Buzz
The most common way to say 'good morning' in French is 'bonjour,' but there are several other ways to greet someone in the morning using this language. Below is one of the most popular phrases you should know.
Steps
Basic 'Good Morning' Phrase
Say 'bonjour'. This is the standard greeting in French, used to say 'good morning,' 'good afternoon,' 'good day,' and 'hello.'
- This is the standard way to say 'good morning' in French, and you can use this greeting in any French-speaking country or region.
- It combines the words 'bon' and 'jour' in French. Jour means day, and bon means good. Literally translated, it means 'good day.'
- Pronounce bonjour as bon-zhoor.
Greeting Specific Individuals
Add 'madame,' 'mademoiselle,' or 'monsieur' at the end of your greeting. A polite way to greet someone after saying 'bonjour' is to include the appropriate title.
- Say 'bonjour' before adding the listener's title.
- Madame in French is equivalent to 'Mrs.' in English. Use this title for married women and pronounce it as mah-dahm.
- Mademoiselle in French is equivalent to 'Miss' in English. Use this title for unmarried women and pronounce it as mah-dehm-wah-zell.
- Monsieur in French is equivalent to 'Sir' or 'Mr.' in English. Use this title for men, whether married or not, and pronounce it as mer-syer.
Greet a group with 'bonjour à tous.' Use this phrase to address a crowd or an audience.
- Translated, à tous means 'everyone' or 'all.' This phrase literally means 'good morning to everyone' or 'hello everyone in the morning.'
- This greeting is typically used for audiences rather than friends or family. It's often considered more polite and common to greet each person individually in close-knit groups. However, 'bonjour à tous' is appropriate when individual greetings aren't feasible.
- Pronounce bonjour à tous as bon-zhoor ah toos, with the 's' sounding like a soft 'z.'
Other Morning Phrases
Use 'bon matin' in certain contexts. While bon matin is considered informal and not entirely accurate, it can be used in casual settings (though it's generally discouraged). Literally, it translates to 'good morning' and is borrowed from English.
- This greeting is rarely used in France but is common in Québec as a casual greeting among close acquaintances, such as family, friends, classmates, or close colleagues.
- Matin means 'morning.'
- Pronounce bon matin as bohn mah-tahn.
- However, it's best to avoid using 'bon matin.'
Wake someone up with 'Réveille-toi!' This is a common way to ask someone to wake up when they are still asleep.
- Use this command for children or close family members you live with. It translates to 'Wake up!'
- The phrase comes from the reflexive verb 'se réveiller,' meaning 'to wake up.' Literally, it means 'wake yourself up.'
- Pronounce réveille-toi as rheh-vay-twa.
Tell someone 'Lève-toi!' Similar to 'réveille-toi,' 'lève-toi' is a command used to wake someone up.
- Use this command with close family members, especially children. It's a casual command and should not be used with anyone you aren't very familiar with.
- This phrase comes from the reflexive verb 'se lever' in French, meaning 'to get up' or 'to wake up.'
- Pronounce lève-toi as layv-twa.
