About us
Our goal is not to overload students with heavy grammar, turning them into philologists, but to teach a real, living language. The one you hear in a store, the one that allows you to communicate, meet people and clearly articulate your thoughts in a foreign language.
sales team
Formal Greetings in French
31.03.2025
4 minutes to read
Of course, you know that “hello” in French is bonjour. But in France, it’s not that simple! People greet each other differently depending on the time of day, the situation, and even how well they know each other. Want to learn how to say “hello” to a boss, a friend, or a random passerby? Then keep reading!
Cotnents
If you want to come across as polite and cultured in France, a simple “Salut!” (Hi!) won’t be enough. For formal situations, you’ll need something more serious. Let’s break it down.
1. Bonjour — the classic polite greeting
Bonjour (bon-zhoor) is a universal option that fits any situation. It’s like saying “Good day” or “Hello” in English. You use it in the morning and during the day when seeing someone for the first time. If you’re walking into a shop, an office, or talking to strangers, bonjour is your best friend.
Examples:
— In a shop: Bonjour, madame. Avez-vous du pain frais? (Hello, ma’am. Do you have fresh bread?)
— In an office: Bonjour, monsieur Dupont. Comment allez-vous? (Hello, Mr. Dupont. How are you?)
2. Bonsoir — the evening version
After 6 PM or when it’s starting to get dark, people switch from bonjour to bonsoir (bon-swahr). It’s basically the evening version of “hello.” If you storm into a restaurant and yell bonjour at 9 PM, they’ll understand, but it’ll feel a little odd.
Examples:
— In a restaurant: Bonsoir, avez-vous une table pour deux? (Good evening, do you have a table for two?)
— At the theater: Bonsoir, le spectacle commence à quelle heure? (Good evening, what time does the show start?)
3. Comment allez-vous? — the polite “how are you”
If you want to be extra polite, say Bonjour, comment allez-vous? (bon-zhoor, koh-mahn-tah-lay-voo?). That’s like saying, “Hello, how are you?” in a formal way. This is used in official settings — with a teacher, a doctor, or someone you don’t know well.
Examples:
— At school: Bonjour, madame Lefevre. Comment allez-vous? (Hello, Madame Lefevre. How are you?)
— At the doctor’s: Bonjour, docteur. Comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (Hello, doctor. How are you feeling today?)
4. Enchanté(e) — nice to meet you
When you’re introduced to someone, you can say Enchanté (ahn-shahn-tay) if you’re male, or Enchantée if you’re female. It means “Nice to meet you” and sounds very elegant.
Examples:
— During an introduction: Bonjour, je m’appelle Maxime. Enchanté! (Hello, my name is Maxime. Nice to meet you!)
— In a work setting: Bonsoir, je suis votre nouvelle collègue, Claire. Enchantée! (Good evening, I’m your new colleague, Claire. Nice to meet you!)
5. Messieurs-dames — when greeting a group
If you walk into a café or store and want to greet everyone at once, say Messieurs-dames! (meh-syuh-dahm). It’s like saying “Hello, ladies and gentlemen!” in a casual, everyday way.
Examples:
— At a café: Messieurs-dames! Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui? (Hello, everyone! What do you recommend today?)
— In a store: Messieurs-dames! Où puis-je trouver des souvenirs? (Hello! Where can I find souvenirs?)
If you don’t want to end up in an awkward situation in France, remember:
✔ Use Bonjour during the day and Bonsoir in the evening.
✔ Add Comment allez-vous? if you want to be especially polite.
✔ Say Enchanté(e) when meeting someone for the first time.
✔ Use Messieurs-dames when addressing a group of people.
Now you definitely won’t mix up French formal greetings!
1. Bonjour — the classic polite greeting
Bonjour (bon-zhoor) is a universal option that fits any situation. It’s like saying “Good day” or “Hello” in English. You use it in the morning and during the day when seeing someone for the first time. If you’re walking into a shop, an office, or talking to strangers, bonjour is your best friend.
