How to Say Hi in French

Updated on 2024-11-24

Basic Greetings

The most common ways to say "hi" in French change based on formality and time of day.

Casual Greetings

  1. "Salut!" (Hi/Bye)
  • Informal greeting used among friends
  • Can be used for both hello and goodbye
  1. "Coucou!" (Hey!)
  • Very informal, playful greeting
  • Often used with close friends or children

Formal Greetings

  1. "Bonjour!" (Good day/Hello)
  • Standard, polite greeting
  • Used until evening
  • Perfect for shops, restaurants, strangers
  1. "Bonsoir!" (Good evening)
  • Used after about 6 PM
  • Appropriate in all evening situations

Time-Specific Greetings

Morning

"Bonjour!" works all morning, but you can also say:

  1. "Bon matin!" (Good morning)
  • Less common but growing in use
  • More specific to early morning

Afternoon

"Bonjour!" remains standard, until evening approaches

Evening

  1. "Bonsoir!" (Good evening)
  • Used from early evening until bedtime
  1. "Bonne nuit!" (Good night)
  • Only used when someone is going to bed
  • Not a greeting, but a farewell

Adding Politeness

Formal Additions

  1. "Bonjour Monsieur" (Hello Sir)
  • Used with men
  • Shows respect and formality
  1. "Bonjour Madame" (Hello Ma'am)
  • Used with women
  • Professional and courteous

Friendly Additions

  1. "Bonjour, ça va?" (Hello, how are you?)
  • Common follow-up to greetings
  • Expects a brief response
  1. "Salut, comment vas-tu?" (Hi, how are you?)
  • Informal version
  • Used with friends

Regional Variations

  1. Quebec: "Allô!"
  • Common casual greeting
  • Similar to "hello"
  1. Southern France: "Adieu!"
  • Used as "hi" in some regions
  • Different from standard French where it means "farewell"

Common Situations

Entering Shops

  1. "Bonjour!"
  • Always greet when entering
  • Considered very impolite to skip this

Meeting Friends

  1. "Salut!"
  • Followed by kisses on cheeks
  • Number of kisses varies by region

Professional Settings

  1. "Bonjour Madame/Monsieur"
  • Standard office greeting
  • Add person's title if known

Cultural Notes

  • Always greet before starting any interaction
  • Greeting is more important in French culture than in many others
  • Skip greeting someone = considered very rude
  • Different regions have different cheek-kissing customs

Tips for Practice

  1. Start simple:
  • Begin with "Bonjour" - it's always appropriate
  1. Match your environment:
  • Formal setting = formal greeting
  • Casual setting = casual greeting
  1. Observe locals:
  • Notice greeting patterns
  • Follow their example for timing and formality

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