Salutation

A salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other written communication, such as an email. Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common form of salutation in a letter is Dear followed by the recipient's given name or title. For each style of salutation there is an accompanying style of complimentary close, known as valediction.

Arabic

For formal correspondence, it is common to use :

Sa'adat Assayid if the reader is male , and Sa'adat As'Sayyidah if female. It's commonly followed by a full name.

For informal correspondence :

Al akh if male, and Al okht if female, followed by a first name.

For more informal correspondence, Azizi if the reader is male, and Azizati if female. To address a group of people, A'ezza'e for informal correspondence, and in formal correspondence "Sadati" is commonly used and followed by Al A'ezza'a or "Almuhtarameen". To add more formality, it's common to begin the salutation with Ela (to) ,followed by the salutation and a full name.

Example:

Informal: Azizi Ahmed , Azizati Sarah , A'ezza'e members of the team or Member of the team Al A'ezzaa. Formal : Sa'adat Assayid Ahmed Abdullah , Sa'adat Assayidah Sarah Ibrahim , Sadati members of the team Almuh-tarameen. Common salutation for both formal and informal correspondence : Sa'adat Alostath Ahmed Abdullah , Sa'adat Alostatha Sarah Ibrahim. It is very common to conclude the salutation with a Doa such as May god bless him/her or May god protect him/her. This Concluding Doa comes right after the full name of the correspondent.

English

The salutation "Dear" in combination with a name or a title is by far the most commonly used salutation in both British and American English, in both formal and informal correspondence. It is commonly followed by either by an honorific and a surname, such as "Dear Mr. Smith," or by a given name, such as "Dear John." However, it is not common in English to use both a title of address and a person's given name: "Dear Mr. John Smith" would normally not be a correct form. A comma follows the salutation, while a colon is used in place of a comma only in American business correspondence. This rule applies regardless of the level of formality of the correspondence.

If the name of the intended recipient is unknown, the most often acceptable salutations are:

Dear Sir or Madam: (If the reader is most likely a male or the sex of the reader is entirely unknown.)

Dear Madam or Sir: (If the reader is most likely female.)

To Whom It May Concern: (If the writer wishes to exclude the sex of the reader from the salutation and/or to convey that the reader should forward the copy to one more suited to receive or respond appropriately.)

"Gentlemen", commonly used in the past, is today often thought inappropriate unless one is certain one is addressing a group that is entirely male.

In older British usage and current American usage, abbreviations "Mr.," "Mrs.," and "Dr." are typically followed by a period (full stop), as is "Ms." even though it is not really an abbreviation, but it is common in recent British usage to drop the period after all such titles. Professional titles such as "Professor" or "Doctor" are frequently used both in business and in social correspondence. Dignitaries and holders of certain public offices are sometimes addressed by their titles, e.g. "Dear Lord Mayor," although in American practice the office is commonly prefixed by "Mr." or "Madam," as in "Dear Mr. President," or "Dear Madam Secretary."

"Miss" is generally reserved for unmarried women. "Ms." is for cases in which the marital status is either unknown to the writer or is irrelevant. For example, if you are writing a business letter to submit a bid to a female purchasing agent, "Ms." is entirely appropriate. "Mrs." is reserved for married women, and usually only those who have taken their husband's last name. In older conventions, "Miss" is always for unmarried women and "Mrs." is for married women. "Ms.," in such cases, is not used.

"Miss" is the proper form of address for female children. "Master" may be used in formal situations for addressing boys typically aged under 16, after which it is "Mr".

Messrs. or Messieurs is a term used to address many men rather than "Mr Pink, Mr White, et al." Messrs is the abbreviation (pronounced "messers") for messieurs and is used in English.

Similarly, Mesdames is a term to address many women or a mixture of married and unmarried women. It is pronounced "medam".

On occasion, one may use "Sir" or "Madam" by itself as the salutation. The severe and old-fashioned formality of such a salutation makes it appropriate for very formal correspondence (for example, addressing a head of state, or a letter to the editor), but in the same way the formality and stiffness of such a salutation would make its use in friendly social correspondence inappropriate.

French

Standard salutation

The standard French salutation uses the normal style of address to the recipient of the letter, followed by a comma:

Monsieur, for a man

Mademoiselle, for a single woman

Madame, for a married woman or a single woman of very high rank, or age

When writing to a woman without knowing whether she is married or not, the writer should use Madame, unless the woman is very young (less than 16 or 18). When writing to an elderly single woman, it is also preferable to use Madame, unless one knows that the person insists on being called Mademoiselle.

