How to end a letter to a new friend. How to write “respectfully” at the end of a letter: sample farewell

Communication is one of the basic human needs, along with sleep and food. Modern people have several accessible and effective ways to talk with friends and relatives, colleagues and business partners. These include face-to-face communication, cellular communications and the Internet.

The last two methods appeared relatively recently. For a long time, it was possible to communicate at a distance only through messages. They were written by hand and sent by mail. This has survived to this day. However, handwritten ones have been replaced by emails.

Let's give a definition

The word "letter" has several meanings.

Firstly, it is a system of written signs, which is necessary for recording oral speech.

Example: Scientists have deciphered an ancient letter

Secondly, this is the appearance of informational text printed on paper.

Example: The students asked their teacher how to finish a letter in accordance with the norms accepted in the Russian language.

Thirdly, handwritten or electronic text that contains information intended for the addressee.

Example: A letter from home with important news from his father was received a week after it was sent.

And how to start it? All people ask themselves these questions, regardless of what kind of message they are writing: electronic or handwritten. In this article we have to answer the first of them.

Types of letters

Before we talk about how best to finish a letter, it’s worth understanding its types. This determines the overall tone and expressions used. So, the messages could be:

• business;
• personal;
• congratulatory.

It is customary to call this type of documentation that serves as a means of exchanging information between different organizations and institutions. It may also be called “official correspondence”. Some types of letters that fall into this category require a response (for example, petitions, appeals, requests), others do not (for example, warnings, reminders, statements).

A letter that is written by one private person and addressed to another is called personal.

Letters that are intended to congratulate an unofficial person, organization or institution on some joyful event or achievement are usually called congratulatory.

Below we will figure out how to finish a letter correctly, depending on its type and purpose.

General structure

Regardless of the type, all letters have approximately the same structure. It is worth noting that the first two points are typical only for official correspondence.

1. Sender's address.
2. Date of.
3. Greetings.
4. Text containing basic information.
5. Final phrases.
6. P.S.

Business correspondence

The writing of this type of correspondence should be treated with special attention, since errors in spelling, punctuation or punctuation by the sender can negatively affect the image of the company or institution that he represents. When composing sentences, preference should be given to simple sentences and a large number of complex constructions should be avoided. The overall tone should be respectful. The main thing is that the essence of the letter should be revealed at its end, since people pay more attention to this particular fragment of the text.

How to end a letter that has official status? The most successful closing phrases are:

• I hope for further fruitful cooperation.
• I hope for continued cooperation.
• Thank you for your attention.
• Sincerely, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich.
• With respect, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich.

How to beautifully end a letter to a private person

This type of correspondence does not require special attention from the compiler. However, in the process of writing, a person should still not forget about literacy. In this regard, it is much easier to write emails since errors found can be easily corrected. In the case of handwritten text, you will have to rewrite the finished text.

Before starting the process, it is necessary to decide on the main content and reaction of the recipient. If it is important for the sender to receive a response as soon as possible, then it is better to make appropriate notes in the final part. The ending should be a logical conclusion to everything written above, otherwise it can put the recipient in an awkward position and make him think about what the sender wanted to say.

The most common phrases used at the end of a letter are:

• Your friend, Peter.
• See you!
• Waiting for an answer.
• Kisses, Maria.
• Come as soon as possible.
• All the best, your friend Peter.

The sender can come up with the ending of the letter himself. In this case, it will have a unique character and the recipient will definitely like it.

When answering the question of how you can end a letter of congratulations, you need to pay attention to its appearance. If the sender and recipient are officials, then the final phrases should be neutral. In other cases, a certain freedom is allowed.

Let's sum it up

Question: “How to finish a letter?” - quite logical. Communication by phone and on social networks is based on laws that differ from those adopted during correspondence. However, every person has to act as a letter writer at least once in his life. Therefore, it is necessary to have a general understanding of the canons and rules existing in this area. Otherwise, the first experience may be the last. But writing a letter, sending it and waiting for a response from the addressee is an exciting process.

