Wishes and reactions in French: write a warm, clear message

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Build a French message around a reaction, a wish and one clear request. Compare infinitives, present subjunctive and a reaction to a completed action.

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In short

Start with what prompted your message, then add your reaction and a clear wish or request. Use je souhaite participer for your own action and je voudrais que tu confirmes when you want the reader to act.

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A woman warmly accepting an invitation from a friend at a French café table, plain envelope and no printed surfaces.
Je souhaite participer expresses the writer’s wish. Illustration: Atelier

How do you write good wishes in French?

Salut Léa ! Merci pour ton invitation. Je suis contente que tu aies pensé à moi. Je souhaite participer au projet. Je voudrais que tu confirmes l’heure de la réunion, car je dois organiser ma journée. À bientôt !

Hi Léa! Thank you for your invitation. I’m glad you thought of me. I’d like to take part in the project. I’d like you to confirm the meeting time, because I need to organise my day. See you soon!

Camille is writing. She uses the feminine adjective contente.

Four jobs inside the message
JobFrench wordingWhat it tells the reader
Thank the readerMerci pour ton invitation.The reason for writing
React to a completed actionJe suis contente que tu aies pensé à moi.The invitation has already arrived
Express your own wishJe souhaite participer au projet.Camille wants to take part
Ask the reader to actJe voudrais que tu confirmes l’heure.Léa should confirm the time

Je souhaite participer.I wish to take part.

Focus: The writer wants to do the action.

souhaiter + infinitive

Je souhaite rejoindre le groupe.
I wish to join the group.

Je souhaite que tu participes.I wish you to take part.

Focus: The writer wants another person to do the action.

souhaiter que + subject + subjunctive

Je voudrais que tu viennes demain.
I’d like you to come tomorrow.

For a reaction to your own action, use de before the infinitive: Je suis contente de participer. The adjective agrees with the writer: content for a man, contente for a woman. The person receiving the message does not determine that agreement.

Match the reaction to the timing
SituationFrenchMeaning
A visit planned for tomorrowJe suis contente que tu viennes demain.I’m glad you’re coming tomorrow.
An invitation already receivedJe suis contente que tu aies pensé à moi.I’m glad you thought of me.
A hope about tomorrowJ’espère que tu viendras demain.I hope you’ll come tomorrow.

The present subjunctive viennes can refer to tomorrow. The past subjunctive aies pensé marks a completed action before the present reaction. In an ordinary affirmative hope about the future, j’espère que takes the indicative future: tu viendras.

Before sending

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Question 1No account needed
The writer wants to join the project herself. Choose the natural infinitive construction.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je souhaite participer.. Je souhaite participer keeps the writer as the person who will take part.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the wish.Je voudrais que tu ___ demain.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

viennes. Je voudrais que introduces a wish with another subject and takes the subjunctive viennes.

Question 3No account needed
The invitation arrived yesterday. Complete the reaction.Je suis contente que tu ___ à moi hier.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

aies pensé. The completed action uses the past subjunctive aies pensé after the expression of emotion.

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