According to a traditional custom which still followed by some people nowadays, when writing to a female artist (actress, singer, etc.), one should use Mademoiselle, regardless of the marital status and age of the person.

When not knowing the gender of the person to whom one is writing, the appropriate salutation is

Madame, Monsieur,

In the case where the writer knows well the recipient and is in friendly term with them, it is possible to add Cher/Chère in front of the address:

Cher Monsieur,

Chère Mademoiselle, (though this is not considered as appropriate for a male writer who is not a close family relative of the recipient)

Chère Madame,

An address using Chère/Cher and a title (Madame/Monsieur/Docteur) should normally not be followed by a person's name; the address Cher Monsieur Dupuis is thus usually considered incorrect.

In case the writer and the recipients are close friends or intimates, it is possible to use the given name of the recipient immediately after Cher/Chère.

In case they are family related, they may used their family link preceded by Cher/Chère. This is almost compulsory if the writer is a younger member of the family (child to parent, nephew to uncle/aunt, grandchild to grandparent, godchild to godparent) and left to the discretion of the writer in other cases.

Note that in French, the abbreviation for Monsieur is M. – the English "Mr." is not used.

Specific salutations

If the recipient holds a specific title, it must be inserted after the Monsieur/Madame:

Monsieur/Madame le Président, ("Mr./Madam President)

Monsieur/Madame l'Ambassadeur, ("Mr./Madam Ambassador)

Monsieur/Madame le Chancelier, ("Mr./Madam Chancellor)

Monsieur/Madame le (Premier) Ministre, ("Mr./Madam (Prime) Minister)

Monsieur/Madame le Directeur, ("Mr./Madam Director)

Monsieur/Madame le Professeur, ("Mr./Madam Professor)

In this case, one should always use Madame, and never Mademoiselle. Note also that in Québécois usage, many titles will be rendered in the feminine, contrary to practice in France (i.e. Madame la Présidente, Madame la Professeure, Madame la Directrice.)

In some cases, the wife of a dignitary may be entitled to a special address:

Madame l'Ambassadrice, (for the wife of an ambassador)

Madame la Générale, (for the wife of a general officer)

Madame la Colonelle, (for the wife of a colonel)

If the recipient is a doctor, it is possible to use Docteur, or, more formally, Monsieur/Madame le Docteur, or, more casually, Cher Docteur, as salutation. This is often done for doctors of medicine. For other doctors, it is not common, even if the use is increasing, following the Anglo-Saxon custom. Basically one has to be consistent with the address: a letter sent to "Dr N. N." will use a salutation formula including Docteur, whereas a letter sent to "M./Mme N. N." will not.

If the recipient is a lawyer, notar (or various other legal positions), the proper salutation will be Maître ("Master"). The same salutation is used for famous writers, painters, and for members of the Académie française.

For some specific professions (lawyers, physicians, for instance), two persons exercising the same such profession will always use Cher Confrère (feminine: Chère Consœur).

The address may vary when writing to dignitaries. For instance, one will use:

• for monarchs and members of their families or high nobility:
  • for a king/queen: Sire, / Madame,
  • for a sovereign prince/princess, a sovereign duke/duchess, a prince/princess of royal blood, a pretendent to a throne, etc. : Monseigneur, ("Mylord") / Madame,
  • for a non sovereign prince or a French Duke: Prince, / Princesse,
• for catholic or orthodox clerics:
  • for the Pope: Très Saint Père, humblement prosterné aux pieds de Votre Sainteté et implorant la faveur de la bénédiction apostolique, ("Most Holy Father, humbly bowing down before the feet of Your Holiness and begging for the favour of the apostolic benediction,")
  • for the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople: Très Saint Père, ("Most Holy Father")
  • Monsieur le Cardinal, or less formally Éminence, (formerly (Illustrissime et) Éminentissime Seigneur, "(Most Illustrious and) Most Eminent Lord", now disused) for a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
  • for a papal nunzio, Monseigneur, in private correspondence, and Monsieur le Nonce, for official uses
  • for a catholic prelate or a catholic or orthodox bishop, archbishop or patriarch: Monseigneur, ("Mylord"). For bishops/archbishops/patriarchs it is possible to be more formal and write Monseigneur l'Évèque / l'Archevêque / le Patriarche,
  • for the superior of a catholic or orthodox religious order: Mon Très Révérend Père or Révérendissime Père / Ma Très Révérende Mère or Révérendissime Mère ("Most Reverend Father/Mother"). Various specific salutations exist for some orders.
  • for a catholic or orthodox parish priest / archpriest / priest: Mon Père or Monsieur le Curé / l'Archiprêtre / l'Abbé
  • for a monk: Mon Père ("My Father") or Mon Frère ("My Brother"), depending on the order
  • for a nun: Ma Mère ("My Mother") or Ma Sœur ("My Sister"), depending on the order

if the writer knows well the priest/monk/nun recipient, it is possible to use (Très) Cher Père, (Très) Cher Frère, (Très) Chère Mère, (Très) Chère Sœur,: "(Most) Dear Father/Brother/Mother/Sister".

