Elements of a Good French Business Letter

Writing a good French business letter depends on one thing: knowing the correct formulas. Here they are in one table: lists of the various formulas needed for effective French commercial correspondence  or  correspondance commerciale.   First, lets sketch out broad brush what components are in all commercial correspondence, from top to bottom. Components of a French Business Letter The date of writingThe address of the recipientThe  salutation or greetingThe body of the letter, always written in the more formal plural you (vous)A polite pre-close (optional)The close and the signature In  French business letters, its best to be as  polite  and formal as possible. This means you will choose the language that sounds professional, that is polite and formal and that suits the subject at hand, whether youre initiating a business transaction or accepting a job offer. These qualities should hold true for the entire letter. If the writer is writing on his or her own behalf, then the letter can be written in the first person singular (je). If the writer is composing the letter on behalf of a company, everything should be expressed in the first person plural (nous). Verb conjugations  should match the pronoun thats used. Whether a woman or man is writing, the  adjectives  should agree in gender and number. In the table below, click on the topics that apply to the kind of letter you want to write, then take a look at the helpful  sample letter  at the bottom of the table  to get an idea of how to pull it all together correctly. Were looking at two main types of commercial correspondence in this table: business letters and job-related letters. Each has its own requirements. Tips Remember to always  vouvoie. That is absolutely essential.The more formal and  polite  you are, the better.The job-related formulas can be used in conjunction with the appropriate business letter formulas such as expressing pleasure or regret.When youre done, if at all possible, ask a native speaker to proofread your letter before you send it.