Learning how to greet someone in a new language can be exciting. If you’re interested in French, knowing the right way to say “hello” or “goodbye” is a great starting point. French greetings are widely used around the world, not just in France, but also in many other countries where French is spoken.
In this article, we will explore the most common ways to greet someone in French. We’ll also look at different variations of these greetings and some helpful responses you can use. By the end of this article, you’ll have a good understanding of French greetings and be ready to use them in everyday conversations!
Ways to say “Greetings” in French
In French, greetings can vary depending on the time of day, formality, or how well you know the person. Here are 25 common ways to say “greetings” in French, with their meanings and examples:
Bonjour (bohn-zhoor) – Good morning/Hello
- Meaning: A standard greeting for any time of day until evening.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, comment ça va? (Good morning, how are you?)
- Bonjour, Marie! (Hello, Marie!)
Salut (sa-loo) – Hi
- Meaning: Informal way to say hello, usually used with friends.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, Paul! (Hi, Paul!)
- Salut, tu vas bien? (Hi, are you doing well?)
Bonsoir (bohn-swahr) – Good evening
- Meaning: Used to greet someone in the evening.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonsoir, monsieur! (Good evening, sir!)
- Bonsoir, comment avez-vous passé votre journée? (Good evening, how was your day?)
Ça va? (sah vah) – How are you?
- Meaning: A casual way of asking someone how they’re doing.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? (Hi, how are you?)
- Ça va bien, merci! (I’m fine, thank you!)
Comment ça va? (koh-mohn sah vah) – How’s it going?
- Meaning: A more detailed way to ask how someone is.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, comment ça va? (Hi, how’s it going?)
- Comment ça va aujourd’hui? (How’s it going today?)
Bienvenue (byan-vuh-noo) – Welcome
- Meaning: Used to greet someone arriving at a place.
- In a Sentence:
- Bienvenue chez moi! (Welcome to my house!)
- Bienvenue à Paris! (Welcome to Paris!)
Enchanté(e) (ahn-shan-tay) – Nice to meet you
- Meaning: Used when meeting someone for the first time.
- In a Sentence:
- Enchanté, je m’appelle Sarah. (Nice to meet you, my name is Sarah.)
- Enchantée de vous rencontrer! (Nice to meet you!)
Salut tout le monde (sa-loo toot luh mond) – Hi everyone
- Meaning: Used when greeting a group of people.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut tout le monde, comment allez-vous? (Hi everyone, how are you all?)
- Salut tout le monde, c’est l’heure du déjeuner! (Hi everyone, it’s lunch time!)
Bien le bonjour (byan luh bohn-zhoor) – Good morning (polite)
- Meaning: A formal greeting used in polite conversations.
- In a Sentence:
- Bien le bonjour, madame! (Good morning, ma’am!)
- Bien le bonjour, comment puis-je vous aider? (Good morning, how can I help you?)
Coucou (koo-koo) – Hey
- Meaning: Very informal and playful, used with close friends.
- In a Sentence:
- Coucou, ça va? (Hey, how’s it going?)
- Coucou, tu as passé une bonne journée? (Hey, did you have a good day?)
Allô (ah-lo) – Hello (on the phone)
- Meaning: Used when answering the phone.
- In a Sentence:
- Allô, qui est à l’appareil? (Hello, who’s on the phone?)
- Allô, c’est Marie. (Hello, it’s Marie.)
Bonsoirée (bohn-swahr-ay) – Good evening (informal)
- Meaning: A casual way to wish someone a good evening.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonne soirée, à demain! (Good evening, see you tomorrow!)
- Passe une bonne soirée! (Have a good evening!)
Bonne nuit (bohn nwee) – Good night
- Meaning: Used to say good night before going to bed.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonne nuit, à demain! (Good night, see you tomorrow!)
- Bonne nuit, fais de beaux rêves! (Good night, sweet dreams!)