• for members of the army:
  • for a navy general officer: Amiral,
  • for a male general officer (except navy): a male writer will use Mon Général, and a female writer Général,
  • for a female general officer (except navy): Général,
  • for a navy superior officer: Commandant
  • for a male superior officer (except navy): a male writer will use Mon Colonel / Mon Commandant, and a female writer Colonel / Commandant according to the rank of the officer,
  • for a female superior officer (except navy): Colonel / Commandant according to the rank of the officer,
  • for other members of the army: Monsieur / Madame.

German

German has two types of general salutations that are mutually distinguishable from one another - a formal and an informal form.

The formal form usually begins with Sehr geehrte(r) (lit. very honored) and the formal social title (and, if necessary, professional title) of the recipient together with surname is always used (e.g. Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, Sehr geehrte Frau Meier). Sehr geehrte(r) is never used with forenames alone, although, rare as it is, it is possible to include the full name (e.g. Sehr geehrter Herr Johann Schmidt). With an unknown recipient, Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren is used with no variation on this.

Informal salutations in German tend to begin with Liebe(r), "dear", (e.g. Lieber Paul, Liebe Annette)

Specific salutations appear in German very similar to the way they do in English, with the exception that in the address block of a letter German must include all or multiple salutations that can be abbreviated Herr Dr. Schmidt, or Herr Prof. Dr. Lamotke. While in the opening of a letter the direct salutation is reduced to only the most important title and not abbreviated Sehr geehrter Herr Doktor Schmidt, or Sehr geehrter Herr Professor Lamotke. The same applies to female variants Frau Prof. Dr. Lamotke, and Sehr geehrte Frau Professor Lamotke.

Further details in the German Wikipedia article de:Anrede

Italian

Standard salutation

The standard Italian salutation uses the normal style of address to the recipient of the letter, followed by a comma:

Egregio Signore for a man (o Signor if followed by the surname).

Gentile Signorina for a single woman but it is seldom used in current italian.

Gentile Signora for a married woman or a single woman (once it was used also for a single woman of high rank or age)

Specific salutations

If the recipient holds a specific title:

Signor/Signora Presidente ("Mr./Mrs. President; sometimes the alternative feminine form Presidentessa can be used)

Egregio Dottor(e)/Gentile Dottoressa for anyone holding an university degree and professional journalists (Dottor if followed by surname)

Egregio Professor(e)/Gentile Professoressa for high-school teachers, university junior professors, and professional orchestra performers

Chiarissimo Professore/Chiarissima Professoressa for university senior professors

Magnifico Rettore/Magnifica Rettrice for university rectors

Maestro/Maestra for orchestra directors, choir directors and soloists

Turkish

In Turkish there are two ways of salutations, formal and informal. Like most other languages, i.e. as in English, gender doesn't play a role in the salutation. When you want to address somebody in a letter etc. in a formal way like "Dear Name" you can say "Sayın Name". In this formal way you don't need to specify her/his gender. If you want to say "Dear Mr./Mrs. Name" you just have to say "Sayın Name". But if you know the title of who you concern with, it is better to specify it without name like "Sayın Doktor."

In formal salutation if you don't know the name who you concerning with, you would say "Sayın Yetkili" is something like "Dear Sir/Madam", does not have a gender pointing.

In informal way you would say "Sevgili Name," it has almost the same meaning with "Dear Name" but it just can be used for a person who is close to you.

Sinhalese

In position of the English "Dear" are the words "Poojya," "Aadarneeya," or "Priya" (from most formal to most informal), for social writing (e.g., relatives/friends). They would not usually be used for business writing. The second may be used in some instances, for example if writing to a teacher.

Formal ways of salutation include "Sri," "Sriman," "Srimati," "Chiranjeev," "Chiranjeevi Saubhagyavathi" and "Kumari." Of these, "Shri" and "Shrimaan" are used to respectfully address married (or presumed married) men. "Shrimati" (Abbr: "Smt.") is used for married women.