« The last phrase is remembered“- these are the words of the famous movie character from one Soviet television series. The remark went “to the people” and is now a common aphorism. Indeed, the last words affect the entire impression of the conversation. Therefore, when composing business or personal correspondence, you should carefully consider how to end the letter in English and politely say goodbye to your interlocutor. Today’s material will be devoted to the ability to tactfully and appropriately use standard cliché phrases at the end of a letter.

An official letter requires increased attention to politeness. In successful business communication, the end of the letter allows you to enhance the effect of the above text.

The ending in a business letter should make a favorable impression: there should be no intrusiveness, excessive emotionality, flattery, bias, and especially rudeness and ill will. Therefore, in business correspondence it is customary to use impersonal speech clichés. The table below presents standard phrases often used to end a business letter in English.

These expressions will help to beautifully complete the text of the message. But this is not the whole ending, because... Not a single letter in English is complete without a signature. Usually this short remark is used to express respect or wishes for success. The translation of many of these phrases into Russian is the same, and when switching to English they are used almost interchangeably, perhaps with very slight emotional differences.

A business letter in English can end with a signature like this:

• Yoursfaithfully*– with sincere respect;
• Respectfully yours* – Sincerely;
• Sincerelyyours-Yours sincerely;
• With appreciation– sincerely grateful;
• With gratitude– sincerely grateful;
• Thanks and regards– with gratitude and good wishes;
• Bestregards – best wishes;
• Kindregards– with good wishes;
• Bestwishes- with wishes of success.

* These expressions are used only if the writer does not personally know the addressee of his letter.

Having paid tribute to the accepted norms of politeness, they put a comma and write the personal data of the signatory on a new line: first name, last name and position held. This letter ends.

So, we figured out official messages and learned how to end them beautifully. But another important question remained unanswered: how can you complete a letter to a friend in English or an address to foreign relatives? We'll talk about this in detail in the next section.

English farewell phrases in friendly correspondence

Informal correspondence also maintains a polite tone, but provides incomparably more opportunities for expressing emotions and emphasizing the closeness and warmth of relationships. Therefore, the question of how to end a letter in English in personal correspondence has a very large number of answers.

Let's start with the fact that an informal text must also have a logical conclusion: a kind of final note or final line. And sometimes it is at the final stage that stupor occurs: you write about the latest news and events, but a beautiful conclusion to the letter does not come to mind.

Of course, everyone has their own style of writing letters, but even in friendly correspondence there are often template phrases. Don't know how to end your English letter? Feel free to choose and write one of the expressions below. In our material they are also highlighted in a separate table.

Using these clichés, you can give a beautiful and meaningful look to any letter.

All that remains is to put the polite formula and your initials. There are simply a ton of signature options for an informal letter, but we have selected the best and most frequently used examples. So you won’t have to think long about how to sign the letter.

If the recipient of your message is relatives or good friends, it would be appropriate to use such forms of farewell as:

• Yours cordially– cordially yours;
• Yours ever – always yours;
• Eternally yours– invariably yours;
• Your loving brother– Your loving brother;
• Your friend – Your friend;
• Your very sincere friend– Your devoted friend;
• Bestwishes – Best wishes;
• Give my regards to… – Send greetings...;
• Allthebest – Best wishes.

If you and your interlocutor are very close friends or have a warm romantic relationship, then the following wishes will come to the rescue:

• Affectionately- With tenderness;
• Lots of love- I love it very much;
• Lots of kisses – Kiss;
• Hugs- Hugs;
• With love and kisses- Love and kisses;
• With all my love- With all my love;
• Passionately yours – Passionately yours;
• Always and forever – Yours forever and ever;
• Missingyou – Miss you;
• Sendmyloveto… - Say my regards...;
• Takecare – Take care of yourself;
• Tillnexttime– Until next time;
• Seeyousoon – See you soon;
• Seeya- See you;
• Cheers– Bye ;
• Ciao- Ciao!

