Hello in French is bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR), the greeting that works with anyone from morning until early evening. With friends and family, say salut (sa-LEW). Once it gets dark, or from about 6 pm, switch to bonsoir (bohn-SWAHR). With strangers and shop staff, add monsieur or madame: Bonjour, madame.
- Anyone, daytime
- bonjour
- Evening
- bonsoir
- Friends
- salut
- Family, very familiar
- coucou
- Level
- A1
Which French hello should you use?
French splits its greetings two ways: by time of day (bonjour or bonsoir) and by how well you know the person (bonjour or salut). If you are unsure, bonjour is never wrong. It is what you say to a neighbour, a doctor, a bus driver and your partner's grandmother.
| French | Say it | Register | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | bohn-ZHOOR | Neutral, safe with anyone | Morning and afternoon |
| Bonjour, madame / monsieur | bohn-ZHOOR ma-DAM / muh-SYUH | Polite | Shops, offices, strangers of any age |
| Bonsoir | bohn-SWAHR | Neutral | Arriving somewhere in the evening |
| Salut | sa-LEW | Informal (people you call tu) | Friends, classmates, colleagues your age |
| Coucou | koo-KOO | Very familiar, playful | Family, close friends, children, text messages |
| Allô ? | a-LOH | Neutral | Answering the phone only |
A Contos story shows the polite version in action. A café owner walks up to a woman she has never seen before, greets her and switches straight to vous:
Bonjour, bienvenue ! Vous êtes la nouvelle locataire ?Why does bonjour matter so much in France?
In France, bonjour is the price of entry to any conversation. Walk into a bakery, a pharmacy or a lift with other people in it and you say it, to the room. Asking a shop assistant for something without it is one of the most common reasons visitors get a frosty reception. The fix costs one word.
Bonjour, monsieur. Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.
Hello. A baguette, please.
Monsieur is "sir", but sounds natural, not stiff.
Bonjour à tous !
Hello, everyone!
Walking into a meeting, a class or a waiting room.
Bonjour, docteur.
Hello, doctor.
French writers use a missing bonjour to show that a character is cross. In this B1 chapter, Marc is back from Paris in the old family kitchen, and his sister walks in and goes straight on the attack:
« Tu arrives à peine et tu cherches déjà quelque chose à critiquer », dit-elle sans bonjour.When can you say salut or coucou?
Salut belongs with tu: anyone you would address informally. Saying it to your landlord or a waiter sounds over-familiar. It also works as "bye", so friends often say salut both when they meet and when they part.
Coucou is softer still, the hello you shout up the stairs to your family or type at the start of a message to a close friend. Adults use it with each other all the time, but only in private life.
Salut, ça va ?
Hi, how's it going?
Salut tout le monde !
Hi, everyone!
Among friends.
Coucou, c'est moi !
Hi, it's me!
Coming home, or on the phone to family.
In an A1 Contos romance, Sophie's casual text to an old school friend opens with salut. It is a joke, and she sends it to the wrong Marc:
Salut Marc ! Tu veux m'épouser ? C'est une blague... ou pas ?How do you reply to bonjour?
Echo it back, with the same title if one was used: Bonjour, madame gets Bonjour, monsieur. Friends usually follow the greeting with a quick question, which is covered on the page on how to say "How are you?" in French.
Between friends and family in France, greetings often come with la bise, a light kiss on each cheek. Two is usual in Paris; the number changes from region to region, so follow the other person's lead. In business, a handshake is the norm.
Read A1 French stories full of everyday greetings, and tap any word to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce bonjour?
Say "bohn-ZHOOR". The first syllable is a nasal vowel with no real n sound, the j is like the s in "measure", and the r is made at the back of the throat. Both syllables get about equal weight, with a slight lift on the second.
When do you switch from bonjour to bonsoir?
There is no fixed time. Most people switch at around 6 pm, or once it is dark in winter. If you have already said bonjour to someone earlier that day, you do not need to greet them again with bonsoir.
Is salut rude?
Not rude, but informal. Use it with people you call tu. With a stranger, a shopkeeper or someone much older, bonjour is the right choice.
Can bonjour mean goodbye?
Not in France, where you leave with au revoir or bonne journée. In Québec, though, bonjour is also used as a goodbye, especially in shops.
Do you say bonjour madame or bonjour mademoiselle?
Madame is the safe choice for any adult woman. Mademoiselle is now rare in official use in France and can sound patronising to a grown woman.