Ça roule? (sah rool) – How’s it going? (informal)
- Meaning: Informal way of asking how someone is, used among friends.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça roule? (Hey, how’s it going?)
- Ça roule, tout va bien. (It’s going well, everything’s good.)
Salut, à plus! (sa-loo, ah ploo) – Hi, see you later!
- Meaning: Casual goodbye among friends.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, à plus! (Hi, see you later!)
- On se voit demain, salut, à plus! (We’ll see each other tomorrow, see you later!)
Je vous en prie (zhuh voo ahn pree) – You’re welcome (polite)
- Meaning: Used to respond when someone thanks you.
- In a Sentence:
- Merci pour votre aide! – Je vous en prie! (Thank you for your help! – You’re welcome!)
- De rien, je vous en prie. (It’s nothing, you’re welcome.)
À bientôt (ah byan-toh) – See you soon
- Meaning: Casual way to say goodbye when you plan to see someone soon.
- In a Sentence:
- À bientôt, j’ai hâte de te revoir! (See you soon, I can’t wait to see you again!)
- À bientôt, passe une bonne journée! (See you soon, have a great day!)
Bonne journée (bohn zhoor-nay) – Have a nice day
- Meaning: A polite wish for someone to have a nice day.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonne journée, à demain! (Have a nice day, see you tomorrow!)
- Bonne journée à vous aussi! (Have a nice day to you too!)
À tout à l’heure (ah toot ah luhr) – See you later (in a few hours)
- Meaning: Used when you’ll see someone later the same day.
- In a Sentence:
- À tout à l’heure, on se retrouve pour déjeuner! (See you later, we’ll meet for lunch!)
- À tout à l’heure, j’ai besoin de faire quelques courses. (See you later, I need to run some errands.)
Comment allez-vous? (koh-mohn tah-lay voo) – How are you? (formal)
- Meaning: A polite way to ask someone how they’re doing.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (Good morning, how are you today?)
- Comment allez-vous, madame? (How are you, ma’am?)
Joyeux anniversaire (zhwah-yuhz ah-nee-ver-sair) – Happy Birthday
- Meaning: A greeting to wish someone a happy birthday.
- In a Sentence:
- Joyeux anniversaire, Julie! (Happy birthday, Julie!)
- Joyeux anniversaire, j’espère que ta journée est géniale! (Happy birthday, I hope your day is amazing!)
Félicitations (fay-lee-see-tah-syon) – Congratulations
- Meaning: Used to congratulate someone on an achievement.
- In a Sentence:
- Félicitations pour ton examen! (Congratulations on your exam!)
- Félicitations pour ta promotion! (Congratulations on your promotion!)
Bon appétit (bohn ah-pey-tee) – Enjoy your meal
- Meaning: Used to wish someone a good meal.
- In a Sentence:
- Bon appétit! (Enjoy your meal!)
- Bon appétit à tous! (Enjoy your meal, everyone!)
Bien joué (byan zhoo-ay) – Well done
- Meaning: Used to praise someone for doing something well.
- In a Sentence:
- Bien joué, tu as bien répondu! (Well done, you answered well!)
- Bien joué, tu as gagné! (Well done, you won!)
À demain (ah duh-muhn) – See you tomorrow
- Meaning: Used to say goodbye when you’ll see someone the next day.
- In a Sentence:
- À demain, on se voit à 9h! (See you tomorrow, we’ll meet at 9 am!)
- À demain, passe une bonne soirée! (See you tomorrow, have a great evening!)