Shri is most commonly used salutation in Hindi for a married male, while for a married woman, Shrimati is used. For unmarried and young boys Kumar is used, whereas Kumari is the salutation used for unmarried and young girls.

Malayalam

Written salutation includes "Sreeman" for men and "Sreemathi" for women.

Telugu

Various forms of salutation in Telugu are as follows: "Sri / Shri" ( శ్రీ ) is used to address men, "Srimathi / Shrimathi" ( శ్రీమతి ) is reserved for married woman. Unmarried girls are usually addressed as "Kumari" ( కుమారి ). In addressing a person in letter, usually in case of elders, "Poojyulaina" (పూజ్యులైన / పూజ్యనీయులైన) is often used although "Ganga Bhagirathi Samanulaina" ( గంగా భాఘీరతి సమానులైన )is used for female elders. When addressing a person who is younger, "Chiranjeevi" ( చిరంజీవి ) is commonly used irrespective of all genders. "Kumari" ( కుమారి ) is sometimes used for unmarried women and "Chiranjeevi Lakshmi Sowbhagyavathi ( చిరంజీవి లక్ష్మీ సౌభాగ్యవతి ) , Chi. La. Sow. ( ఛి. ల. సౌ. ) in short for married women

In addition, a suffix "garu" ( గారు ) is added as a respect or to address an elderly person irrespective of gender.

Example:

శ్రీ నరసింహ రాజు గారు, (Mr. Narasimharaju,)
పూజ్యనీయులైన నాన్నగారికి, (Respectful Father,)
కుమారి వందన, (Miss Vandana)
శ్రీమతి సుబ్బలక్ష్మి గారికి, (Mrs. Subbalakshmi)
గంగా భాఘీరతి సమానులైన శ్రీమతి సూర్య కుమారి గారికి, (Mrs. Suryakumari, )
చిరంజీవి గౌతం సాగర్, (Little Master Gowtham Sagar)
చిరంజీవి శ్రీజన్య, (Little Miss Sreejanya,)

చిరంజీవి లక్ష్మీ సౌభాగ్యవతి చందన కు, (Mrs. Chandana,)
ఛి. ల. సౌ. చందన కు, (Mrs. Chandana,)

Tamil

Written salutation includes "Thiru"/"திரு" for men and "Thirumathi"/"திருமதி" for women.

Russian

In correspondence and during conversations, Russian speakers use the word "Уважаемый"/"Уважаемая" (according to gender) as a salutation, followed by the given name and patronymic. Salutations to unknown parties usually include an honorific like "Гражданин", "Господин" or "Товарищ" ("Гражданка," "Госпожа," or "Товарищ" being the feminine counterparts). It is possible to use "Молодой человек" or "Девушка" in less formal conversations.

Catalan

In Catalan, there are many types of salutations:

Informal salutaions

• Hola (+ nom),
• Estimat / Estimat (+ name or title),
• Benvolgut / Benvolguda (+ name or title),
• Hola noi! / nano! / noia! / nena!
• Ei guapo / guapa, com anem? / com va?
• Ep, (+ name or title), com va això?

Formal salutions

• Benvolgut / Benvolguda (with or without name or title),
• Benvolgut/da, et fem arribar les novetats de...
• Benvolguts,
• Senyor/a,
• Benvolgut senyor / Benvolguda senyora (+ firstname),
• Benvolguts senyors,
• Estimats amics,
• Estimat senyor / Estimada senyora (+ firstname),
• Apreciat / Apreciada / Apreciats (client / clients, soci / socis, companys, etc.),
• Distingit senyor, / Distingida senyora, (very formal)
• Excel·lentíssim senyor, / Excel·lentíssima senyora, (usually reserved for certain formal procedures)
• Honorable Senyor/a..., (reserved for certain formal procedures for government officials, etc...)
• Molt honorable senyor / senyora, (reserved for certain formal procedures for government officials, etc..)

Further reading

• "Forms of Address & Salutations to Federal & State Officials". Daniel J. Evans Library, Government Documents/Maps. The Evergreen State College. http://www.evergreen.edu/library/GovDocs/salutations.html. Retrieved 2006-01-24. 

See also

• English honorifics, e.g. Miss, Mrs, Ms, Mr, Sir, Dr, Lady, Lord
• Honorifics (other nations)
• Use of courtesy titles and honorifics in professional writing
• Forms of address, i.e. Styles and manner of address
• Salute
• Salutatorian
• Valediction
• Sir