{"id":116762,"date":"2023-06-26T15:37:25","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T19:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-french-greetings\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T21:38:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T02:38:18","slug":"learn-french-greetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/learn-french-greetings\/","title":{"rendered":"“Hello” in French: 36 Essential Greetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you tired of saying bonjour<\/em> every time you greet someone in French?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Well, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a French learner looking to speak more naturally with your French friends, or a business person looking to connect with associates, we\u2019ve got you covered. With these 36 French greetings, you can ditch old bonjour\u00a0<\/em>when you feel like being more creative with your greeting.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cHello\u201d or \u201cHi\u201d in French: The Basic Greetings<\/h2>\n

Here’s a story lesson from our YouTube channel<\/a> covering the basic French greetings:<\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Bonjour <\/em> \u2014 Hello \/ Good Day \/ Good Morning<\/h3>\n

This is undeniably the most used French greeting, and the most versatile. It works in any setting, formal and informal alike<\/strong>, from opening a business meeting to sitting down with a friend for a drink. It\u2019s probably the first word that most French language beginners learn, and for good reason.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, it’s a common courtesy to utter a little bonjour<\/em> to the baker as you walk into the corner boulangerie\u00a0<\/em>(bakery)\u00a0or to the waiter before you order a coffee on the terrace of a Parisian caf\u00e9. In fact, not using this greeting is considered impolite by many<\/strong> and may merit a disdainful glance.<\/p>\n

Once the sun sets, you\u2019ll want to replace this little pleasantry with bonsoir !<\/em> (Good evening!) All in all, using either bonjour<\/em> or bonsoir<\/em> is your best bet for first greeting someone, especially for those you don’t know well.<\/p>\n

Bonsoir<\/em> \u2014 Good evening<\/h3>\n

Similar to bonjour,<\/em> this is a standard greeting every French language learner should know. The only difference is bonsoir<\/em> is used in the evening, usually after six pm and after sunset. It\u2019s the polite way to greet most people<\/strong> at this point in the day, the shopkeeper, the ma\u00eetre d\u2019<\/em> (host\/hostess) at a restaurant or hotel, someone you nearly run into on the street, or even a friend.<\/p>\n

Bien le bonjour<\/em> \u2014 Hello<\/h3>\n

This is a more traditional and slightly formal<\/strong> way of saying hello in French. It’s a polite and respectful greeting used especially when meeting someone for the first time or in more conservative settings. Bien le bonjour<\/em> is often accompanied by a handshake and a friendly smile.<\/p>\n

Salut !<\/em> \u2014 Hi!<\/h3>\n

This is a great greeting to use with anyone you see rather often or someone you know rather well, like a work colleague with similar standing as you, or a good friend. It’s an informal greeting<\/strong>, and should be used as such, so you may not want to salut<\/em>\u00a0your boss, a judge, a police officer or even an older person.<\/p>\n

Note that the “t” on the end of the word is silent, thus following the general rule in French that if a final consonant is not followed by an “e” or other vowel, it isn’t pronounced.<\/p>\n

Coucou !<\/em> \u2014 Hey there!<\/h3>\n

This is an extremely informal way of greeting someone<\/strong>, so reserve this one for close friends and family, otherwise you might get a few quizzical stares. As an added tidbit, the verb phrase faire<\/em> coucou<\/em> (\u00e0 quelqu\u2019un<\/em>) means to wave at or say hey (to someone), and is also quite informal.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the verb phrase jouer \u00e0 coucou<\/em> means to play peekaboo, like a mother does with her baby. This highlights the rather playful and familiar tone behind this word.<\/p>\n

How to Say \u201cHello, How Are You?\u201d in French<\/h2>\n

Enchant\u00e9<\/i><\/b> \u2014 Nice to meet you<\/h3>\n

Enchant\u00e9<\/i> might just be the most magical way to greet someone in French. The direct translation<\/a> means “enchanted” or “delighted.” The term is typically used when being introduced to someone for the first time.<\/strong> For example:<\/p>\n

\n

Frank: Salut Marcus ! C\u2019est mon ami d\u2019enfance, Will.<\/i> <\/i>(Hey Marcus! This is my childhood friend, Will.)<\/p>\n

Marcus: Enchant\u00e9 Will ! Je m\u2019appelle Marcus.<\/i> (Nice to meet you! I\u2019m Marcus.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s also technically an adjective and can be used to describe something or someone as enchanting. But as a greeting, it always stands alone.<\/p>\n

