French · People & Family
"Mrs." in French: madame
madame
Mrs. in French is madame. Bonjour madame greets a woman politely. With a name: Madame Bernard. Abbreviation is Mme (no period in modern style) or Mme.
Shop greeting
Bonjour madame, vous désirez ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce madame
Say it
ma-DAM
/ma.dam/
Madame: ma-DAM. Stress on DAM. Plural mesdames: may-DAM.
"Mrs." in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| madame | ma'am / Mrs. Default title. | Default title. |
| Bonjour madame | Hello ma'am Greeting. | Greeting. |
| Madame + name | Mrs. + name Formal address. | Formal address. |
| mesdames | ladies Plural. | Plural. |
How to use madame in real life
- 1Shop greeting
Bonjour madame, vous désirez ?
Hello ma'am, what would you like?
Bonjour madame.
- 2Mail delivery
C'est pour Madame Lefèvre.
It's for Mrs. Lefèvre.
Madame + name.
- 3Asking help
Pardon madame, l'ascenseur est où ?
Excuse me ma'am, where's the elevator?
Pardon madame.
Mistakes English speakers make with madame
Incorrect: Mrs Lefèvre in a French letter.
Correct: Mme Lefèvre / Madame Lefèvre.
Use madame / Mme in French.
Incorrect: Bonjour missus.
Correct: Bonjour madame.
Use madame.
Good to know
Madame is the default polite form for adult women in shops and services, regardless of marriage status in everyday address. Mademoiselle is rarer in official forms now.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
At a bakery counter
ChatPal
Bonjour madame, un croissant s'il vous plaît.
Hello ma'am, a croissant please.
You
Et pour moi aussi, madame.
And one for me too, ma'am.
ChatPal
Madame, c'est tout ?
Ma'am, is that all?
You
Oui, merci.
Yes, thank you.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Mrs." in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Mrs." in French
How do you say Mrs. in French?
Madame (abbr. Mme).
How do you greet a woman politely?
Bonjour madame.
Madame or mademoiselle?
Madame is the safe default for adult women.
How do you pronounce madame?
ma-DAM.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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