https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english-to-french/retail/252232-first-name-basis.html

First name basis

French translation: nous nous adressons l'un à l'autre par nos prénoms

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:First name basis
French translation:nous nous adressons l'un à l'autre par nos prénoms
Entered by: TRADL

19:46 Aug 13, 2002
English to French translations [Non-PRO]
Marketing - Retail / retail
English term or phrase: First name basis
French canadian. This is for a print ad. We are describing someone. i.e. name, age, profession, we are on a first name basis, ....
Brigitte
nous nous adressons l'un à l'autre par nos prénoms
Explanation:
can't think of a more informal way of saying it
Selected response from:

TRADL
France
Local time: 15:11
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +8on se tutoie
cheungmo
4 +3Nous nous appelons par nos prénoms.
Gayle Wallimann
4 +2sur la base du prénom / en fonction du prénom
Michael Bastin
5Nous sommes familier, nous utilisons nos prénoms
Vamoura
4nous nous adressons l'un à l'autre par nos prénoms
TRADL
1tri (classement) sur le prénom
Francis MARC


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
sur la base du prénom / en fonction du prénom


Explanation:
juste une idée.

Michael Bastin
Spain
Local time: 15:11
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Therese Nichols
5 hrs

agree  swani (X)
11 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Nous nous appelons par nos prénoms.


Explanation:
I think that this would be sufficient, without going to the extremes of saying "nous nous tutoyons" (we use the familiar form of you).

Gayle Wallimann
Local time: 15:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jean-Luc Dumont
12 mins

agree  GILLES MEUNIER
14 mins

agree  francea (X)
1 hr
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The asker has declined this answer

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
nous nous adressons l'un à l'autre par nos prénoms


Explanation:
can't think of a more informal way of saying it

TRADL
France
Local time: 15:11
Native speaker of: French

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  lien: I do
1 day 5 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Nous sommes familier, nous utilisons nos prénoms


Explanation:
une autre façon de le dire

Vamoura
Canada
Local time: 09:11
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 6
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
tri (classement) sur le prénom


Explanation:
autre hypothèse : le traitement informatique, le classement ou la recherche se fait sur la base du prénom

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 16:11
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 25
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +8
on se tutoie


Explanation:
There are two levels of address in French: the "tu" (thee) and the "vous" (you). The "tu" is used to speak with familiarity, the "vous" shows or expresses a greater distance between yourself and the person being adressed (i.e. more respecful or distant). The two forms are referred to as "se tutoyer" (from the two forms: "tu" and "toi") and "se vouvoyer".

I've never heard the phrase "on a first-name basis" literally translated or anything that sounds like it being used either in media or on the street here in Canada. Also, no one would even think of adressing someone by their full name (Madame Tartenpion) while using a "vous", so theeing someone implies you can use their first name.

The phrase "on peut se tutoyer" ("we can..." or "I give you permission to thee me") is the same saying "call me by my first name".

And finally, despite the fact that French Canadians "tutoie" much more than on the Continent, in Canada, "on se tutoie" means "we speak to one another with familiarity".


cheungmo

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Hardie: good explanation:-)
32 mins

agree  MafaldaDec
47 mins

agree  Richard Genest
1 hr

agree  Lydia Castiello (X): I like this the best...
3 hrs

agree  herve laurent
6 hrs

agree  Jean-Luc Dumont: This makes sense but : Jacques, vous reprendrez-bien du café - on peut s'appeler pas le prénom - pour ne pas faire trop distant - mais continuer de se vouvoyer.
9 hrs

agree  alx: that's the one
12 hrs

agree  michele meenawong (X)
2 days 5 hrs
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