A comprehensive guide to common French greetings, including vocabulary, example sentences, and cultural tips for natural conversation.
Greetings are the building blocks of any conversation. In French, as in many languages, there are specific phrases for saying hello, goodbye, and checking in on someone’s well-being. This guide covers the most common everyday greetings you’ll need, along with example sentences to see how they’re used in context.
Saying Hello
Saying hello is the first step in any interaction. French has several ways to greet someone, depending on the time of day and the level of formality.
| French Greeting | English Greeting | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning | Bonjour, comment ça va ? | Hello, how are you? |
| Salut | Hi / Hello | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how are you? |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Bonsoir, vous allez bien ? | Good evening, are you well? |
| Coucou | Hi (informal) | Coucou, tu es là ? | Hi, are you there? |
| Allô | Hello (on the phone) | Allô, qui est à l’appareil ? | Hello, who’s on the line? |
Asking "How Are You?"
After saying hello, it’s common to ask how the other person is doing. French offers several ways to do this, from casual to formal.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comment ça va ? | How’s it going? | Salut, comment ça va ? | Hi, how’s it going? |
| Ça va ? | How are you? | Ça va ? | How are you? |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? (formal) | Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? | Hello, how are you? |
| Tu vas bien ? | Are you doing well? | Tu vas bien aujourd’hui ? | Are you doing well today? |
| Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? | Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? |
Saying Goodbye
When it’s time to end a conversation, French has several ways to say goodbye. Some are formal, while others are casual or even affectionate.
| French Farewell | English Farewell | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au revoir | Goodbye | Au revoir, à demain ! | Goodbye, see you tomorrow! |
| Salut | Bye / See ya | Salut, à plus ! | Bye, see you later! |
| À bientôt | See you soon | À bientôt, prends soin de toi. | See you soon, take care of yourself. |
| À plus / À plus tard | See you later | À plus tard, je dois y aller. | See you later, I have to go. |
| Ciao | Bye (informal) | Ciao, bonne soirée ! | Bye, have a good evening! |
How would you say 'Bye, have a good evening!' in French?
Ciao, bonne soirée !
'Ciao, bonne soirée !' is an informal way to say 'Bye, have a good evening!' in French. 'Bonne soirée' is used in the evening.
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Which French farewell is used to say 'See you soon'?
À bientôt
'À bientôt' means 'See you soon' and is commonly used when you expect to see the person again in the near future.
Courtesy Phrases
Adding a bit of politeness goes a long way in any language. These simple phrases can help you sound more natural and respectful in French conversations.
| French Phrase | English Phrase | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| S’il vous plaît | Please (formal) | Un café, s’il vous plaît. | A coffee, please. |
| S’il te plaît | Please (informal) | Donne-moi ça, s’il te plaît. | Give me that, please. |
| Merci | Thank you | Merci pour ton aide. | Thank you for your help. |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup ! | Thank you very much! |
| De rien | You’re welcome | — Merci ! — De rien. | — Thanks! — You’re welcome. |
Cultural Notes
- In French-speaking cultures, it’s common to greet people with a light kiss on both cheeks (la bise), especially among friends and family.
- Using vous vs. tu is important: vous is formal or plural, while tu is informal and used among friends or family.
- Greetings are often more elaborate in French; people may ask multiple questions about well-being before getting to the main topic.
- Allô is primarily used when answering the phone, not in face-to-face greetings.
- Time-specific greetings like bonjour and bonsoir are generally used until midnight. After that, people often just say goodbye.
Understanding these everyday greetings will help you start and end conversations smoothly, making your French interactions more natural and friendly.
Flashcards (1 of 20)
- English Greeting: Hello / Good morning
- English Example: Hello, how are you?
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
