Buzz
Whether you're planning a trip to a French-speaking country or simply want to learn French, knowing how to greet people properly is a fundamental skill. In French, this is especially important, as native speakers often place a high value on politeness in greetings. The most common way to say "hello" in French is "bonjour" (bohn-zhuhr). Additionally, there are various other greetings in French, depending on the context and the level of familiarity between you and the other person.
Steps
Greeting Strangers
Use "bonjour" (bohn-zhur) to greet people in any context. "Bonjour" is the standard greeting in French, similar to "hello" in English or "xin chào" in Vietnamese. The French are quite formal in their greetings, so informal or overly casual greetings are not appropriate for people you don't know well, especially if they are older or hold a higher position than you.
- The word "bonjour" literally translates to "good day" and can be used at any time of the day. French does not have equivalents for "good morning" or "good afternoon" like English does.
- You might already know that "au revoir" is how to say goodbye in French. However, the phrase "bonne journée" (bohn zhur-nay), meaning "have a good day," is perhaps a more common way to bid farewell. Fortunately, it’s similar to "bonjour" (you just add an extra syllable), making it easy to remember.
Pronunciation Tip: The "r" sound at the end of "bonjour" is very subtle. Some native speakers even drop the "r" entirely, making it sound like "bohn-zhoo."
Switch to "bonsoir" (bohn-swah) in the evening. After sunset, "bonsoir" is a more accurate greeting than "bonjour." This word means "good evening" and is often used in more formal settings or when greeting strangers, though friends may also use it.
- Similar to "bonjour," there’s a corresponding phrase for evening farewells. "Bonne soirée" (bohn swah-ray) means "have a good evening."
Tip: "Bonsoir" is a fairly formal evening greeting. If you're meeting friends or family, you can still say "bonjour," even in the evening.
Answer the phone with "allô" (eh-loh). This greeting sounds similar to "a lô" in Vietnamese or "hello" without the "h" in English, and it’s exclusively used when answering the phone. It’s considered polite and is used when you don’t know who’s on the other end, but it’s never used in face-to-face conversations.
- If you’re the caller and the other person answers with "allô," respond with "bonjour." You typically wouldn’t reply with "allô."
Say "enchanté" (ahn-shahn-tay) after introductions. Literally, this means "Delighted to meet you," and it’s a common phrase used after being introduced to someone or when they introduce themselves. It’s especially popular among adults or young people meeting at social gatherings or events.
- If the person you’re speaking to is female, an extra "e" is added, written as "enchantée," but the pronunciation remains the same. You only need to remember this rule when writing.
- Unlike other greetings, "enchanté" is used only once – when you’re introduced to someone for the first time.
Using Informal Greetings
Use "salut" (seh-loo) in casual settings among friends. "Salut" is a common informal greeting, similar to "hey" or "hi" in English or "chào" in Vietnamese. However, you should never use this greeting with strangers, as it’s considered inappropriate in such contexts.
- "Salut" can also be used with acquaintances, even if you’re not close friends. For example, if you frequent a coffee shop, the barista might greet you with "salut" to acknowledge familiarity.
- You’ll often hear "salut" in French TV shows or YouTube channels, where it’s used to create a sense of familiarity between the speaker and the audience.
- When greeting a child, you can say "salut, toi" (seh-loo twah), which translates to "Hey there" in a playful tone.
Tip: "Salut" can be used both when meeting and parting, similar to the Italian word "ciao."
Try saying "coucou" (coo-coo) as a playful greeting among friends. "Coucou" is the most cheerful and informal greeting in French. While it’s often used with children, young people, especially girls, also use it frequently.
- Adults might use "coucou" in a playful context, but it’s too casual to use with someone you need to show respect to, like a teacher or supervisor, even if you’re on friendly terms.
- Similar to "salut, toi," you can also say "coucou, toi."
Greet someone directly with "ça va" (sah vah) without saying "hello." In Vietnamese, you might greet a friend by asking "How are you?" or "What’s up?" without a formal "hello." The equivalent in French is "ça va?" Other similar phrases include:
- "Quoi de neuf?" (kwah d'nuhff): What’s new?
- "Ça roule?" (sah roohl): How’s it going?
- "Comment ça va?" (coh-moh sah vah): How are you?
- "Quoi de beau?" (kwah d'boh): Anything exciting?
Tip: Just like in English, French speakers often respond to "ça va" (meaning "good" or "fine") regardless of how they’re actually feeling.
Use "tiens" (tee-yehn) as an exclamation when meeting a friend. Saying "tiens" when you see someone you know translates to "There you are!" It’s similar to expressions like "Oh hey!" or "Who’s this?" in Vietnamese.
- You can say "tiens" whenever you meet a close acquaintance. However, it’s most commonly used when you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while or meet them unexpectedly.
- In this context, "tiens" is similar to "voilà" (vwah-lah), which you might also have heard before.
Observing French Etiquette
Greet people when entering shops, even if you’re just stopping by. Whenever you step into a store or business, it’s customary to say "bonjour" to the staff. The French consider it rude to enter a place without greeting the owner or employees.
- If you walk into a shop or café in France, the staff will usually greet you with "bonjour." To be polite, simply respond with "bonjour."
Say "bonjour" before asking a question or starting a conversation. In many cultures, it’s common to approach someone and immediately ask a question, but this is considered impolite in French culture. You should use "bonjour" to acknowledge the person before engaging in conversation.
- This rule also applies to waitstaff in restaurants. When a server comes to take your order, say "bonjour" before listing your food and drink choices (unless you’ve already greeted them earlier).
Use "rebonjour" (rray-bohn-zhuhr) if you meet someone more than once in a day. The French typically say "bonjour" to someone only once a day. If you greet someone with "bonjour" twice, they might think you’ve forgotten your previous interaction. If you happen to see someone again, you can say "rebonjour" (literally "hello again") to acknowledge that you’ve already greeted them earlier.
- Younger people often shorten it to just "re" (rray). This abbreviation is more casual and is used only with close acquaintances.
Air-kiss when greeting friends. French greeting etiquette depends on your relationship with the person and the context of the meeting. However, when meeting close friends, the French often exchange light cheek kisses (faire la bise).
- Customs vary by region. While the air-kiss usually starts on the right cheek and moves to the left, some areas practice three or even four kisses.
- Women are more likely to air-kiss each other, but men sometimes faire la bise as well.
- If you’re unsure about the local custom, observe the other person and try to follow their lead.
Tip: While hugging is a common greeting in some cultures, the French consider it an invasion of personal space. You should only hug someone if you’re romantically involved or they’re a close family member.
Shake hands in professional settings. If you’re in a business meeting, a handshake is the most common form of greeting. Handshakes are typically reserved for formal situations or when meeting someone for the first time.
- Men are more likely to shake hands than faire la bise, regardless of the context.
- In some industries, particularly the arts, people might air-kiss even during first meetings.
Warning
- The pronunciation guides in this article are approximate to help you grasp the general way French words are pronounced. For perfect pronunciation, you’ll need to listen to native speakers and try to mimic them.
