Informal and Formal French Salutations 1. To get a jump start on pronouncing some of these common greetings, check out this short video! Then, we’ll dive into greater detail of how to properly greet and open a conversation below. Remember that a good first impression, especially with a romantic interest, coworker, or potential friend, can last a lifetime.Īfter we cover the fundamental phrases you need to know-and should know-we’ll also look at some basics of French etiquette, including the dos and don’ts of saying hello to casual acquaintances and close friends with the language. Properly greeting people is polite, so knowing when to use each option is as critical as knowing the greeting itself. The words or phrases you use depends on your relationship with the other person, the time of day, and the social setting. Just like with other Romantic languages, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to greeting others in French. The most important French greetings include bonjour (hello), enchanté(e) (nice to meet you), bonsoir (good evening/hello), salut (hi), coucou (hey), Ça fait longtemps, dis donc (long time no see), Âllo (hello), Ça va? (how are you?), tu vas bien? (have you been well?), quoi de neuf? (what’s up?), au revoir! (goodbye), salut (bye), ciao (see ya!), À plus! (later), À demain! (see you tomorrow). Let’s take a look at some common phrases you can use to say hello, and make an excellent first impression! What Are the 15 Most Important French Greetings ? All of these phrases will improve your knowledge of the French language and impress your bilingual friends. You’ll even come across phrases to use with strangers. You’ll find ones for greeting an old friend and others for telling that same friend you’ll catch up with them again in the future. While bonjour is a great option and will get you by in any passing conversation, there are so many other friendly French salutations at your disposal. Pronouncing “Hello, how are you?” correctly in French may seem like a small feat, but it can have a big impact on your conversations with French speakers throughout the world. Properly greeting someone can open up new connections as well as deepen existing ones. Just look at these three different options for how to say hello in French : Bonjour From there, the possibilities are endless. How much do you know about French greetings and salutations? Learning how to say “good morning” in French, along with other basic French phrases, is usually the first task that aspiring French speakers take on.

French word for settings