How do you greet someone in French?

Published by Manon · 10 April 2020

Greeting someone in French can seem complicated, because we do not greet a person in the same way according to our affinity with them and the time of the day. So you're asking how to greet someone in France ? What can I say ? What to do ? Read this article and after that greeting someone in French will no longer hold any secrets for you. 😉

Contents

#What words are used to greet each other in France ?
#The gestures to greet each other :
#Cultural point : The number of kiss(s) in France

Your biggest fear when you have to interact with a French person is how to greet them ? You then ask yourself : what are my affinities with this person ? Is it morning ? Is it evening ? Is it daytime ?

And unfortunately, by the time you ask yourself all these questions, the person you were supposed to greet has already left.

You'll never have this problem again, because I'm going to teach you how to greet someone in French !

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#What words are used to greet each other in France ?

Bonjour (/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/)

"Bonjour" is used to greet someone you know or don't know during the day.

"Bonjour" is used to greet a person formally.

"Bonjour" is the word most used to greet someone in France. When you walk into a store during the day, you say "Bonjour". When you pass someone in the street, or a neighbour during the day, you say ''Bonjour''.

You can also say "Bonjour" when you send a message or an email to someone.

Bonjour

Bonsoir (/bɔ̃swaʁ/)

"Bonsoir" is used to greet someone you know or don't know in the evening.

"Bonsoir" is used to greet a person formally.

We use "Bonsoir" in the same way as "Bonjour" except that we say it when it gets dark. We start using it when the sun goes down, usually around 6:00 pm.

Bonsoir

Salut (/saly/)

"Salut" is used to greet a person you know well : a friend, a family member, a colleague, etc.

"Salut" is used to greet a person in a less formal way. "Salut" belongs to familiar language.

You can use "Salut" as much during the day as at night.

⚠️ Beware ! Use "Salut" only with people you know well. Otherwise, it could be taken as rudeness.

Au revoir (/ʁəvwaʁ/)

"Au revoir" is used to say goodbye to a person at the end of a discussion.

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"Au revoir" is used to say goodbye to a person in a formal way.

Au revoir

#The gestures to greet each other :

We shake hands :

On se serre la main

Between men and in the workplace.

We're say hi with the hand :

On se fait coucou :

With friends and family.

We made the bise :

On se fait coucou

Between girls, between boys and girls, between friends and with the family.

#Cultural point : The number of kiss(s) in France

In some regions, the number of kisses we get is not the same :

Le nombre de bises en France

Greeting someone in French and in France now has no more secrets for you !

See you soon for new adventures, in French of course ! 🇫🇷

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