1. Merci (mekh*-see)
“Merci” is most commonly used to say “thank you” in French. The response you’ll hear? “De rien”, which literally translates to “from nothing”, meaning “you’re welcome”. You might also hear a “de rien” equivalent: “avec plaisir” (with pleasure).
Fun fact, “merci” is common in French speaking countries across the MENA region, as well as Farsi-speakers!
*The “kh” sound, like in the Arabic ‘Khaled’, is the equivalent of the French “r” when inside a word!
2. Merci infiniment (mekh-see an-fee-nee-man)
You can build many derivatives of “merci” in the French language by adding a complement. For example, “merci beaucoup” (thank you very much), “merci bien” (thanks a lot), “merci mille fois” (thank you a thousand times) and the strongest, “merci infiniment” translating to “thanks infinitely”.
3. C’est très gentil à toi / vous (seh tkheh jan-tee a twa/voo)
In more formal settings, one might say “that’s very kind of you”. It generally follows “merci” and can be used when someone does you a favor.
Just a tip: if you’re thanking an elder, or in a situation that requires you to use the polite form, use the formal counterpart of “toi” which is “vous”: “C’est très gentil à vous” 🙂
4. Merci de tout coeur (mekh-see dah tu ker)
A heartfelt phrase meaning “thank you with all my heart”. It’s also sometimes used with the verb “j’espère”, to express hope. For example: “J’espère de tout coeur que tu vas réussir cet examen”, meaning “I hope with all my heart that you’ll pass this exam”.
5. Cimer (see-mekh)
Spice up the standard “merci” by using its inverse, “cimer”. Just be warned: this is VERY slang French, also known as “verlant” and used mostly in conversations in a younger crowd.
Level up your skills with one of NaTakallam’s native conversation partners or Gift a Conversation to French-learning friends!
À bientôt!
Published by