# bises , bisous (fin de correspondance)



## maiadjinn

In French, we usually write "bises" or "bisous" at the end of a mail or a letter when we write to a friend.

What do you write in English? Would "cheers" be correct?

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


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## BellaDancer

I often write "xo" or "xoxo" to close friends and family.

x means kiss, o means hug, but if you write "hugs and kisses"  (never "kisses and hugs") that would be more demonstrative -- more what you would say to your child or spouse.


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## maiadjinn

Isn't there a way to finish the letter or mail, without crosses ?


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## Lionel Mandrake

"Cheers" is so casual as to be dismissive. Try: Yours, Best, As ever, Love (although somewhat strong for acquaintances, "love" can be used between non-lover friends)


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## BellaDancer

Lionel Mandrake said:


> "Cheers" is so casual as to be dismissive. Try: Yours, Best, As ever, Love (although somewhat strong for acquaintances, "love" can be used between non-lover friends)



Yes, these are good choices.

I will often use, "Warm regards," or "Warmest regards," with close colleagues.  

Quite friendly, but not SO friendly:  "Regards" or "Best regards."

"Best," is used very often, although I am literal enough to always wonder, "best what?"    But it is very common, friendly but used in business emails.


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## RobinC

I have written *Hugs, (my name)* to people I would actually hug if they were there.


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## Souxie

Bonsoir,

J'ai reçu un sms aujourd'hui qui dit: "Voici mon numéro 06 00 00 00 00. A bientôt pour un resto ou un café? Bises. Patricia"

Je me demandais commet dire *bises* dans ce contexte, en sachant que bises est chaleureux, mais sans exubérance:
- See you soon at a restaurant or for coffee? *X*. Patricia
ou
_ ...*Kisses*. Patricia


Toute autre suggestion serait appréciée


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## amg8989

bises is just short and familiar for the casual *bisous*


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## Souxie

Sorry maybe I wasn't clear enough, I'm looking for a way to say _bises_ in this context in English. Is _kisses_ the good translation? Or the "X" ? Or something else better ?


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## campeol

I'd say 'kisses' is okay, though 'x' would be better as 'xoxo' (the x on its own might be confusing). 'Hugs' wouldn't mean the same thing as _bises_, but it would also work in that context.


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## amg8989

yea I've had a similar problem from my experience in France, I mean I understand it there, but I just feel that it's a culture difference and that trying to directly translate it to some degree is a bit murky. 

I guess the closest I can think of is "take care" but that doesn't exactly please me perfectly.


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## la grive solitaire

Hi Souxie,

I'd say: _ Hugs and kisses  _/  _Lots of hugs and kisses_


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## Souxie

Merci amg, campeol and la grive 



campeol said:


> the x on its own might be confusing



Hmmm; interesting! Why, campeol ?

la grive , don't you think _Hugs and kisses  _/  _Lots of hugs and kisses _are stronger than the neutral -but affectionate- bises?


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## amg8989

my problem I've had with "hugs and kisses" is that it can be used in French for someone that is not necessarily that close to you, so if you were to say that in the US, it would just seem awkward to me--I mean in France I would say with my boyfriend's parents, bisous, je vous embrace, etc. However, in the US I just would feel weird saying that. I guess it's a matter of preference and comfort. If you are fine saying hugs and kisses then it works.


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## la grive solitaire

Souxie said:


> la grive , don't you think _Hugs and kisses  _/  _Lots of hugs and kisses _are stronger than the neutral -but affectionate- bises?


I wondered about that as I was replying...  Perhaps it's closer to Grosses bises ? but French friends who are bilingual seem to use them interchangeably...  I suppose it depends on whom you're writing to, but in English it's just an affectionate closing and  means the same as XXXOOO


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## Souxie

Oui, je pense que ce sont des formes plus proches de grosses bises, donc la formule est plus affectueuse. C'est difficile à traduire, _bises_!
Campeol n'a pas répondu ? Pourquoi x seul peut être ambigu ?


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## Flynnzane

Bises/bise xxxxx

un x ... règle d'usage


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## campeol

> Campeol n'a pas répondu ? Pourquoi x seul peut être ambigu ?



Je m'excuse, je viens de lire le reste du discussion =). Cela peut être ambigu parce que, personellement, je n'ai jamais vu le 'x' tout seul - il est toujours écrit avec des 'o's. Si un ami m'avait envoyé un sms qui se terminait par 'x', j'aurais supposé que c'était une faute de frappe. En effet, pour moi 'xoxo' a l'air mieux. Mais évidemment l'usage varie - ou bien j'ai beaucoup à apprendre sur ce sujet ; ). Je trouve le lien de Flynnzane très intéressant...