Other Ways to Say “Greetings” in French
Here’s a table with some additional ways to greet someone in French. These expressions can be useful in various contexts, from casual to more formal situations.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Salut tout le monde | (sa-loo toot luh mond) | Hi everyone | Salut tout le monde, comment ça va? (Hi everyone, how’s it going?) Salut tout le monde, c’est l’heure du déjeuner! (Hi everyone, it’s lunchtime!) |
| Bienvenue | (byan-vuh-noo) | Welcome | Bienvenue chez moi! (Welcome to my place!) Bienvenue à Paris! (Welcome to Paris!) |
| Bonne après-midi | (bohn ah-pray-mee-dee) | Good afternoon | Bonne après-midi! (Good afternoon!) Bonne après-midi, comment ça va? (Good afternoon, how are you?) |
| À bientôt | (ah byan-toh) | See you soon | À bientôt, j’ai hâte de te revoir! (See you soon, I can’t wait to see you again!) À bientôt, passe une bonne journée! (See you soon, have a good day!) |
| Bonne soirée | (bohn swahr-ay) | Have a good evening | Bonne soirée, à demain! (Have a good evening, see you tomorrow!) Passe une bonne soirée! (Have a good evening!) |
| Coucou | (koo-koo) | Hey, informal greeting | Coucou, ça va? (Hey, how’s it going?) Coucou, tu as passé une bonne journée? (Hey, did you have a good day?) |
| À plus tard | (ah ploo tahr) | See you later | À plus tard, on se retrouve pour déjeuner! (See you later, we’ll meet for lunch!) À plus tard, fais attention! (See you later, take care!) |
| Comment allez-vous? | (koh-mohn tah-lay voo) | How are you? (formal) | Comment allez-vous, madame? (How are you, ma’am?) Bonjour, comment allez-vous aujourd’hui? (Good morning, how are you today?) |
| Allô | (ah-lo) | Hello (on the phone) | Allô, qui est à l’appareil? (Hello, who’s calling?) Allô, c’est Marie. (Hello, it’s Marie.) |
| Je vous en prie | (zhuh voo ahn pree) | You’re welcome (polite) | Merci pour votre aide! – Je vous en prie! (Thank you for your help! – You’re welcome!) De rien, je vous en prie. (It’s nothing, you’re welcome.) |
| Bonne nuit | (bohn nwee) | Good night | Bonne nuit, à demain! (Good night, see you tomorrow!) Bonne nuit, fais de beaux rêves! (Good night, sweet dreams!) |
| Joyeux anniversaire | (zhwah-yuhz ah-nee-ver-sair) | Happy birthday | Joyeux anniversaire, Julie! (Happy birthday, Julie!) Joyeux anniversaire, j’espère que ta journée est géniale! (Happy birthday, I hope your day is amazing!) |
| Félicitations | (fay-lee-see-tah-syon) | Congratulations | Félicitations pour ton examen! (Congratulations on your exam!) Félicitations pour ta promotion! (Congratulations on your promotion!) |
Response to “Greetings” in French
When someone greets you in French, it’s important to know how to respond appropriately. The way you respond can depend on the time of day, your relationship with the person, or the context of the conversation. Below are some common responses to greetings in French:
Ça va! (sah vah) – I’m good!
- Meaning: This is a simple and informal response. You can use it with friends or people you know well.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Ça va! (Hi, how are you? – I’m good!)
- Salut, comment ça va? – Ça va très bien! (Hi, how’s it going? – It’s going very well!)
Ça va bien, merci. (sah vah byan, mehr-see) – I’m fine, thank you.
- Meaning: A polite and standard response. Use it in both casual and formal situations.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, comment ça va? – Ça va bien, merci! (Good morning, how are you? – I’m fine, thank you!)
- Salut, ça va? – Ça va bien, merci. Et toi? (Hi, how are you? – I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
Très bien, merci. (tray byan, mehr-see) – Very well, thank you.
- Meaning: Another polite response, showing that you’re doing well. You can use it in any setting.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Très bien, merci! (Hi, how’s it going? – Very well, thank you!)
- Comment ça va? – Très bien, merci! (How are you? – Very well, thank you!)
Comme ci, comme ça. (kohm see, kohm sah) – So-so.
- Meaning: A way to say that you’re doing okay, but not great. It’s a neutral response.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Comme ci, comme ça. (Hi, how are you? – So-so.)
