How do you greet in French?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 24, 2026
How to Say Hello in French: 12 Useful French Greetings Beyond Bonjour
- The most common way to say “hello” in French: Bonjour! ...
- “Hi” in French – Salut! ...
- “Good morning” in French – Bon matin! ...
- “Good afternoon” in French – Bon après-midi! ...
- “Good evening” in French – Bonsoir! ...
- “Good night” in French – Bonne nuit! ...
- Hello?
How do you start a greeting in French?
Formal Greetings
In French, emails always start with Bonjour (Hello) or Bonsoir (Good evening), unlike letters, which usually start with Cher / Chère (Dear...). If you're not acquainted with the recipient, use Bonjour monsieur / madame,, meaning 'Hello Sir / Ma'am'.
How do you greet and reply in French?
So to say “hello, how are you?” in French, simply say bonjour, ça va? or salut, ça va? What is this? 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”).
How do you informally greet someone in French?
The most common conversational ways to greet someone in French are:
- Salut. (Hello; Hi. [Informal])
- Bonjour. (Hello; Good morning.)
- Bonsoir. (Good evening.)
How do French greet strangers?
When you meet someone in France, you have three options: Shake hands (with strangers) Faire la bise (kiss on the cheek) (friends, acquaintances and family members) Simply say “Bonjour” (hello, good morning) or “bonsoir” (good evening)
42 related questions foundHow do you greet someone in Paris?
Simple French greetings will serve you well on your trip to Paris. And don't forget, politeness counts! Polite Parisians always end their greetings with either Madame, Monsieur or Mademoiselle. Therefore, "hello" is always "bonjour, madame" or "bonjour, monsieur".
How do I reply Good morning in French?
What is the proper response to bonjour? It's more than sufficient to simply say bonjour back in response to those who greet you, but if you want to go a step beyond, you can respond with comment allez-vous, which is the French equivalent of asking how it's going.
What is the meaning of Enchante?
The word enchanté in French means enchanted, delighted, overjoyed, smitten, or bewitched. In English, the word "enchant" means to influence by charms and incantation, to bewitch, attract, move deeply, or rouse to ecstatic admiration. The similarities in the French and English terms are clear.
How do you introduce yourself in French?
The standard French introduction: Bonjour, je m'appelle _.
The most common way to introduce yourself in French is to say Bonjour, je m'appelle, followed by your name. This can be used in most formal as well as informal situations.
What are 3 greetings in French?
Informal and Formal French Salutations
- Bonjour – Good morning / 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?
How do you say good morning in French?
Bonjour is the most common way to say “good morning” in French, and is the easiest greeting to remember. This is because bonjour is used frequently as a way to say “hello” in formal situations, so it is easy to repurpose the word.
How do you reply to Bonsoir?
When someone greets you bonsoir, you can reply using bonsoir simply. It is use for formal as well as informal greeting in French-speaking countries. There is also an other way of responding or greeting someone when replying to bonsoir. It is by responding “Salut”.
What is my name in French?
If you'd like to say “What is your name?” in French, you generally have two options. To pose the question formally, you'd say “Comment vous-appelez vous? Speaking informally, you can simply ask “Comment t'appelles-tu?”
What are the 12 months of the year in French?
6 Answers. The names of the months in French are "janvier" 'January', "février" 'February', "mars" 'March', "avril" 'April', "mai" 'May', "juin" 'June', "juillet" 'July', "août" 'August', "septembre" 'September', "octobre" 'October', "novembre" 'November' and "décembre" 'December'.
What does Hi mean in French?
The most common greeting in French is the very useful “bonjour”, and “bonsoir”. The first can be used throughout the day, and the second in the evening. “Salut” is also widely used in a more informal setting.
How do you reply to Merci?
The usual response to merci is de rien (You're welcome – literally, It's nothing) or il n'y a pas de quoi. In a more formal context, you could say Je vous en prie or Je t'en prie.
What is C est la vie?
Definition of c'est la vie
: that's life : that's how things happen.
What is La Plouc?
Plouc is a pejorative French expression used about someone who is a little bit country, in the most literal sense. It originated in Brittany in the late 19th century and means paysan (peasant) in the regional accent there.
How do you reply to Bonjour greeting?
When someone greets you with, Bonjour!, you can simply reply with, Bonjour also. This basic form of hello can be used in any context, and with any...
How do you respond to Bonjour madame?
The correct response would be, "Non merci, Madame (or) Monsieur. Je veux regarder, s'il vous plait."
How do you greet someone at night in French?
You can also use bonjour (good morning or good afternoon) or bonsoir (good evening). You would only use bonne nuit (good night) at bedtime.
Do French men kiss greeting?
Yes, even men greet one another with la bise but not nearly as often as it happens between two women or a woman and a man. Usually, men reserve la bise for very close friends and family. It also depends on the region. Where we live, in the south, it's far more common for men to cheek kiss than it is in the north.
What is considered rude in France?
French people tend not to visit unannounced or uninvited. To do so is considered rude. When invited to a dinner, it is common for guests to ask their hosts if they are required to bring something on the day. Guests may also bring a bottle of wine or dessert.
How do you greet someone?
13 Ways to Greet Someone
- Hello. This is the most basic greeting in English. ...
- Hi. This is a shorter version of "hello". ...
- Hey. Now, "hey" is definitely more casual than "hi" or "hello". ...
- Good morning. / Good afternoon. / Good evening. ...
- It's nice to meet you. ...
- It's a pleasure to meet you. ...
- It's good to see you again. ...
- What's up?
How do I say my age in French?
To answer, saying how old you are, you begin with j'ai followed by your age, for example, J'ai 22 ans. In French, the verb avoir is always used when saying how old someone is.