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## Kelly B

Depending on who it is, I'd probably use _Love_, _Patricia_. It is more casual than it looks, at least in US English.


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## Souxie

Même entre hommes et femmes, Kelly?

Et à propos de l'utilisation d'un x tout seul en fin de correspondance, j'ai reçu ça placé après la signature d'email envoyés par un anglais:" Paul. x " et parfois un grand X. Je suppose que l'usage varie selon AE et BE.


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## KateH

I know it's a little late, but I thought I would add my thoughts to this thread. I lived in France for a year and found that my french friends all signed their text messages/emails/letters with 'bisous'.

The equivalent in the UK is definitely 'x'. 

For example I would always sign an email/letter to a friend 

Kate x


_Everyone _I know does this.


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## 88888888

Souxie, 
Overall Bises does not translate well.   Love is also strong and I would personally never use it unless I was writing to a family member.  X is also ambiguous.  XOXO is also typically only used with best friends or family.  As for ending an email with a friend/classmate/informal colleague you could use...(or at least this is how I end a letter)

-take care,
-talk to you soon,
-Have a good one,


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## overdue

My grandma used to leave her lipstick stained kiss on the back of envelops  and write, inside a drawn heart, "SWAK," or Sealed With A Kiss.
This thread reminded of that, and I'm thinking I might revive it with my friends and family  

In corresponding  with french friends and close clients in English, I write "bises"; with not so close French clients, I write "all the best" or "best regards"; with American friends and family, I write "xoxoxoxo" or when feeling silly with American friends, something like "sloppy kisses"; with older American family members and their friends who are as close as aunts and uncles, I write "love" or "much love"; in casual conversation with American friends, I write "later,"


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## jcd44

Souxie said:


> Bonsoir,
> 
> J'ai reçu un sms aujourd'hui qui dit: "Voici mon numéro 06 00 00 00 00. A bientôt pour un resto ou un café? Bises. Patricia"
> 
> Je me demandais commet dire *bises* dans ce contexte, en sachant que bises est chaleureux, mais sans exubérance:
> - See you soon at a restaurant or for coffee? *X*. Patricia
> ou
> _ ...*Kisses*. Patricia
> 
> 
> Toute autre suggestion serait appréciée




NO 'X' without the 'O' 'XO' = bises, and is for friends.
Other salutations: Best, Warmly, All good wishes
à bientôt = See you soon! 'Til then! (if you've planned a meeting)


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## Adeat

Is xoxo something that everyone uses ? I mean, is it not only teenagers who use it ? To me (but I might be wrong) it's like "XD", something that generally people no longer use once they're not a teenager anymore...
But is "kisses" used ?


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## jcd44

XO is used warmly among friends. I'm well beyond teenage years and use it often.
I wouldn't spell out or use the word 'kisses' though (too intimate). However I might say 'Hugs'.
What's XD?


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## Oddmania

Hi,


jcd44 said:


> What's XD?


*XD *or *xD *is an emoticon meant to resemble this smiling face, often used by people while texting. I didn't know "XOXO" was a standard, commonly-used phrase in English either. I hardly ever see it in French conversations, but it seems to be fairly more informal in French than it is in English. I found an entry on Wikipedia:


> *XOXO*, est une expression en langage SMS visant à marquer l'affection ou la bonne amitié à la fin d'une lettre ou d'un courriel. L'interprétation la plus commune suppose que X représente les quatre bras d'une étreinte et que O représente les lèvres d'un baiser. Néanmoins, le dictionnaire de l'anglais d'Oxford indique que X « est employé pour représenter un baiser, en particulier dans une lettre ».


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## Adeat

Yes, there is also xP (XP)


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## wildan1

> *XOXO*, est une expression en langage SMS visant à marquer l'affection ou la bonne amitié à la fin d'une lettre ou d'un courriel.


_XOXO_ existe depuis très longtemps -- ce n'est pas du langage sms ! L'X représente le baiser et l'O le calin (hug).


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## Adeat

Mais est-ce qu'en général tout le monde l'utilise ? Ou est-ce seulement utilisé par des ados (en général collégiens) ?


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## wildan1

Aux USA tout le monde l'utilise--dans une relation intime ou familiale.


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## Adeat

okay, merci beaucoup !


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## Praxa

I always end my correspondence to friends with  "Fondly" , P.

I like that it conveys warm feelings without resorting to the word "Love" .


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## wildan1

_Fondly _is lovely, in an old-fashioned way--something an older teacher might write to a favorite former student.


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## cissy3

Hugs (O) is much less common in the UK

For friends and family, it is often just Love x, or Love xx, or Love xxx...etc!  Or Lots of Love x and so on, according to how much affection one wants to send.


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