Writing cold email in the recipient's language
Write to people in the language they work in, and match the register they expect. In German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese from Portugal, start with the formal you (Sie, vous, usted, Lei, o senhor or a senhora) unless they have already used the informal one. In Dutch, u is the safe first choice, though many Dutch companies now use je. In Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Finnish, the informal du or sinä is normal in business. Get the greeting and sign-off right, because they are the first and last things a native reader judges.
Why the language and register matter
An email in someone's own language shows effort before they read a word of the pitch. The wrong register does the opposite: a German finance director addressed with du, or a Swede addressed with the old formal ni, will notice at once. When in doubt, look at how the person writes in public. If their posts and profile are in English, or the company works in English, English is fine.
Formal and informal you, by language
| Language | Formal | Informal | Safe default for a first email |
|---|---|---|---|
| German | Sie | du | Sie. Many startups use du; follow their lead once they switch. |
| French | vous | tu | vous, almost always. |
| Spanish (Spain) | usted | tú | usted for senior or traditional sectors; tú is common in Spanish tech. |
| Spanish (Latin America) | usted | tú or vos | usted. Norms vary by country. |
| Italian | Lei | tu | Lei, often written with a capital L. |
| Dutch | u | je or jij | u for senior or traditional recipients; je is common in Dutch tech. |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | o senhor, a senhora | você | você is normal in business; o senhor or a senhora is very formal. |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | o senhor, a senhora | tu | Avoid você with strangers. Use their name or the verb alone. |
| Swedish | ni | du | du. The formal ni is rare and can sound odd. |
| Danish | De | du | du. De is reserved for very formal settings. |
| Norwegian (Bokmål) | De | du | du. De is old fashioned. |
| Finnish | Te | sinä | sinä, or phrase it without a pronoun. |
Greetings and sign-offs
| Language | Formal greeting | Friendly greeting | Sign-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Dear Ms Patel, | Hi Priya, | Best regards, or Best, |
| German | Sehr geehrte Frau Dr. Müller, | Guten Tag Frau Müller, or Hallo Jonas, | Mit freundlichen Grüßen, or Viele Grüße |
| French | Madame, or Bonjour Madame Martin, | Bonjour Claire, | Cordialement, or Bien à vous, |
| Spanish | Estimada Sra. García: | Hola, Lucía: | Saludos cordiales, or Un saludo, |
| Italian | Gentile Dott.ssa Rossi, | Buongiorno Marco, | Cordiali saluti, or Un cordiale saluto, |
| Dutch | Geachte mevrouw Jansen, | Beste Daan, | Met vriendelijke groet, |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Prezada Sra. Souza, | Olá, Ana, | Atenciosamente, or Abraços, |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Exma. Senhora Dra. Ana Costa, | Cara Ana, or Olá Ana, | Com os melhores cumprimentos, |
| Swedish | Hej Anna, | Hej Anna! | Vänliga hälsningar, or Med vänlig hälsning, |
| Danish | Kære Mette, | Hej Mette, | Med venlig hilsen, or Venlig hilsen, |
| Norwegian | Hei Kari, | Hei Kari! | Med vennlig hilsen, or Vennlig hilsen, |
| Finnish | Hyvä Anna Virtanen, | Hei Anna, | Ystävällisin terveisin, |
Details native readers notice
- German: after a greeting that ends with a comma, the next line starts in lowercase unless the word is a noun. There is no comma after the sign-off. Use academic titles you can see, such as Dr. Swiss German does not use ß.
- French: in France, put a space before ? ! : and ;. Avoid the long letter formulas, such as "Je vous prie d'agréer", in email.
- Spanish: open questions with ¿ and exclamations with ¡. The formal greeting ends with a colon, not a comma.
- Italian: Dott. and Dott.ssa are common for graduates. Writing Lei with a capital L reads as polite.
- Dutch: write the surname prefix with a capital when it stands alone (meneer De Vries) and lowercase after a first name (Pieter de Vries). Geachte is formal; Beste is the everyday choice.
- Portuguese: Brazil and Portugal differ in vocabulary, spelling and register. Do not send one version to both.
- Nordics: first names are normal even with senior people. Titles in greetings can feel stiff.
Write it, do not translate it
A translated English email keeps English rhythm, idioms and examples. Write the email in the target language from the start, and localise the details:
- Dates: 9 November 2026 is clear everywhere; 11/9 means 11 September in most of Europe.
- Numbers: most of continental Europe writes 1.000,50 where English writes 1,000.50.
- Times: use the 24 hour clock in most of Europe.
- Currency and examples: use local currency and local companies or cities in examples.
- Read it aloud or ask a native speaker before the first send in a new language.
How Reach handles languages
In Reach, Writer drafts each email in the recipient's own language, with the formal register where it is expected: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Finnish. You read and approve every email before it is sent. For what to say, see how to write a first cold email.
Checklist
- Check what language the person writes in publicly.
- Start formal in German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese from Portugal.
- Use u for senior Dutch recipients unless they use je.
- Use du or sinä in the Nordics.
- Use the right greeting punctuation for the language.
- Use their visible title (Dr., Dott.ssa) where it is customary.
- Write natively instead of translating from English.
- Localise dates, numbers, times and currency.
- Have a native speaker check your first email in a new language.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use Sie or du in a German cold email?
Use Sie. It is the expected form with someone you do not know, and only some startups default to du. If they reply with du, switch.
How do I start a business email in French?
Bonjour Madame Martin, or Bonjour Monsieur Durand, is the normal opening in business email. Madame, or Monsieur, alone is more formal. Use vous, and close with Cordialement or Bien à vous.
Is it rude to use du in Swedish business email?
No. Since the du reform of the 1960s and 1970s, du is the normal form in Swedish, including at work. The formal ni can come across as stiff or odd.
Should I use você in Portugal?
Avoid it with people you do not know, because it can sound impolite in Portugal. Use their name, o senhor or a senhora, or phrase the sentence without a pronoun. In Brazil, você is normal in business.
Is it better to write in English or the recipient's language?
Their language, when you can write it well and they work in it. If their public writing is in English, or their company works in English, English is fine.