Are you ready to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the basic word "Merci"? Including a complete explanation of what it is and how you can use it in a conversation with an audio example. But wait, we also added some useful stuff like dialogue example, synonyms, slow pronunciation audio and more!
Translation : Thank you
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IPA : / mɛʁsi /
"Merci" is the most common way to say "Thank you" in French. In slang, it becomes "Cimer"
Use it exactly like "Thanks" in English, it's fine in every situation. So if you just want to learn the basics for now, no need for more. But if you want to sound like a French native, here are some tips:
→ If you want something more formal, use: "Merci à vous" or "Je vous remercie".
→ For the slang version, use: "Cimer"
→ And finally if you want to show extra gratitude, when a simple "Merci" isn't enough, use: "Merci beaucoup" (Thanks a lot) or "Un grand merci" (A big thanks)
(More details in the "Synonyms" section below)
Why is the slang version "Cimer" ? Simple! Take the syllables of the word "mer-ci" and reverse them → "ci-mer".
This mechanism is called "verlan" and is very common in slang contexts.
(The word "ver-lan" being itself a "verlan" of the word "à l'envers" which means "Reversed"...)
Normal gratitude:
Extra gratitude:
↓ Example in a story with French audio ↓
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