And after expressing our feelings, don’t forget to put a comma and sign your name on a new line.

Now we are familiar with the rules for processing all types of correspondence. But still, it is better to see a complete sample letter once than to read a theory abstracted from practice several times. To conclude the material, we invite you to view examples of English letters of various types with Russian translation.

How to end a letter in English - samples and excerpts from correspondence

In this section you will find several examples that clearly show the design of letters in English, as well as the correspondence of their styles and forms of politeness.

Letter of congratulations

Dear Daniel and Sarah,

Please accept our heartiest congratulations on your silver wedding anniversary!

It seems like you connected your destinies just yesterday. But 25 years have already passed since that wonderful day.

With great pleasure, we want to wish such an ideal couple only the best things: lots of love, good health, eternal youth and a long and happy life together. It is an honor and pleasure to be your friends!

Best wishes on your anniversary,

Jonathan and Elizabeth Livingston.

Letters to a friend

Hello Emily!

I'm still waiting for that book that you promised to send me the last time we met. You haven’t written to me since then; apparently, you’re very busy right now.

Anyway, I'm going to visit you in a week and we can meet. What do you think about that? Drop a few lines when you're free.

Dear Jack,

Thank you very much for your letter! It's great to hear from you!

I must apologize for not writing earlier. I worked a lot and didn't have a minute of free time. But now I can tell you about my news.

I've been on vacation since yesterday. My boss allowed me to go on vacation for a whole month. I'm very happy, now I can go to Spain, finally! I’ve been saving money for this trip for two years, and yesterday I bought round-trip tickets to Barcelona. I will spend two weeks in Barcelona. You can’t even imagine how much I dreamed about this! I'm just in seventh heaven!

Later, when I return to Moscow, I will go to my parents. They live in St. Petersburg. I spent my childhood in St. Petersburg, so I have many friends there. I will be very pleased to meet them. After this trip to the city of my childhood, I will return to Moscow again and write to you all my impressions.

Well, it's time for me to wrap up. I hope to hear from you again soon.

Love and kisses,

Excerpts from business letters

Please accept our sincere apologies for the issues you have recently encountered. Please be assured that we will take all necessary measures to ensure this does not happen again in the future. As compensation, we have issued a 30% discount on your order.

Once again we apologize for the inconvenience caused.

All the best,

The signature “with respect” at the end of the letter is a standard politeness formula. Is it always necessary to end a letter with this phrase? How to write it correctly in Russian and English? Let's look at examples.

From the article you will learn:

There are no random phrases in official correspondence. Stylistics requires the author to be concise and carefully select words. Closing phrases reinforce positive emotions and express confidence and gratitude at the same time. A clear signature helps support business conversation, contributes to achieving the goal. Respect your interlocutor and compose the text so that it is pleasant to read. Politeness combined with professionalism indicates the competence of a specialist.

How to end a business letter with respect to the addressee?

When writing a formal message, remember that you are speaking on behalf of the entire company. The secretary must be extremely correct, as he represents his manager. Compliance with generally accepted rules of business correspondence forms a positive image of the company in the eyes of partners and clients.

Official correspondence always has specific goals. The purpose determines the structure of the text. In general, the text is divided into several semantic parts: introduction, statement of the problem, argumentation and conclusion. Each part performs specific tasks. The introduction, for example, prepares for the perception of main ideas. Conclusion - expresses requests and hopes, assures us of further partnership.

Advice from the editor: For each of the tasks there are generally accepted formulas. By ending your letter politely, you show that you respect your partner, set him up for positive emotions and leave a pleasant impression. Find out, in the electronic journal "Secretary's Directory". To read the article, please register demo access for 3 days.

How do you write “with respect” at the end of a letter?

