If you only know one French greeting, it is probably bonjour. Fair enough. It is useful, polite, and gets a lot of mileage. But real French greetings are a little more nuanced than just throwing bonjour at every human you meet like a polite baguette grenade.
The good news: French hellos are not hard. The trick is knowing which one fits the situation, what tone it has, and when sounding too casual makes you seem odd instead of charming.
By the end of this guide, you will know how to greet people naturally in French, whether you are walking into a bakery, texting a friend, meeting coworkers, or trying not to sound like a textbook from 1987.
If you want more basics after this, start at the main Learn French hub.
The Two Main Ways To Say Hello In French
Most beginners should start with these two:
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | bon-ZHOOR | Hello / Good morning / Good day | Bonjour, madame. | Hello, ma’am. | The safest and most useful greeting in French. |
| Salut | sah-LU | Hi | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how are you? | Casual. Use with friends, classmates, people your age, or informal situations. |
Bonjour is the default winner. If you are unsure, use it. It works in shops, cafés, hotels, at work, in class, and when speaking to strangers. In France, saying bonjour before asking a question is not optional social frosting. It is basic politeness.
Salut is more relaxed. It is for people you know well, or situations where being informal feels normal. It can also mean bye, which is efficient and mildly confusing at first.
When in doubt, say bonjour. It is very hard to go wrong by being a little more polite in French.
Useful French Greetings For Real Life
Here are the greetings you will actually hear and use most often.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | bon-ZHOOR | Hello / Good day | Bonjour, vous allez bien ? | Hello, are you doing well? | Polite, neutral, standard daytime greeting. |
| Salut | sah-LU | Hi | Salut, tu viens ? | Hi, are you coming? | Casual and common. |
| Bonsoir | bon-SWAR | Good evening / Hello in the evening | Bonsoir, monsieur. | Good evening, sir. | Use in the evening instead of bonjour. |
| Coucou | koo-KOO | Hey / Hi there | Coucou ! Tu fais quoi ? | Hey! What are you doing? | Very casual, friendly, often used in texts or with close friends. |
| Bonjour à tous | bon-ZHOOR ah TOOS | Hello everyone | Bonjour à tous, merci d’être là. | Hello everyone, thanks for being here. | Useful for groups, classes, meetings. |
| Bonjour tout le monde | bon-ZHOOR toot luh MOND | Hello everyone | Bonjour tout le monde ! On commence. | Hello everyone! Let’s begin. | Friendly and common for groups. |
| Rebonjour | ruh-bon-ZHOOR | Hello again | Rebonjour, j’ai une autre question. | Hello again, I have another question. | Used when you see or contact someone again the same day. |
| Tiens, salut | tyan, sah-LU | Oh, hi | Tiens, salut ! Je ne t’avais pas vu. | Oh, hi! I hadn’t seen you. | Natural when you run into someone unexpectedly. |
| Ah, bonjour | ah, bon-ZHOOR | Ah, hello | Ah, bonjour, entrez. | Ah, hello, come in. | Common when opening a door or noticing someone. |
| Allô | ah-LO | Hello? (on the phone) | Allô, je vous entends mal. | Hello, I can’t hear you well. | Only for phone calls, not face-to-face greeting. |
| Enchanté / Enchantée | on-shon-TAY | Nice to meet you | Enchanté, moi c’est Marc. | Nice to meet you, I’m Marc. | Not exactly “hello,” but often part of first meetings. |
| Bienvenue | byen-vuh-NU | Welcome | Bienvenue chez nous. | Welcome to our place. | A welcome, not a direct replacement for hello. |
When To Use Bonjour
Bonjour is your best friend in French. It is polite without sounding stiff, and natural without sounding too close. Use it:
- when entering a shop
- when speaking to a stranger
- when greeting a teacher, coworker, neighbor, or receptionist
- when starting a conversation during the day
- when you want to sound respectful
Example:
Bonjour, je cherche la gare.
Hello, I’m looking for the train station.
Bonjour, j’ai une réservation.
Hello, I have a reservation.
One very French habit: when you walk into a small store, bakery, pharmacy, or waiting room, you are generally expected to greet people with bonjour. Skipping that can come off as abrupt. Not evil. Just weirdly cold.
When To Use Salut
Salut is casual and friendly. Use it with:
- friends
- siblings
- classmates
- people you know well
- informal texts and messages
Example:
Salut, tu fais quoi ce soir ?
Hi, what are you doing tonight?
Salut, ça fait longtemps !
Hi, it’s been a long time!
Do not use salut with every stranger, older person, boss, or shop employee unless the situation is clearly informal. It can sound too familiar. French has social gears, and this one is not always first gear.
Bonjour Vs Salut
| Greeting | Best For | Tone | Safe With Strangers? | Can Mean Bye? | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Shops, work, school, strangers, daily polite use | Polite, neutral | Yes | No | Default choice in most real-life situations. |
| Salut | Friends, texts, casual chats | Informal | Usually no | Yes | Friendly, but too casual in formal settings. |
If you only remember one rule, make it this: bonjour for polite situations, salut for casual ones.