- Comment vas-tu? – Comme ci, comme ça. (How are you? – So-so.)
Pas mal, merci. (pah mahl, mehr-see) – Not bad, thank you.
- Meaning: A casual way to say you’re doing okay or things are going well.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, comment ça va? – Pas mal, merci. (Hi, how are you? – Not bad, thank you.)
- Ça va bien? – Pas mal, merci. (How’s it going? – Not bad, thank you.)
Et toi? (ay twa) – And you?
- Meaning: After answering how you’re doing, it’s polite to ask the other person how they are.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Ça va bien, merci. Et toi? (Hi, how are you? – I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
- Comment ça va? – Très bien, merci. Et toi? (How’s it going? – Very well, thank you. And you?)
Je vais bien. (zhuh veh byan) – I’m doing well.
- Meaning: A straightforward response meaning you’re feeling good.
- In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, comment allez-vous? – Je vais bien, merci. (Good morning, how are you? – I’m doing well, thank you.)
- Ça va? – Je vais bien. (How’s it going? – I’m doing well.)
Ça ne va pas trop bien. (sah nuh vah pah troh byan) – I’m not doing so great.
- Meaning: A way to say you’re not feeling well or things aren’t going well.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Ça ne va pas trop bien. (Hi, how are you? – I’m not doing so great.)
- Comment ça va? – Ça ne va pas trop bien. (How are you? – I’m not doing so well.)
Tout va bien! (too vah byan) – Everything’s fine!
- Meaning: A cheerful response meaning everything is going well.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Tout va bien! (Hi, how’s it going? – Everything’s fine!)
- Comment ça va? – Tout va bien! (How’s it going? – Everything’s fine!)
Mieux que jamais! (myuh keu jah-may) – Better than ever!
- Meaning: A very positive response, meaning you feel great.
- In a Sentence:
- Salut, ça va? – Mieux que jamais! (Hi, how’s it going? – Better than ever!)
- Comment ça va? – Mieux que jamais! (How’s it going? – Better than ever!)
Exercise to Practice Success “Greetings”
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences in French, based on the ways to say greetings and responses. Try to fill in the blanks with the correct phrase from the list of greetings and responses. Afterward, I’ll provide the answers and the meaning of each sentence.
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences:
- ________, comment ça va?
- ________, je vais bien, merci!
- ________, ça va bien, et toi?
- ________, comment allez-vous?
- ________, je vais très bien, merci.
- ________, comment ça va?
- ________, je ne vais pas trop bien.
- ________, ça va, merci!
- ________, à demain!
- ________, j’espère que ta journée est géniale!
- ________, on se voit bientôt!
- ________, tout va bien!
Answers:
- Salut – Hi, how are you?
- Ça va bien, merci – I’m fine, thank you.
- Ça va bien, merci. Et toi? – I’m good, thank you. And you?
- Comment allez-vous? – How are you? (formal)
- Très bien, merci – Very well, thank you.
- Ça va? – How’s it going?
- Ça ne va pas trop bien – I’m not doing so well.
- Tout va bien – Everything’s fine.
- À bientôt – See you soon!
- Joyeux anniversaire – Happy birthday!
- À plus tard – See you later!
- Ça va bien – I’m doing well.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned various ways to greet someone in French, you should feel more confident in using these phrases in real conversations. Whether you’re saying “Bonjour” in the morning, “Salut” to a friend, or “Bonne nuit” before bed, French greetings are a key part of building a connection with others.
Remember, greeting someone politely or casually depends on the context and your relationship with the person. Practicing these phrases will help you not only sound more natural but also connect better with French speakers. So, next time you meet a French speaker, don’t forget to greet them with a warm “Bonjour!” or “Salut!” and enjoy the conversation.
With enough practice, you’ll be using French greetings smoothly and effortlessly in no time! Keep practicing and soon you’ll be comfortable in both formal and informal situations.