French · A1 · Everyday phrases
French Greetings: Bonjour, Salut and What to Say Back
Say bonjour when you enter a shop or greet someone during the day. Bonjour works with strangers and people you know. Salut is informal and can mean hi or bye. Bonsoir is the usual evening greeting, while bonne soirée is a wish you can give when leaving.
Library date · Published
Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonsoir. | Good evening, on arrival. |
| Bonne soirée ! | Have a good evening, on departure. |
| Ça va, merci. Et toi ? | I’m fine, thanks. And you? (informal) |
Arriving and leaving
If a shop assistant greets you with Bonjour, madame or Bonjour, monsieur, a simple Bonjour is enough. As you leave, use Merci, au revoir or Merci, bonne journée. The goodbye can be brief and still sound warm.
After the hello
Comment allez-vous ? is a polite way to ask how someone is. In a casual exchange, Ça va ? often gets Ça va, merci. Use Et vous ? with a stranger or in a polite exchange and Et toi ? with someone you address as tu.
Try it
You walk into a bakery at midday and leave after buying bread. Greet the baker and close the exchange.
Show answer
Bonjour. … Merci, bonne journée !
French course coming soon.