Examples:
— In a shop: Bonjour, madame. Avez-vous du pain frais? (Hello, ma’am. Do you have fresh bread?)
— In an office: Bonjour, monsieur Dupont. Comment allez-vous? (Hello, Mr. Dupont. How are you?)
2. Bonsoir — the evening version
After 6 PM or when it’s starting to get dark, people switch from bonjour to bonsoir (bon-swahr). It’s basically the evening version of “hello.” If you storm into a restaurant and yell bonjour at 9 PM, they’ll understand, but it’ll feel a little odd.
Examples:
— In a restaurant: Bonsoir, avez-vous une table pour deux? (Good evening, do you have a table for two?)
— At the theater: Bonsoir, le spectacle commence à quelle heure? (Good evening, what time does the show start?)
3. Comment allez-vous? — the polite “how are you”
If you want to be extra polite, say Bonjour, comment allez-vous? (bon-zhoor, koh-mahn-tah-lay-voo?). That’s like saying, “Hello, how are you?” in a formal way. This is used in official settings — with a teacher, a doctor, or someone you don’t know well.
Examples:
— At school: Bonjour, madame Lefevre. Comment allez-vous? (Hello, Madame Lefevre. How are you?)
— At the doctor’s: Bonjour, docteur. Comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (Hello, doctor. How are you feeling today?)
4. Enchanté(e) — nice to meet you
When you’re introduced to someone, you can say Enchanté (ahn-shahn-tay) if you’re male, or Enchantée if you’re female. It means “Nice to meet you” and sounds very elegant.
Examples:
— During an introduction: Bonjour, je m’appelle Maxime. Enchanté! (Hello, my name is Maxime. Nice to meet you!)
— In a work setting: Bonsoir, je suis votre nouvelle collègue, Claire. Enchantée! (Good evening, I’m your new colleague, Claire. Nice to meet you!)
5. Messieurs-dames — when greeting a group
If you walk into a café or store and want to greet everyone at once, say Messieurs-dames! (meh-syuh-dahm). It’s like saying “Hello, ladies and gentlemen!” in a casual, everyday way.
Examples:
— At a café: Messieurs-dames! Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui? (Hello, everyone! What do you recommend today?)
— In a store: Messieurs-dames! Où puis-je trouver des souvenirs? (Hello! Where can I find souvenirs?)
If you don’t want to end up in an awkward situation in France, remember:
✔ Use Bonjour during the day and Bonsoir in the evening.
✔ Add Comment allez-vous? if you want to be especially polite.
✔ Say Enchanté(e) when meeting someone for the first time.
✔ Use Messieurs-dames when addressing a group of people.
Now you definitely won’t mix up French formal greetings!
Formal Greetings in French
Informal Greetings in French
French people love to chat and often use informal greetings, especially with friends, family, and peers. If you greet your best friend with a stiff Bonjour, they might think you’re mad at them. Let’s see what works for casual conversations.
1. Salut — the all-purpose “Hi!”
Salut (sah-loo) is just like “Hi!” You can use it with friends, family members, or classmates. But avoid using it with unfamiliar adults — it’s too informal.
Examples:
— With a friend: Salut, Emma! Ça va? (Hi, Emma! How’s it going?)
— At school: Salut, les gars! Vous avez fait les devoirs? (Hi, guys! Did you do the homework?)
2. Coucou — a cute and friendly greeting
Coucou (koo-koo) is more like “Hey there!” or “Hiya!” It’s used with close friends, kids, or family members. Don’t use it with strangers — it’s way too casual.
Examples:
— On the phone: Coucou, maman! Je suis bien arrivée! (Hey, Mom! I got here safely!)
— In a chat: Coucou, tu fais quoi ce soir? (Hey, what are you up to tonight?)
3. Yo, Wesh — slangy ways to say hi
If you want to sound like a real French teen, you can say Yo! or Wesh! (wesh). It’s youth slang, kind of like “Yo!” or “Sup?” in English.
