Say Hello in French: "Bonjour," "Salut," "Bonsoir" and Cultural Tips (2024)

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Greetings are an essential part of French social etiquette. The most important and common greeting isbonjour, which means "hello," "good day," or even "hi." There are also other ways to say hello or greet someone in French, but it's important to understand what greetings are acceptable in various social contexts. You'll also need to familiarize yourself with greetings that are considered informal versus those that you would use in more formal settings.

"Bonjour"—The Most Common Greeting

Saying bonjour is the most common way to greet someone in French. It's a flexible, all-purpose term: You use it to greet people in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Bonjour is always polite, and it works in any situation.

In France, you need to saybonjourwhen entering a place.Whether you are talking to a single salespersonor entering a crowded bakery, greet them by sayingbonjour. For example, if there are a few people sitting at a table you are approaching or several acquaintances are drinkingun expressoat the bar as you walk up to them,greet them with a friendlybonjour.

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If you are talking to one person, it is polite in French to use courtesy titles when you say hello, as in:

• Bonjour, madame(Mrs.)
• Bonjour, monsieur(Mr.)
• Bonjour,mademoiselle(Miss)

It's acceptable to say bonjour by itself—without using courtesy titles—if you are greeting several people, such as when you enter une boulangerie(a bakery) packed with a line of customers.

"Bonsoir"—The Evening "Hello"

Use bonsoirto say hello in the evening. Since thehour that nighttime arrives in France can vary greatlydepending on the season, generally start saying bonsoir around 6 p.m. You can also use bonsoir when you leave—so long as it's still evening.

Beware of "Salut"

Salut (pronounced with a silent t) is commonly used in France, although it is extremely informal: It's the equivalent of saying "hey" in English.Avoid using salutwith people you don't know unless you are a teenager. If you are in doubt, stick with bonjour, which—as noted—is always an acceptable form of greeting. You can also use salutto say goodbyein an informal setting among close friends, but there are better ways tosay goodbye in French.

Gestures Associated With "Bonjour"

If you say bonjour to a group of strangers—such as when you areentering a shop—you need not add any gestures, though you may nod your head a bit, and of course smile.

If you know the person you are greeting with bonjour, you would either shake his hand—a frank, strong handshake is preferable—or kiss him on the cheek.Light kisses(rarely just one kiss on each cheek but usually three or four total) are extremely common in France among friends and acquaintances. Be aware, however, that theFrench do not hugupon greeting each other and sayingbonjour.