How to write a letter in French - start to finish [formal + informal]

Some will say letters are old-fashioned. But there’s something special about taking the time to write a letter, mail it, and then wait for the recipient’s reaction.

Personally, I’ve always loved to send and receive snail mail, even more so since the arrival of the Internet! As a teen, when we got the Internet at home — yes, I’m a certain age — I used chat rooms… to find pen friends all over the world with whom to exchange traditional letters!

On a more practical note, letters are still widely used for formal matters in France, not only in a professional setting, but also for daily tasks such as canceling a bank account or claiming a refund from a utility provider.

This article will teach you how to write a letter in French, and before you argue that emails are faster and save some paper, remember: you can also send a letter digitally!

Why learn how to write a letter in French?

In general, French tends to be more formal than English. And writing a letter in French is no exception.

Each language has its own layout, formalities and tone when it comes to writing a letter, whatever the context.

It’s even more important to know how to draft a letter in French in a professional or formal setting, as it will help you to be taken seriously and make your point.

From the main vocabulary and greetings to formatting, keep reading to learn how to write the perfect formal or informal letter in French.

Key letter writing vocabulary to keep in mind

First things first: below are a few key terms related to letters in French.

Formatting a letter in French

When writing a formal letter in French, your goal should be to be as brief and clear as possible, while respecting the basic formalities.

Obviously, you have more freedom for formal letters, but maybe not 18 pages… front and back!

In a nutshell, here is how you should format a letter in French:

• Top left: First name, last name, address, phone number and email address.
• Top right: Name and contact details of the recipient.
• Below your contact details: “Objet :”, followed by a short summary of the reason why you are writing.
• Below the object, on the right: Place and date.

In a formal letter, you may also include elements like a reference/order number, a job ad number or a folio number, for example. This would go below the recipient and above the place and date.

Here is an example of a formal letter formatting in French.

How to write the date on a letter in French

In French, the date format is quite different from the American one.

Instead of MM-DD-YYYY, French people — and Europeans in general — use DD-MM-YYYY.

It seems simple, but it gets confusing for expiration dates on food, believe me!

Coming back to our topic, in the case of a formal letter, it’s best to actually write the date: “Lyon, le 3 juin 2023”.

Unlike in English, months and days in French are never capitalized, except when they start a sentence.

For example:

Lundi 11 mai.

Je viendrai ce lundi 11 mai.

Our article on “Days of the week in French” might be useful too!

How to write a formal or business letter in French

The rule of thumb when writing a formal or business letter in French is to stay formal. Use ready-made greetings —- called formules de politesse — and stay super polite, even if you’re writing a complaint.

Basically, write on eggshells!

Formal letter greetings

So, how to start a letter in French? No surprise there, you’ll need a salutation!

You’ll find a bunch in this article on French greetings, but we’ve summed up the main ones for a formal letter in the table below.

Important: Never use “cher/chère” (dear) in a formal letter in French.

How to start a formal letter in French

Remember the writing on eggshells concept? Here is a good example.

You should never get straight to the point in a French formal letter or email, but rather use something like “Je me permets”, “J’aurais souhaité”, or one of the start lines below.

Cover letters when applying for a job

Letter of enquiry

Letter of complaint

Note: French people are renown for complaining. It doesn’t mean they’re having a bad day or are in a bad mood. It’s just the national sport — or an art?

So, if you want to sound like a real Frenchie, learn how to complain like a French!

8 FRENCH IDIOMS TO USE WHEN YOU'RE ANGRY

Letter of apology

Note: For more ways to apologize in French, check out this article. It’s the hardest word, after all.

Letter of response

Letter of sales / promotion

How to sign off or end a formal letter in French

Ah, my favorite: How to sign a letter in French.

These expressions sound completely outdated and pompous, but are still widely used nowadays!

Example of a formal letter in French

The example below is for a letter of application.

PJ : Curriculum Vitae
Objet : Candidature au poste de fromager

Madame Reblochon,

Actuellement en recherche d’emploi, je me permets de vous proposer ma candidature au poste de fromager.

En effet, mon profil correspond à l’offre d’emploi publiée sur le site Lesvaches.com. Ma formation en produits laitiers m'a permis d'acquérir de nombreuses compétences parmi celles que vous recherchez. Passionné de fromage depuis tout petit, je me distingue par ma motivation, ma rigueur et mes capacités de travail en équipe.

Intégrer votre entreprise représente pour moi non seulement un objectif de carrière, mais le rêve de toute une vie.

Je me tiens à votre disposition pour toute information complémentaire, et je serais ravi de vous rencontrer pour un entretien si ma candidature retient votre attention.

Veuillez agréer, Madame, l’expression de mes sentiments les meilleurs.

Signature

How to write an informal letter in French

I’m sure some of your relatives or friends don’t use the Internet to communicate. Come on, think about it. What about your grandma, or great grandpa? Ok, maybe they don’t speak French.

Embrace the vintage trend and send a letter, or even just a postcard, to your francophone friends. You’ll make their day!

On a more serious note, you may need to send a letter or an email to a colleague.

Keep reading to learn how to write a informal letter in French!

Informal letter greetings

You’re just a word away from a big faux pas. I’m kidding, it’s no big deal if you make a mistake in an informal letter!

However, I do recommend you to learn the greetings below to avoid any awkwardness. And, again, you’ll find more greetings in French in this article.

How to start an informal letter in French

If you wonder how to start an informal letter in French, below are a few ideas for inspiration, depending on the context.

How to sign off or end an informal letter in French

Below are the most typical ways to end an informal letter in French. You’ll find many more ways to say goodbye en français in this article.

Note: XOXO doesn’t mean anything in French. Try the very common “biz” — short for bisous — instead!

While emails and texts are undoubtedly convenient, written letters have a je ne sais quoi. In fact, they’ve inspired countless writers, musicians and other artists over the centuries. Check out this list of French songs about letters!

Old-fashioned, romantic, formal or not, letters are still used by many people nowadays. They can even save lives… when they arrive on time!

So, we hope this article will be useful to you at some point, hopefully not in such a drastic situation!

And remember, you’ll find plenty of vocab articles in our French blog to enhance your letters and make an impression.