Informal greetings in French help you start conversations naturally with friends, family, and people you know well. You’ll learn common phrases, what they mean, and how to use them.
Common Informal Greetings
These are the most common ways to say hello in an informal setting. They are short and friendly.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Salut ! | Hi! / Bye! |
| Coucou ! | Hey there! |
| Bonjour ! | Hello! (but less formal than “Bonjour” in strict settings) |
| Hé ! | Hey! |
| Yo ! | Yo! |
| Salut tout le monde ! | Hi everyone! |
| Allô ? | Hello? (on the phone) |
| Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how are you? |
| Ça roule ? | How’s it going? |
| Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? |
Informal Ways to Ask “How Are You?”
After a greeting, you often ask how someone is doing. These are some casual ways to do that.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ça va ? | How’s it going? |
| Ça va bien ? | Are you doing well? |
| Comment ça va ? | How’s it going? |
| Ça gaze ? | How’s it going? (literally “Is it gas?”) |
| Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? |
| Tu vas bien ? | Are you doing well? |
| Ça boume ? | How’s it going? (slang) |
| Qu’est-ce qu’il y a ? | What’s up? |
| T’as la forme ? | Are you feeling good? |
| Alors, quoi de beau ? | So, what’s good? |
What informal French question means 'Are you feeling good?'?
T’as la forme ?
'T’as la forme ?' is an informal way to ask "Are you feeling good?" or "Are you in good shape?".
Friendly Responses
Here are some simple ways to reply to informal greetings about how you’re doing.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ça va. | I’m fine. / It’s going. |
| Ça va bien. | I’m doing well. |
| Pas mal. | Not bad. |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | So-so. |
| Ça roule. | It’s going. |
| Tranquille. | Chill. |
| Nickel ! | Perfect! |
| Ça gaze ! | It’s going great! |
| Toujours là. | Still here. |
| Super ! | Great! |
Which French response means 'Not bad' in an informal conversation?
Pas mal.
'Pas mal.' literally means "Not bad" and is commonly used as a modest positive response.
Informal Goodbye Phrases
When you’re leaving, these are casual ways to say goodbye.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Salut ! | Bye! |
| À plus ! | See you later! |
| Ciao ! | Bye! |
| À toute ! | See you soon! |
| À plus tard ! | See you later! |
| Bye ! | Bye! |
| À plus tard, tout le monde ! | See you later, everyone! |
| À demain ! | See you tomorrow! |
| On se voit plus tard ! | See you later! |
| Tchao ! | Bye! |
You now have a handy list of informal greetings and responses to use in everyday French conversation!
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English: Hi! / Bye!
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
