I'm staying at several monasteries and convents while in France and need to know polite forms of addressing clergy in French. I've been taught to greet ordinary folks by adding madame or monsieur after the greeting, but I'm stumped for what to say to priests and nuns. What else do I need to know about navigating these retreat houses?
Posted by
Houston, Texas, USA
47 posts
Nana,
The priests go by either "brother" (frère) or "father" (père). They will let you know when they introduce themselves. If you know their names, to say good morning, you will say "bonjour, frère Jacques" or "bonjour, père Louis"
The nuns go by either "sister" (soeur) or "mother" (mère). Again, if you know their names, to say thank you very much, you will say "merci bien, soeur Clotilde" or "merci beaucoup, mère Marie-Jane".
If you don't know or can't remember their names (like when you first get to the monastery or convent), you can address them more neutrally by adding "my" in front of their titles. In other words, to say "excuse me, brother", you will say "excusez-moi, mon frère". By the same token, to say "excuse me, sister", you will say "excusez-moi, ma soeur".
The majority of priests and nuns are "frère" and "soeur". They are typically the younger ones. There are fewer "père" and "mère", they are typically older and hold positions with more authority.
So, when in doubt, you can address them as "mon frère" or "ma soeur"
Best,
Kat
Posted by
OP
Concord, NH, USA
7 posts
Merci, Kat! I appreciate your helpful and thorough reply.