Learn essential French greetings and introductions to start basic conversations.
Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Greet people correctly at different times of the day.
Distinguish between formal and informal greetings.
Introduce yourself and ask for someone's name.
Introduction
Bonjour! Establishing a connection starts with a good greeting. In French culture, it is considered very rude not to say "Bonjour" when entering a shop or meeting someone. We will cover the most common ways to say hello and goodbye.
Greetings and Introductions
Vocabulary: Greetings
Bonjour : (Hello / Good Morning / Good Afternoon) - The magic word! Used all day until evening.
Bonsoir : (Good evening) - Used starting around 6 PM or dusk.
Salut : (Hi / Bye) - Informal. Use with friends and family only.
Bonne nuit : (Good night) - Only used just before going to sleep or leaving someone late at night.
Vocabulary: Introducing Yourself
Je m'appelle... : (My name is...) - Literally "I call myself...".
Je m'appelle Marie.
Je suis... : (I am...)Je suis Pierre.
Vocabulary: Asking for Someone's Name
Comment t'appelles-tu ?(What is your name? - Informal)
Comment vous appelez-vous ?(What is your name? - Formal)
Vocabulary: Responding
Enchanté (masc) / Enchantée (fem) : (Nice to meet you / Delighted)