Greeting people well is the fastest way to make a good first impression in France. The ten expressions below cover almost every situation, from a bakery to a business meeting.
The 10 greetings
| French | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good day | Until about 6 pm, any situation |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | After about 6 pm |
| Salut | Hi / Bye | Friends and family |
| Coucou | Hey! | Very informal, close friends |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? (formal) | Strangers, colleagues, elders |
| Ça va ? | How’s it going? | Informal, also used as the answer |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | First meetings |
| Au revoir | Goodbye | Any situation |
| À bientôt | See you soon | When you expect to meet again |
| Bonne journée | Have a nice day | Leaving shops, offices, calls |
Tu or vous?
French has two ways to say “you”. Use vous with strangers, older people and in professional settings. Use tu with friends, family, children and peers. When unsure, start with vous; the other person will usually invite you to switch with “On peut se tutoyer ?”
Mini dialogue
— Bonjour, madame. Comment allez-vous ?
— Très bien, merci. Et vous ?
— Ça va bien, merci. Au revoir et bonne journée !
Practice tip
Say “Bonjour” every time you enter a small shop in France. It is considered polite, and skipping it can feel abrupt. Try greeting yourself in French each morning for a week and the phrases will stick.