Other Real-Life Greetings You Should Know
French speakers often combine a hello with a follow-up phrase. That is where you start sounding more natural.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour, ça va ? | bon-ZHOOR, sah VA | Hello, how are you? | Bonjour, ça va ? Tu as passé une bonne journée ? | Hello, how are you? Did you have a good day? | Common in friendly but not too formal situations. |
| Salut, ça va ? | sah-LU, sah VA | Hi, how’s it going? | Salut, ça va ? On se retrouve à huit heures ? | Hi, how’s it going? Shall we meet at eight? | Very common with friends. |
| Bonjour, monsieur | bon-ZHOOR muh-SYUH | Hello, sir | Bonjour, monsieur, vous désirez ? | Hello, sir, what would you like? | Polite and formal. |
| Bonjour, madame | bon-ZHOOR mah-DAM | Hello, ma’am | Bonjour, madame, vous avez rendez-vous ? | Hello, ma’am, do you have an appointment? | Useful in service situations. |
| Bonjour, mademoiselle | bon-ZHOOR mahd-mwah-ZEL | Hello, miss | Bonjour, mademoiselle. | Hello, miss. | Less common now. Many people prefer madame for adult women. |
| Salut tout le monde | sah-LU toot luh MOND | Hi everyone | Salut tout le monde, vous êtes prêts ? | Hi everyone, are you ready? | Casual group greeting. |
| Coucou toi | koo-KOO twah | Hey you | Coucou toi, bien dormi ? | Hey you, sleep well? | Very informal, affectionate, not for strangers. |
| Allô, bonjour | ah-LO, bon-ZHOOR | Hello on the phone | Allô, bonjour, je voudrais parler à Julie. | Hello, I’d like to speak to Julie. | Common phone opener, especially in more formal calls. |
How Time Of Day Changes The Greeting
French greetings shift with the time of day, but not in exactly the same way as English.
- Bonjour = used during the day
- Bonsoir = used in the evening
- Bonne nuit = good night, when leaving for bed or at the end of the night, not as a hello
Example:
Bonsoir, vous avez une table pour deux ?
Good evening, do you have a table for two?
Do not greet someone with bonne nuit. That means good night, not hello. Using it as a greeting will sound like you are gently tucking the restaurant host into bed.
Pronunciation Tips That Actually Help
A few quick pronunciation notes will make your greetings sound much smoother:
- Bonjour: the bon part is nasal. Do not say “bon” like the English word bon. Keep it softer and through the nose.
- Salut: the final t is silent. It sounds like sah-LU.
- Bonsoir: the final r is there, but light. Not a dramatic pirate moment.
- Ça va: sounds like sah VA.
- Allô: stress the second syllable more naturally than the first.
French also uses a lot of silent letters, so resist the urge to pronounce everything heroically.
Greetings In Common Situations
Here is how hello changes depending on where you are.
| Situation | Best French Greeting | Example | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entering a shop | Bonjour | Bonjour. | Hello. | Very important in France. Say it first. |
| Meeting a friend | Salut | Salut, ça va ? | Hi, how’s it going? | Natural and relaxed. |
| Sending a text | Salut / Coucou | Coucou, tu es là ? | Hey, are you there? | Coucou is very casual. |
| Starting an email | Bonjour | Bonjour, merci pour votre message. | Hello, thank you for your message. | Standard in professional emails. |
| Evening arrival | Bonsoir | Bonsoir, j’ai réservé au nom de Smith. | Good evening, I booked under the name Smith. | Use after daytime has clearly shifted into evening. |
| Phone call | Allô | Allô, qui est à l’appareil ? | Hello, who is speaking? | Phone only. |
| Group greeting | Bonjour à tous | Bonjour à tous, on commence dans une minute. | Hello everyone, we’re starting in one minute. | Good for meetings and classes. |
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
- Using salut with strangers. It can sound too familiar. Use bonjour.
- Forgetting to greet shop staff. In France, this matters more than many English speakers expect.
- Using bonsoir too early. Late afternoon can still be bonjour, depending on context.
- Saying bonne nuit as hello. No. That is a bedtime exit line.
- Overusing coucou. It is cute and casual, but only with people you know well.
- Pronouncing the final letters too strongly. French loves silent endings. Annoying, yes. Also true.
A Quick Note On Formal And Informal French
French greetings often go together with tu and vous.
- tu = informal you
- vous = formal or plural you
So these combinations feel natural:
- Salut, tu vas bien ? = Hi, are you doing well?
- Bonjour, vous allez bien ? = Hello, are you doing well?
If you want to dig into that follow-up question, see how to say how are you in French.
Mini Practice: Choose The Right Hello
Pick the most natural greeting for each situation:
- You enter a bakery at 10 a.m. → Bonjour
- You text your best friend → Salut or Coucou
- You arrive at a restaurant at 8 p.m. → Bonsoir
- You answer the phone → Allô
- You greet your class → Bonjour à tous
Simple, but this is exactly the kind of thing that makes you sound more natural fast.
Related French Greetings To Learn Next
Once you know how to say hello, the next step is handling the rest of the conversation without smiling politely and panicking.
- Learn more everyday options in useful French greetings.
- Practice follow-up questions with how are you in French.
- Learn how to end conversations with goodbye in French.
- Check your level with the French placement test.
- See how much vocabulary you already know with the French vocabulary test.
Quick Reference Summary
- Bonjour = hello, good day; polite and safest choice
- Salut = hi; casual and friendly
- Bonsoir = good evening; use in the evening
- Coucou = hey; very informal
- Allô = hello on the phone only
- Use bonjour with strangers, staff, teachers, and formal situations
- Use salut with friends and people you know well
Yak Takeaway: if you remember nothing else, remember this: bonjour opens doors, salut opens chats, and bonne nuit definitely does not open a bakery conversation. Start there, and you will already sound much more natural.
