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!
What are some French greetings?
Initial Greetings
| French | English equivalent | Literal translation |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello | Good day |
| Bon matin | Good morning | |
| Bon après-midi | Good afternoon | |
| Salut | Hi |
How do French people greet formally?
Greetings are important in France. Among friends and relatives, the most common greeting is the ‘la bise’ (kiss on both cheeks). The la bise consists of placing one’s cheek against another’s, making a kiss noise, then repeating it on the opposite side. A la bise is sometimes accompanied with an embrace.
Is Bonne nuit a greeting?
Bonne nuit means “good night” but, despite the literal translation, most of the French don’t use it as a greeting at night. Bonne nuit is something you’d say before you go to bed to signal to others you are retiring.
What are good French wishes?
Meilleurs Voeux ! Best wishes! Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année !
Do French people say Bonne matin?
There is another method of saying good morning in french: “bon matin,” pronounced bon mah-teen. However, though this is a literal translation of “good morning,” it is not typically used in France. However, bon matin may be heard more frequently in Québécois French, the variety of French spoken in Canada.
What’s the most common way to say 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.
What do you say when someone says hello in Quebec?
If someone says this to you, you can respond with ça va bien (“it’s going well”) or tout va bien (“everything’s going well”). In Quebec, you’ll often hear “not bad” as the response: pas pire, which literally means “no worse”. Or maybe that wouldn’t be honest. If things are a bit iffy, you could respond with “ comme-ci, comme-ça”.
Which is the most polite greeting in French?
The nice thing about bonjour is that it’s the most safe and polite of all greetings in French. You can use it in any situation, no matter what the level of formality. After all, who doesn’t like being wished a “good day”? 2. Bonsoir – “Good evening” Like bonjour, bonsoir is safe and polite.
Which is the correct way to say hi in French?
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. You wouldn’t want to use this with someone that you’re supposed to show respect such as your professor or boss.