Examples:
— On the street: Wesh, mon pote! T’as vu le match hier? (Yo, bro! Did you see the game yesterday?)
— On social media: Yo, ça dit quoi? (Yo, what’s up?)
4. Salut tout le monde! — Hi everyone!
If you want to greet a whole group at once, say Salut tout le monde! (Hi, everyone!). It’s great for school, parties, or when hanging out with friends.
Examples:
— In class: Salut tout le monde! Vous êtes prêts pour le contrôle? (Hey everyone! Ready for the test?)
— At a meetup: Salut tout le monde! Ça fait longtemps! (Hey guys! Long time no see!)
5. Ça va? — “How’s it going?” as a greeting
In France, people often greet each other by jumping straight to Ça va? (How’s it going?). Sometimes it even replaces a regular “Hi.”
Examples:
— With a friend: Ça va, Léo? (How’s it going, Léo?)
— At a party: Eh, ça va tout le monde? (Hey, how’s everyone doing?)
If you want to speak like a native, remember:
✔ Salut — the all-purpose “Hi!”
✔ Coucou — for cute and friendly greetings
✔ Yo/Wesh — teen slang
✔ Salut tout le monde! — when greeting a group
✔ Ça va? — greeting and “how are you” in one
Now you’re all set for casual French conversations!
1. Salut — the all-purpose “Hi!”
Salut (sah-loo) is just like “Hi!” You can use it with friends, family members, or classmates. But avoid using it with unfamiliar adults — it’s too informal.
Examples:
— With a friend: Salut, Emma! Ça va? (Hi, Emma! How’s it going?)
— At school: Salut, les gars! Vous avez fait les devoirs? (Hi, guys! Did you do the homework?)
2. Coucou — a cute and friendly greeting
Coucou (koo-koo) is more like “Hey there!” or “Hiya!” It’s used with close friends, kids, or family members. Don’t use it with strangers — it’s way too casual.
Examples:
— On the phone: Coucou, maman! Je suis bien arrivée! (Hey, Mom! I got here safely!)
— In a chat: Coucou, tu fais quoi ce soir? (Hey, what are you up to tonight?)
3. Yo, Wesh — slangy ways to say hi
If you want to sound like a real French teen, you can say Yo! or Wesh! (wesh). It’s youth slang, kind of like “Yo!” or “Sup?” in English.
Examples:
— On the street: Wesh, mon pote! T’as vu le match hier? (Yo, bro! Did you see the game yesterday?)
— On social media: Yo, ça dit quoi? (Yo, what’s up?)
4. Salut tout le monde! — Hi everyone!
If you want to greet a whole group at once, say Salut tout le monde! (Hi, everyone!). It’s great for school, parties, or when hanging out with friends.
Examples:
— In class: Salut tout le monde! Vous êtes prêts pour le contrôle? (Hey everyone! Ready for the test?)
— At a meetup: Salut tout le monde! Ça fait longtemps! (Hey guys! Long time no see!)
5. Ça va? — “How’s it going?” as a greeting
In France, people often greet each other by jumping straight to Ça va? (How’s it going?). Sometimes it even replaces a regular “Hi.”
Examples:
— With a friend: Ça va, Léo? (How’s it going, Léo?)
— At a party: Eh, ça va tout le monde? (Hey, how’s everyone doing?)
If you want to speak like a native, remember:
✔ Salut — the all-purpose “Hi!”
✔ Coucou — for cute and friendly greetings
✔ Yo/Wesh — teen slang
✔ Salut tout le monde! — when greeting a group
✔ Ça va? — greeting and “how are you” in one
Now you’re all set for casual French conversations!
Examples of use
Below is a handy table that contains all the formal and informal greetings mentioned in the article. It will help you quickly orient yourself and choose the appropriate phrase depending on the situation. The table shows the French expression, its pronunciation, translation into English and an explanation of when and with whom it is appropriate to use it.
This website uses cookies to give you the best possible experience.
OK