Unified regulations for business correspondence and bringing it to common standards are typical for large companies. Design letterheads, the form of “autographs” at the end of the message become part of the corporate culture, an element of style. Whether it is a paper or electronic communication, compliance with a single standard is an indicator of attention to detail and important subtleties.

There are several types of closing phrases in business correspondence. Their choice depends on whether you know the recipient well. For example, the signature “with respect” in an official letter has a neutral character. If you want to focus your partner’s attention on something or remind him of a request again, use restrained phrases:

• Yours sincerely...
• Sincerely...
• Best wishes...

When choosing the final politeness formula, try to avoid familiarity. Remember that how well do you know the person to whom you are writing. If the acquaintance is formal, stick to the official style.

The answer was prepared jointly with the editors of the electronic magazine “ Secretary's Directory».

Maria BELDOVA answers,
With. n. With. VNIIDAD, expert in the field of documentation support for management

What do we expect when sending a letter to a partner or client? So that our information, even negative, makes a favorable impression on the addressee and provokes a response or decision. This can be achieved if you follow the rules of correspondence etiquette, format the letter correctly and prepare a high-quality text. Your text should be of moderate volume; contain the necessary arguments and clear language and have a structure that best conveys information.

Technique 1. Separate the important from the secondary

The text of a business letter must be of sufficient length to...

The full answer is available after free

“Sincerely” at the end of the letter: with or without a comma

The final form of politeness is given at the end of the text. It is placed on the same vertical line as the date, on the right side. The phrase is separated from the main text by two or three intervals. Located a little lower props “Signature”, including the name of the compiler’s position, his personal signature and transcript. This arrangement complies with the standards of GOST 6.30-97, which defines the requirements for document preparation. If the message is issued on official letterhead or is of a private nature, the title of the position and the transcript of the signature are not included.

The question of how to write “with respect” at the end of a letter: with or without a comma, does not have a clear answer. Both options are valid. The absence of a sign can be perceived as negligence and even illiteracy. On the other hand, according to punctuation rules, this comma should not be used. From the point of view of Russian grammar, the sign is redundant. The words “with respect” are not an introductory phrase, and the signature is not an address. This phrase implies that “This letter was written with respect to you by N.N.” As in it, in the abbreviated version, according to the rules, a comma is not placed.

Why does it occur so often in practice? IN rules of correspondence In English, German and other European languages ​​this sign is required. The phrase “with respect” at the end of a letter in English is separated not only graphically, but also punctuationally. Over time, although it is grammatically incorrect, the rule became part of the norms of the Russian language.

Conclusion of the letter: sample writing of the phrase “with respect”

How to write “with respect” in a business letter in English?

Rules business communication in English are in many ways similar to those adopted in Russia. At the end, the recipient is thanked for his time and expresses his intention to continue the correspondence. Common phrases are also used: “with respect”, “with gratitude”, “with best wishes”. Then, on a new line, indicate the surname and first name of the compiler, as well as his position. Let's look at an example: how to sign a letter in English “with respect...”

Table 1. Final politeness formulas in English

The ability to tactfully and correctly use standard cliche phrases is an indicator of the level of professionalism and knowledge of the language. In English writing, the phrase "with respect" can be expressed in different ways. When composing a text for a foreign partner, take into account all factors and choose the most suitable translation.

How to sign a letter correctly: “with respect” and other politeness formulas

When composing a message, the sender must be guided not only by generally accepted standards, but also by the rules of good manners. If you are writing to a stranger and the address is strictly formal, use established expressions. The style of business speech strictly limits the choice of phrases.

If it concerns email correspondence or communicating with people you know well, you can deviate from rigid canons while remaining polite and correct. Let's look at a few examples of final phrases that are acceptable in less formal communication.

Table 2. Use of alternative closing expressions

A business letter is an official document, each part of which performs specific tasks. It is believed that the last sentence is always remembered better. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the final phrases.

