friendly | Avec mes cordiales salutations, |
| Between colleagues | Bien à vous, |
Sample Business Email
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Project Financing — Additional Documents
Monsieur Hassan,
Following our telephone conversation of March 12, I am sending you the additional documents relating to the financing of the Dubai Marina real estate project.
Please find attached:
- Our detailed financing proposal
- The general loan conditions
- A financial simulation over 20 years
I remain at your disposal for any further questions. Awaiting your reply, I send you my kind regards.
Cordialement, Pierre Legrand Director, Structured Finance Crédit Agricole CIB — Dubai Branch
Dans l'attente de votre réponse — Awaiting your response (standard phrase before the signature)
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