Comment \u00e7a va ?<\/em> \u2014 How are you?<\/h3>\n

This phrase is commonly used in casual, everyday conversations<\/a><\/strong> and is suitable for basically anyone. Just like in English, use this when greeting someone to ask how they’re doing.<\/p>\n

\u00c7a va ?<\/i><\/b> \u2014 How are you?<\/h3>\n

This is probably the most commonly used greeting on this list and the most casual.<\/strong> \u00c7a va<\/i> is used more as a secondary greeting question to follow up an initial greeting such as salut<\/i> or bonjour<\/i>. So you would ask:\u00a0S<\/i>alut, \u00e7a va?<\/i> (Hi, how are you?) to a friend, close acquaintance, or colleague with whom you have a good relationship.<\/p>\n

You shouldn\u2019t use it when speaking with your boss or professor<\/strong>\u2014unless they\u2019ve given the okay to tutoyer<\/i> (permission to use casual tu<\/i> rather than the formal vous<\/i>), or someone you\u2019ve just met.<\/p>\n

\u00c7a va <\/i>can also be used informally as a greeting without another one preceding it. In other words, it\u2019s totally okay to ask a friend you\u2019ve run into on the street \u00c7<\/i>a va ? <\/i>to which they’ll likely reply \u00c7<\/i>a va<\/i>\u00a0as a statement rather than a question.<\/p>\n

Note that the \u00e7 <\/em>in \u00c7a va<\/i>\u00a0is pronounced like an “s.” It’s a letter in French known as the cedilla.<\/p>\n

Tu vas bien <\/em>?<\/i><\/b> \u2014 How are you?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Another variation of \u00e7a va <\/i>this one can be used interchangeably and only in informal settings<\/strong>. The literal translation of tu vas bien<\/i> is are you going good which sums it up pretty well. Other meanings include are you well and how have you been (if it\u2019s been a while since you\u2019ve seen the person you\u2019re talking to.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

For formal situations, use the conjugation for vous, vous allez bien ? <\/i>Don\u2019t forget the liaison between vous<\/i> and allez <\/i>which means you pronounce the \u201cs\u201d at the end of vous<\/i> since allez<\/i> begins with a vowel. And remember, the \u201cs\u201d is pronounced as more of a soft \u201cz.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comment allez-vous ?<\/i><\/b> \u2014 How are you [formal]?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Comment allez-vous<\/i> is the formal version of <\/strong>\u00e7a va<\/i><\/strong> and should be used in settings or with superiors or people you don\u2019t know that well. For example, if you run into the VP of your department at the grocery store, it\u2019s best to say\u00a0Bonjour,<\/i> comment allez-vous ?<\/i> <\/i>(Hi, how are you?) rather than using bonjour \u00e7a va.<\/i><\/p>\n

And remember, you pronounce the \u201ct\u201d at the end of comment <\/i>since the next word, allez<\/i> begins with a vowel.<\/p>\n

Comment tu vas ?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 How are you?<\/h3>\n

This is the informal version of the previous greeting,<\/strong> with its formality level falling somewhere between comment allez-vous ?<\/em>\u00a0and \u00e7a va ? <\/em>As such, it’s used with friends, family members or peers. It’s not for use with your boss!<\/p>\n

Like in English, this phrase is asking how you’re doing as a greeting, and the speaker doesn’t generally actually want an honest answer. To respond to someone greeting you this way, you can respond with in a general way, like Je vais bien<\/em> (I’m fine) or \u00c7a va bien<\/em> (It’s going well).<\/p>\n

Comment se passe ta journ\u00e9e ?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 How’s your day going?<\/h3>\n

This greeting can be used any time of day and can be used in both informal and formal situations<\/strong>\u2014just remember to change ta<\/em> to votre <\/em>when you’re being polite.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Comment \u00e7a se passe pour toi ?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 How are things going?<\/h3>\n

This greeting is also friendly and informal,<\/strong> and conveys more of a genuine interest in how someone is doing. You can ask how things are going to inquire about life in general, work or any other personal situations your friend or relative is facing.<\/p>\n

This one’s especially useful if you know something’s been going on in someone’s life and you want to check in on them.<\/p>\n

Quoi de neuf ?<\/em> \u2014 What\u2019s up?<\/h3>\n

This informal phrase literally means “what\u2019s new?”<\/strong> and it’s an excellent greeting to use with a friend you haven\u2019t spoken with in a while, with the intent of starting a conversation about what’s been going on in your lives since you last met.<\/p>\n

