Knowing how to greet people is one of the very first things you need to learn when studying the French language. If you plan to visit France, take a French language test, move to a French speaking country or just have an interest in French language, knowing how to say hello in French will help you begin a conversation.
Bonjour is a typical greeting in French, however, there are many greetings in French according to the time of the day, situation, and your relationship with a person.
Today, let’s discover some of the most useful French greetings, their meaning, pronunciation, and when to use them.
How do you say hello in French?
If you are preparing to learn French from the basics, practicing everyday greetings is a great place to start. These expressions can also help learners preparing for the DELF A1 level, where basic communication and everyday vocabulary are important.The usual way of saying how to greet people in French is:
Bonjour – Hello / Good Day
Bonjour is the usual and most popular French greeting. It translates as “good day” and is used in almost all day-time situations.
Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
You can use bonjour in French when greeting:
- A person you are meeting for the first time
- A teacher or your co-worker
- A shop assistant
- A professional
- A stranger
- Your friends and acquaintances
For instance:
Bonjour ! Comment allez-vous ?
Hello! How are you?
Bonjour, Madame.
Hello, Madam.
If you do not know what greetings to use in the day-time, then bonjour would be the safest option.
Salut – Hi in French
For a casual way of greeting somebody in French, there is Salut.
Salut is the French word for "Hi" and is used while addressing friends, relatives, classmates, and acquaintances. In addition, it can also be used as a casual way of bidding someone farewell.
Pronunciation: sah-loo
Example:
Salut ! Ça va ?
Hi! How are you?
Since salut is a casual way of addressing someone, it is advisable to use bonjour in a professional setting or among strangers.
Bonsoir – Good Evening in French
Curious to know how to greet someone by saying good evening in French? You can say Bonsoir.
Bonsoir means "good evening" and can be used for addressing people both formally and informally in the evening.
Pronunciation: bon-swahr
Example:
Bonsoir, Monsieur !
Good evening, Sir!
Bonsoir, comment allez-vous ?
Good evening, how are you?
An important tip for beginners is to use bonjour during the day and bonsoir in the evening.
Coucou - A Casual French Greeting
An informal way to greet someone in French is Coucou.
Coucou is a friendly greeting that is usually used among close friends, family, kids, and people who are familiar with each other.
Pronunciation: koo-koo
Example:
Coucou! Comment ça va?
Hey! How are you?
Since it is very informal, it cannot be used in formal settings instead of bonjour.
Allô - Hello Over the Phone
If you wish to know how to say hello in French when on the phone, then the greeting would be Allô ?
Allô is an expression that is typically used when responding to a call.
Example:
Allô? Qui est à l'appareil?
Hello? Who is calling?
Unlike bonjour, it is a specific greeting for the phone.
French Greetings: Quick Comparison
|
French Greeting |
English Meaning |
When to Use |
|
Bonjour |
Hello / Good day |
Polite, everyday daytime greeting |
|
Salut |
Hi / Bye |
Friends and informal situations |
|
Bonsoir |
Good evening |
Evening greetings |
|
Coucou |
Hey / Hi there |
Close friends and family |
|
Allô |
Hello |
On the telephone |
How to Ask How Are You in French
After learning to say "hello" in French, the next phrase to learn will be to ask how someone is.
Comment ça va?
Comment ça va? translates into English as "How are you?" or "How's it going?"
This phrase is usually said in casual conversation.
Example:
Bonjour ! Comment ça va?
Hello! How are you?
Alternatively, you could say:
Comment allez-vous? - How are you? (formal)
Comment vas-tu? - How are you? (informal)
An easy answer would be:
Ça va, merci. Et vous?
I'm fine, thank you. And you?
Alternatively:
Ça va, merci. Et toi?
I'm good, thanks. And you?
"Nice to Meet You" in French
To greet when meeting someone new, you may say:
Enchanté – Nice to meet you (male speaker)
Enchantée – Nice to meet you (female speaker)
Here is an example of using it:
Bonjour, c'est Emma qui me présente. Enchantée !
Hello, I am Emma. Nice to meet you!
This will be particularly helpful when you are just starting learning beginner French.
You can also expand your vocabulary by learning practical topics such as the daily routine in french, including common expressions for waking up, going to work or school, eating meals, and going to bed.
Learning greetings alongside everyday French vocabulary can make it easier to participate in simple conversations and build confidence in speaking French.
Greeting Errors Common in French Language
If you are a beginner in the French language, make sure that you avoid these mistakes:
- Using “Salut” for all situations
While “salut” means “hi,” it is a casual greeting. Use bonjour if you need to be polite or if you are uncertain of how casual or formal the situation may be.
- Saying “Bonne nuit” to say hello
“Bonne nuit” means “good night” and is usually used when someone is getting ready to sleep. It is not a usual way of greeting someone who is just waking up.
- Not greeting before making a request
It is a key part of courteous conversation to begin with a greeting in French-speaking countries. For instance, when walking into a store, it is more polite to greet the individual before posing any query.
Conclusion
Knowing how to greet in French is an easy yet essential part of learning the language. To begin with, use bonjour in case you want to greet formally during the day, use bonsoir in the evening, and use salut or coucou when greeting someone informally.
In case you want to learn not only the basics of French greetings but also improve your speaking, vocabulary, and grammar skills in general, FrenchSkill will give you an opportunity to have a great start. Learn French from scratch with FrenchSkill and let your “Bonjour!” be the beginning of your French adventure.
