3/16/2023 0 Comments Just a quick note to say helloSome people may skip the “bonjour” part and go directly to another greeting like “ça va” (how are you)… but it’s not that common. If you’ve already said hello to someone and run into them again, it’s common to say “ rebonjour“: “bonjour again”, if you want… Skipping Hello in France – A Big Mistake More about the French Phone vocabulary in my article. So the beginning of a phone conversation could go this way: On the phone, you use “Allô” when you answer the phone, so with a rising questioning voice : “Allô” ?Īnd then you may start speaking by using it again “Allô, bonjour, c’est Camille”… or skip it “Bonjour, c’est Camille”. We only use “Allô” to say hello in French on the phone. I understand there was a famous TV show called “Allô, Allô” and therefore many English speakers are convinced that “Allô” is a common way to say hello in French. Allô ? Hello in French but Only on the Phone When do you start saying bonsoir in France? Even the French don’t agree… Read the article on the for more info on that subject. Same as with “bonjour”, it’s more polite to use something after “bonsoir” When you greet someone with “Hello” in French in the evening, you can say “ bonsoir“. Bonsoir – Hello in French – But in the Evening Now let’s see how to say hello in French in particular occasions. If you study French with my French audiobook learning method, you’ll learn all these expressions with audio within the context of an ongoing novel. There is really no US English equivalent… It’s a bit like ‘toodaloo’ in British English except that ‘toodaloo’ is used to say goodbye! Use “ coucou” with all my friends and family. That’s my personal favorite way to say hello in French. Of course, it’s difficult to write about what “people” do and don’t do… There always are exceptions to all stereotypes. Someone from a white collar class would only use “salut” with friends or acquaintances, but not strangers. Someone from a blue collar class may easily use “salut”, even with total strangers if he feels they belong to the same social class. I’m sorry I cannot be PC here, but social class counts a lot in France. “Salut” is used among peers… Now, this is also a question of social class. I would NEVER use “salut” at the grocery or talking to the postman to say “Hi” in French! I would say “Bonjour”. See, in the US I would say ‘hi’ all the time : to my friends, but also at the grocery, or greeting the postman. So, I’ve met many American students who therefore concluded that “salut” meant ‘hi’ in French. Many French people use “ salut” to say hello in a relaxed, informal manner. When I start my French videos, I usually say “ bonjour à tous” ! How to Say “Hi” in French? If you were to enter a room full of people, like at the boulangerie (bakery) when there is a line, you may then just greet everybody with a general “bonjour”. When a politician adresses the nation, he usually starts his speech with Bonjour Mesdames, bonjour Messieurs… Saying Hello in French to a Large Group of People Bonjour monsieur Dupont – for more formal occasions.or Bonjour Camille if you are on a first-name basis with the person.So, when saying hello in French, try to get in the habit of saying: Note that it is much more polite to follow this “bonjour” by “Madame” (for a lady), “Monsieur” (for a man) or “Mademoiselle” (tricky… for a younger woman: read my article about this Madame or Mademoiselle, a delicate question) Note we do not hug in France when we greet each other. And it’s usually accompanied by a “bisous à la française” – a kiss on the cheeks – or a firm hand shake. Saying “ bonjour” has to be the most common way of saying hello in French. What About Kissing Hello in France? Bonjour: the Most Common Way to say hello in French
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