As in any language, greeting in French is the beginning of any conversation. So at Lingua Language Center we decided to do an article exclusively on this topic; yes: offering the right examples for every occasion.
There are many motivations for learning French today—from the lure of the culture to job opportunities—but either way, you should always start with the simplest thing: saying hello.
Greeting is both a sign of courtesy and the introduction to all oral or written communication. Next, the forms most accepted by natives and in international settings in which French is the main cultural bridge.
How do you say ‘hello’ in French?
There are four elementary forms of greeting in French. Three depend on the time of day…
Salut – Hola.
Bonjour – Good morning.
Bonsoir – Good afternoon.
Bonne nuit – Good night.
But there are many other ways to greet someone depending on the setting, the moment, and the degree of trust you have in the receiver.
Informal greetings in French
Cocou – Hey
Salut ma puce – Hello, darling (used mainly for children).
Salut mon grand – Hello, boy (used for children).
Salut ma grande – Hello, girl (used for girls).
Salut toi – Hello, you.
Ça baigne? – How are things with you?
Quoi de beau? – What’s new?
Tu vas bien? – Are you okay?
Comment vas-tu? – How are you?
Ça roule? – What’s wrong?
Formal greetings in French
Enchanté – Nice to meet you.
Enchantée – Nice to meet you.
Monsieur – Sir (ideal for emails).
Madame – Madam (ideal for emails).
Neutral greetings in French
Ça va? – How are you?
Comment allez-vous? – How are you?
Comment ça va? – How are you?
Vous allez bien? – Are you okay?
Bienvenue – Welcome
Ça fait longtemps – How long!
Allô – Hello (by phone)
Greetings in French for different times of the year
Joyeux Noël! – Merry Christmas!
Bonne Année! – Happy New Year!
Joyeuses fêtes! – Happy Holidays!
Joyeuses Paques! – Happy Easter!
Joyous anniversaire! – Happy Birthday!
Farewells in French
Adieu – Goodbye (fairly formal)
Bonne Journée – Have a nice day.
Au revoir – Goodbye / Goodbye.
À demain – See you tomorrow.
Salut! – Bye!
À plus tard – see you later
A plus! – See you later (informal)
Je me tira – I’m retiring!
Bon apresé-midi – Have a good midday.
Bonne soiree – Good afternoon.
Bonne nuit – Good night.
Do you want to learn French?
With these greetings and farewells you will have realized how easy it can be to take the first steps in French. Surely you will have also identified forms that I knew because the Gallic culture has permeated all the countries of the Western world.
The important thing will be, in any case, that you encourage yourself to ask us about our French courses . You can take them online through our interactive learning system, or from our offices in various cities in Florida, United States.
Cheer up ! Live the experience of learning a new language and interacting with people who have the same interests as you in an environment designed for language learning.