Sir - Madam / Monsieur - Madame - Mademoiselle (abbreviations) (2024)

I am currently in an email conversation with a French speaker who is using abbreviations for Sir and Madame – would someone please let me know what are the correct gender abbreviations?

Merci!

M. = Monsieur : Sir / plural: MM. = Messieurs
Mme = Madame : Madam / plural: Mmes = Mesdames
Mlle = Mademoiselle : Miss / plural: Mlles = Mesdemoiselles

Using madame instead of mademoiselle is not an offense.
The abbreviations are not so much used in French. The non-abbreviated form is better in most cases.
In particular, do not use the abbreviated form when addressing the person directly.
Abbreviations are welcome when refering people not directly involved in the discussion.

And I will add that in French when you don't know whether the woman you are writing or talking to is married or not, you are supposed to call her Madame (guess this dates back to the times when a woman who was not married was considered a laissée pour compte, i.e. it was an insult just to think that maybe she was not married...). In English it is the opposite, you are supposed to say "Miss" when you don't know her marital status.

And you are right Tchev, the French abbreviation for Monsieur is M. Mr. is the English abbreviation.

I was looking for the abbreviation of Mr. plural, and read this thread.

I would like to add that according to wikipedia:

In the United States, a period almost always follows the abbreviated form of mister, in line with the standard practice of American English. However, in most Commonwealth countries and in Ireland, the abbreviation is usually spelt "Mr", without a period (that is, a full stop), in keeping with the standard practice of those countries.

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so

Mr (UK) or Mr. (USA)

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, yes?

I thought we said 'Ms' in English for a woman whose marital status was unknown...

Peggy_star.

fabien.i said:

In french Mr = Maitre = Master (i.e. for an atorney, etc.)

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The abbreviation for Maître is Me, not Mr.

Jabote said:

. In English it is the opposite, you are supposed to say "Miss" when you don't know her marital status.tp://forum.wordreference.com/images/icons/icon12.gif[/img] to Fetchez

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This might at one time have been true, but I can't think of any case where it would be especially appropriate in modern usage. If talking very formally to a woman you don't know (especially if you are for example a waiter or receptionist), you would always say "Madam," unless it was a young girl or very young woman. And in writing, if you don't know the marital status, you say Ms, not Miss.

Psycher said:

I was looking for the abbreviation of Mr. plural, and read this thread.

I would like to add that according to wikipedia:

In the United States, a period almost always follows the abbreviated form of mister, in line with the standard practice of American English. However, in most Commonwealth countries and in Ireland, the abbreviation is usually spelt "Mr", without a period (that is, a full stop), in keeping with the standard practice of those countries.

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The reason for this British usage, as far as I was taught, is that the full stop indicates abbreviation, with the word left unfinished, whereas in Mr, for example, letters have been left out of the middle. By that logic, for example, Prof. Jones would be right, but Mr Jones.