👉 See also: Croque monsieur »
Published February 26, 2024 • Updated March 29, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
📘 Monsieur meaning
Monsieur is the standard French word for “sir” or “Mr.”, used to address or refer to an adult man politely. It appears in everyday situations like greetings (bonjour monsieur — hello sir), as well as before last names (Monsieur Martin — Mr. Martin) and in formal titles such as monsieur le président (Mr. President). The common abbreviation is M. (not Mr.), with the plural MM. for messieurs.
🔊 Hear real examples now.
🎧 Monsieur pronunciation
The pronunciation of monsieur is /məsjø/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “muh-syuh”.
🔊 Pronunciation tip: A common mistake is to pronounce monsieur as “mon-see-yer”. In French, it’s pronounced with a soft nasal “on” and no strong “r” sound at the end. Here’s a quick memory trick: Say “muh” + “syuh” quickly → monsieur.
📝 Monsieur examples
Excusez-moi, monsieur. Où est la gare, s’il vous plaît ?
Excuse me, sir. Where is the train station, please?
Monsieur Dupont arrive en France demain.
Mr. DuPont is arriving in France tomorrow.
Mesdames et messieurs, puis-je avoir votre attention s’il vous plaît ?
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?
Madame means “ma’am” and mademoiselle means “miss.” But, which one should you use?
👉 See also: Madame vs. mademoiselle »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- madame — Mrs., ma’am
- mademoiselle — Miss (less commonly used)
- messieurs — gentlemen (plural of monsieur)
- mesdames — ladies (plural of madame)
- cher monsieur — dear sir (formal letter opening)
- bonjour monsieur — hello sir
- Monsieur le président — Mr. President
- Monsieur le directeur — Mr. Director
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 Madame or Mademoiselle »
👉 Croque monsieur »
👉 Tu vs. vous »
👉 French greetings »
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