Knowing when and how to correctly write “respectfully” at the end of a letter is one of the elements that emphasizes your professionalism. A competent secretary will always choose the right words or limit himself to a neutral expression of politeness. At the same time, he will not damage the company’s prestige and will convey information to the recipient correctly and respectfully.

In both business and friendly correspondence, it is important to know how to end a letter in English. If you want to present yourself as an educated person, then you should not neglect the established rules of correspondence.

Please note: farewell in a letter written in English is placed on a new line after the letter itself.

Ending a business letter

When you use the following expressions, you mean “yours sincerely”:

• Sincerely
• Sincerely yours
• Most sincerely
• Yours faithfully
• Yours truly

Gratitude (for the attention paid to reading the letter) can be expressed using the standard Thank you or Thank you for your consideration (thanks for considering this issue).

Example of a business letter

A letter to a friend

It is difficult to draw a clear line between the formal and informal ending of a letter, since people who are in a work correspondence may have friendly relations and at the end of the letter put a “warmer” farewell.

At the end of the letter, you can hint at the next conversation or meeting. The presence of the personal pronoun “I” already indicates a more personal form of address.
Here are a few phrases with the expression to look forward (expect):

• I am looking forward to meeting you
• I am looking forward to hearing from you

Analogues of the Russian “with respect” are the following expressions:

• Regards
• Kind regards;
• Best regards
• Respectfully

And a more heartfelt expression of Cordially. The phrase “best wishes” can be displayed using Best wishes. The following are examples of farewells at the end of a letter that you can write to a loved one:

• Cheers
• Warmly
• Always
• Later
• Till next time
• Take care
• Write soon
• Kisses

Very personal expressions for saying goodbye to a loved one in a letter can be:

• Affectionately yours
• Yours forever
• Passionately yours
• Your darling
• Longing to see you

Advice: not everyone knows how to sign a letter in English correctly - leave a comma after goodbye, and then write your name on a new line, while you can indent a few lines.

Phrases to end an informal letter

Examples of letters

Look at examples of excerpts from letters with different farewell options, pay attention to the style of the letter and the corresponding farewell.

• Please let me know if you have any comments on the video I sent you. During the next few weeks we will be adding new videos to the website. I would really like to know what you think of them.

  Sincerely yours,

  (Please let me know if you have any comments on the video I sent you. We'll be adding more videos to the site over the next few weeks. I'd love to know what you think of them.)

• I was waiting for your reply since Monday but obviously you have a lot on your plate right now. Anyway, I`m going to visit you next week and we will have a chance to chat.

  (I've been waiting for your response since Monday, but obviously you have a lot on your plate right now. Anyway, I'm going to visit you next week and we'll have a chance to chat.)

• I will be grateful if you would send me the price-list on your new products. Please specify the terms of the delivery and the possible discount. Thank you in advance.

  Faithfully yours,

  Dylan Park.

  (I will be grateful if you send me the price list for your new products. Please indicate the delivery time and possible discount. Thanks in advance.)

• If you require any further information I will be happy to provide it. Do not hesitate to contact me and clarify any details.

  Most sincerely,

  James Barton.

  (If you need more information I will be happy to provide it. Feel free to contact me for any details.)

• Mike, I’m still waiting for the pictures you promised to send me last month. Oh, by the way, my sister says “Hi.”

  (Mike, I'm still waiting for the photos you promised to send last month. Oh, by the way, my sister says hi.)

Words and Expressions

It's time to improve your vocabulary. Read and remember the following expressions:

• To let know - to inform;
• To send – send;
• To think of smth. - think about something;
• Obviously - obviously;
• To have a lot on plate - to have a lot of things to do;
• To specify – indicate, condition;
• Discount – discount;
• In advance - in advance;
• To require – demand;
• To provide - to provide;
• Delivery – delivery;
• Possible - possible;
• To clarify - to clarify;
• To hesitate - to hesitate, to be shy;
• To promise - to promise.