\u00c7a roule ?<\/em> \u2014 How’s it going?<\/h3>\n

This greeting is a very casual and colloquial way to say hey to your friends. <\/strong>The phrase literally means “Does it roll?” and you can respond with Oui, \u00e7a roule !<\/em> (Yes, everything’s going smoothly!)<\/p>\n

More Common French Greetings<\/h2>\n

Bienvenue<\/em> \u2014 Welcome<\/h3>\n

This is the term you’ll be greeted with when visiting someone\u2019s house, office or really anywhere else that you’ve been invited to.<\/p>\n

Bienvenue<\/i> can also be used to welcome someone to a new place.<\/strong> You\u2019ll often hear bienvenue en France<\/i> (welcome to France) when a local learns you\u2019re visiting their country for the first time.<\/p>\n

Also, fun fact, bienvenue<\/i> is composed of two separate words:\u00a0<\/i>bien<\/i> (well\/good) and\u00a0venue<\/i> (technically past tense of the verb \u201ccome”). So when put together, it literally combines to “well-come”!<\/p>\n

Ravie de te rencontrer<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Delighted to meet you<\/h3>\n

This is the phrase you use when you’re meeting someone new. Note that it’s informal,<\/strong> so it’s better used among friends and acquaintancenes.<\/p>\n

The formal version of this phrase is Ravie de vous rencontrer.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00c7a fait longtemps, dis donc !<\/i><\/b> \u2014 Long time no see!<\/b><\/h3>\n

A less frequently used phrase for greeting, this one’s reserved for when you see someone you haven\u2019t seen for quite some time.<\/strong> So it’s not a daily occurrence, and you shouldn’t walk into the office and say this to your colleagues unless you\u2019ve just returned from an extended vacation or time off for another reason.<\/p>\n

You can also use the first part of the phrase, \u00e7a fait longtemps <\/i>to refer to something you haven\u2019t done in a while. For example: Allons skier, \u00e7a fait longtemps. <\/i>(Let\u2019s go skiing, it\u2019s been a while.)<\/p>\n

How to Answer the Phone in French<\/h2>\n

All\u00f4 ?<\/em> \u2014 Hello?<\/h3>\n

While a cognate with English “hello,” this greeting isn’t used in the same way as English “hello” or even bonjour,<\/em> so you can’t use it to greet people on the street<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This word is used mostly just to answer the phone.<\/strong> It can also be used to get the attention of someone who hasn’t heard you, the point being that it’s as though the person wasn’t there.<\/p>\n

All\u00f4, [Your Name] \u00e0 l’appareil<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 [Your Name] speaking<\/h3>\n

This phrase combines the greeting allo<\/em>\u00a0with a self-introduction. It’s a polite and pretty formal way to answer the phone,<\/strong> basically the same as in English. You’re more likely to hear and use it in professional situations.<\/p>\n

Oui, bonjour<\/em> \u2014 Yes, hello<\/h3>\n

If you’re looking for a phone greeting that’s fairly neutral in formality,<\/strong> this is the one for you. You’d use this to acknowledge the caller while maintaining a friendly tone.<\/p>\n

Written Versions of “Hello” in French<\/h2>\n

Salutations distingu\u00e9es<\/em> \u2014 Distinguished greetings<\/h3>\n

This is a formal and polite<\/strong> way of saying hello in French, commonly used in written correspondence, particularly in business or official letters.<\/strong> If you use it anywhere else in writing, it’ll seem stuffy!<\/p>\n

Salutations<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Greetings<\/h3>\n

Look familiar? This English-French cognate means exactly what it looks like, and is used as a respectful opening in written correspondence.<\/strong> You’ll generally only see it in business letters.<\/p>\n

Cher<\/em>\/Ch\u00e8re<\/em> \u2014 Dear<\/h3>\n

Follow these up with the name of the person you’re writing to, and you have the versatile letter heading of “Dear [Name],” an excellent choice for semi-formal occasions.<\/strong> Remember to use the correct form of the French word to avoid offense!<\/p>\n

Cher Monsieur<\/em>\/Cher Madame<\/em> \u2014 Dear Sir\/Madam<\/h3>\n

If you don’t know the name of the person you’re writing, opt for this written greeting! It’s polite and neutral,<\/strong> though it sounds more formal than using a person’s name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bonjour \u00e0 tous<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Hello to everyone<\/h3>\n

This one’s used to address a group of people in written correspondence. It is commonly used in emails, newsletters or announcements to greet and acknowledge a wider audience.<\/p>\n

How to Say “Goodbye” in French<\/h2>\n

You’ve said hello and had a conversation. Now that it’s time to move on, here are some ways to say goodbye!<\/p>\n