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- Bonjour ! If you go to France, the single most common word for hello is “Bonjour“. “Bonjour” means both good morning and hello. It can be used throughout the day.
- Salut ! The second most common way of saying hi is “Salut !”. The word “Salut” translates to “Hi!” is seen as informal and is most commonly used between peers.
- Bonsoir ! “Bonsoir !” (pronounced boh-swar) is a formal way of saying hello during the evening hours. Generally, “bonsoir !” is used after around six o’clock p.m.
- Coucou ! “Coucou !” (pronounced coo-coo) is by far the most common informal way of saying hi in French and translates to both “Hey there!” and “Hi There!
- Bonjour: The Most Common Way to Say Hello in French
- A Polite Way to Say Hello in French
- Saying Hello in French to A Large Group of People
- How to Say “Hi” in French?
- What Does “Coucou” Mean?
- Bonsoir – Hello in French – But in The Evening
- Allô ? Hello in French But only on The Phone
- Rebonjour
- Skipping Hello in France – A Big Mistake
- What About Kissing Hello in France?
Saying “bonjour” has to be the most common way of saying hello in French. And it’s usually accompanied by a “bisous à la française” – a kiss on the cheeks – or a firm hand shake. Note we do not hug in France when we greet each other.
Note that it is much more polite to follow this “bonjour” by “Madame” (for a lady), “Monsieur” (for a man) or “Mademoiselle” (tricky… for a younger woman: read my article about this Madame or Mademoiselle, a delicate question) So, when saying hello in French, try to get in the habit of saying: 1. Bonjour Madame 2. Bonjour Monsieur 3. Bonjour mademo...
If you were to enter a room full of people, like at the boulangerie (bakery) when there is a line, you may then just greet everybody with a general “bonjour”. When I start my French videos, I usually say “bonjour à tous” !
Many French people use “salut” to say hello in a relaxed, informal manner. So, I’ve met many American students who therefore concluded that “salut” meant ‘hi’ in French. And it’s a big mistake. See, in the US I would say ‘hi’ all the time : to my friends, but also at the grocery, or greeting the postman. I would NEVER use “salut” at the grocery or ...
That’s my personal favorite way to say hello in French. I use it a lot. Use “coucou” with all my friends and family. There is really no US English equivalent… It’s a bit like ‘toodaloo’ in British English except that ‘toodaloo’ is used to say goodbye! If you study French with my French audiobook learning method, you’ll learn all these expressions w...
When you greet someone with “Hello” in French in the evening, you can say “bonsoir“. Same as with “bonjour”, it’s more polite to use something after “bonsoir”; 1. Bonsoir madame 2. Bonsoir monsieur, 3. Bonsoir mademoiselle, 4. Bonsoir Camille 5. Bonsoir Monsieur Dupont… When do you start saying bonsoir in France? Even the French don’t agree… Read t...
I understand there was a famous TV show called “Allô, Allô” and therefore many English speakers are convinced that “Allô” is a common way to say hello in French. Only it is not. We only use “Allô” to say hello in French on the phone. On the phone, you use “Allô” when you answer the phone, so with a rising questioning voice : “Allô” ? And then you m...
If you’ve already said hello to someone and run into them again, it’s common to say “rebonjour“: “bonjour again”, if you want…
Some people may skip the “bonjour” part and go directly to another greeting like “ça va” (how are you)… but it’s not that common. In any case, whether you use the word “bonjour” or not, you should always take the time to greet people in France. It’s considered quite rude to go ahead and ask a question without first saying hello in French. Oh! And p...
When French people say hello, they will either kiss or shake hands. Sometimes just wave – like a teenager may do – but it’s not common. As I am writing this article, we are in the middle of the Covid 19 crisis, and for safety reasons, the French respect the social distancing and hold on kissing or shaking hands. Will this crisis affect the way Fren...
- Camille Chevalier-Karfis
In French, there are a variety of ways to say "hello" depending on the context and the relationship between the speakers. In this article, we'll explore the different ways to say "hello" in French, highlighting the subtleties and nuances of each expression.
- Using bonjour to say hello in French. Bonjour – Hello (good day) This is the one that you probably have at least heard of before if you aren’t already fully familiar with it.
- Using rebonjour to say hello again in French. Rebonjour – Hello again (re-hello) There isn’t much to be said about this one as it really just means “hello again” (literally re-hello).
- having someone tell someone else hello for you with dis-lui bonjour de ma part. Dis-lui bonjour de ma part – Say hello to him/her for me. Passe le bonjour pour moi – Say hello to him/her for me.
- Using Salut to say hi in french. Salut – Hi. This one is probably just as common as bonjour, but seeing as it’s translated as “hi” it’s really only used in more informal situations.
Learn how to say "hello" in French, along with the etiquette rules. Beyond saying "Bonjour", there is much more to a French greeting.
Mar 23, 2018 · You’re probably familiar with the classic French greeting, “bonjour.” But did you know that there are many other ways to say hello in French? By Sophie Vignoles. March 23, 2018. Greetings are essential to language: We greet not just out of politeness, but also to acknowledge each other’s presence or express happiness when seeing a friend.
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Jan 19, 2018 · There are many ways to say “hello” in French – French greetings can be much more than a simple “hello”. In this article I'll teach you the French for “hello” and its variations, and give you a brief tour of the most common ways to greet a French person.