Remember that it is all up to you whether the end of a letter in English will simply serve as its actual conclusion or have additional meaning, so it is so important to choose the words correctly and carefully at the end in order to leave the reader with the impression you need.

By the way, in the last sentence it will never be superfluous to thank the reader for his attention, and if this is a person close to you, then end the letter with warm and friendly words, reminding him of how much you miss him and how glad you will be to receive an answer. Check out some more letter writing tips:

Etiquette formulas are required when preparing a business letter. They are determined by the genre of the message (letters of invitation, letters of congratulations, letters of condolences) and are largely conditional, ritual in nature. Also A.S. Pushkin noted in “Journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg”: “Every day we sign ourselves as humble servants, and, it seems, no one has ever concluded from this that we ask to be valets.”

Business letters of invitation and congratulations include many etiquette phrases. Instead of an etiquette frame (words of greeting and farewell), business letters use the following addresses: Dear Nikolai Ivanovich! Dear Mr. Bobylev! IN At the end of the letter, before the signature, place the final politeness formula: Yours sincerely!;Sincerely;With sincere respect!;Best wishes!;Thank you in advance for your answer…;We hope that our request will not be difficult for you.…;We look forward to successful continuation of cooperation…;We hope for your interest in expanding connections... etc.

These final remarks of politeness are followed by self-naming the official signing the document and his signature. The self-name includes an indication of the position held and the name of the organization if the letter is not sent on the institution’s letterhead, otherwise - only the position:

If a letter is sent on behalf of the Academic Council of a scientific institution, the self-name is an indication of the role that a particular person performs in this body:

Etiquette rituals expressed by performative verbs are, as a rule, included in set expressions, like other formulas of speech etiquette: With pleasure) I invite you You to take part in...; Thank you Thank you for your participation...; Sincerely Thank you You for...; Cordially Thank you You for...; I beg We will direct you to our address...; I assure You know that we will make every effort...; We wish Good luck to you and we look forward to future mutually beneficial cooperation...; With thanks I confirm receiving from you...;

Etiquette rituals used in business letters include

- different kinds praise : You showed heartfelt attention to orphans and children left without parental care...(direct praise); Considering your great contribution to the development of technical progress in industry...(indirect praise); Since your company is a leading supplier of computer equipment...(indirect praise)

expression of hope, confidence, gratitude at the end of the letter : I hope for…;I hope for further good and mutually beneficial relations…; We hope that a decision will be made as soon as possible... We hope that the result of the negotiations will be long-term and fruitful cooperation between our enterprises…; We hope for further fruitful cooperation…; We wish you success and hope for future mutually beneficial cooperation…;We hope that our request will be considered soon…;We hope for a speedy response (resolution of our issue)…;We were glad to receive your letter…;Thank you very much for the fax dated 06/04/2010…; We gratefully acknowledge receipt of your letter.…;Thank you behind...;

expression of congratulations, apologies, wishes: Congratulations ...; We wish you success in…;We apologize for… about…and so on.

Polite form naming the addressee in business correspondence involves the use of the pronouns “You”, “Your” with a capital letter: According to yours please send To you latest catalogs of our products; At the end of this month we will be pleased to use Yours services.

It is impossible not to take into account the effectiveness of etiquette formulas, the arsenal of which in Russian speech etiquette is very large. The success of the business largely depends on the tone of the letter.

The universal principle of using etiquette means is the principle of politeness, which is expressed in the recommendations given to readers in one old Russian letter book and which have not lost their relevance to this day: “The first duty of the writer is to remember his own position, to know the position of the person to whom we are writing, and to imagine the latter is as clear as if we were standing in front of him and talking.” This is especially important these days, when official correspondence is becoming more personal and dynamic. Today, the genre of business writing requires the compiler not only to standardize linguistic means, but also to demonstrate his own individuality.