French Greetings: Social Etiquette and Formality Guide

Formal Greetings

Bonjour Monsieur/Madame/Mademoiselle

• Used in professional settings
• Shows respect to strangers
• Example: "Bonjour Madame la Directrice" (Good morning, Director)

Common Formal Combinations

1. "Bonjour Monsieur, comment allez-vous?"

   • Good morning Sir, how are you?
   • Used with older people or in business

2. "Bonsoir Madame, je vous en prie"

   • Good evening Ma'am, after you
   • Perfect for formal evening events

Informal Greetings

Salut - Hi

• Used among friends and family
• Casual and friendly
• Example: "Salut, ça va?" (Hi, how's it going?)

Common Informal Combinations

1. "Salut tout le monde!"

   • Hi everyone!
   • Perfect for casual group settings

2. "Coucou!"

   • Hey there! (very informal)
   • Used mainly with close friends

Greeting with Kisses (La Bise)

1. When to do it:

   • Meeting friends
   • Greeting family
   • Social gatherings

2. When not to do it:

   • Professional meetings
   • First time meetings
   • With strangers

Regional Variations

1. Number of kisses:

   • Paris: 2 kisses
   • South: 3 kisses
   • Some regions: 4 kisses

2. Regional expressions:

   • "Adiu" (South)
   • "Kenavo" (Brittany)

Time-Specific Examples

Morning meeting:

• "Bonjour à tous, je vous souhaite une excellente journée"
• Good morning everyone, I wish you an excellent day

Afternoon departure:

• "Je vous souhaite un bon après-midi"
• I wish you a good afternoon

Evening gathering:

• "Bonsoir à toute la famille"
• Good evening to all the family

Cultural Guidelines

Do's:

1. Always greet before starting conversation
2. Match formality to situation
3. Remember regional customs

Don'ts:

1. Skip greetings
2. Mix formal/informal styles
3. Forget farewell greetings

French greetings are a social art - they set the tone for all interactions that follow.