1.Topic Introduction
Greetings are the first step of communication in French.
They are used every day when you:
- meet someone
- start a conversation
- answer politely
- enter a shop
- speak formally or informally
In French, greetings change depending on:
- time of day
- formality
- who you are speaking to
This is very important because French people use greetings carefully in daily life.
A simple greeting can already show:
- politeness
- respect
- social understanding
So today you must not only memorize words, but also understand when and why to use them.
2. Main Greetings and Rules
Bonjour
Rule
Bonjour means:
- hello
- good morning
- good day
It is the most common greeting in French.
You use bonjour:
- in the morning
- in the afternoon
- with strangers
- with teachers
- in shops
- in formal situations
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour madame. | Hello madam. |
| Bonjour monsieur. | Hello sir. |
| Bonjour tout le monde. | Hello everyone. |
⚠️ Important:
Even in shops, French people usually say bonjour first before asking anything.
Bonsoir
Rule
Bonsoir means good evening.
Use it when:
- evening starts
- after sunset
- formal or polite speaking continues at night
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonsoir madame. | Good evening madam. |
| Bonsoir monsieur. | Good evening sir. |
Salut
Rule
Salut means:
- hi
- bye
It is informal.
Use it only with:
- friends
- family
- people your age
- people you know well
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salut Paul. | Hi Paul. |
| Salut Marie. | Hi Marie. |
⚠️ Do not use salut in formal situations.
Au revoir
Rule
Au revoir means goodbye.
It is polite and works in all situations.
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Au revoir madame. | Goodbye madam. |
| Au revoir monsieur. | Goodbye sir. |
À bientôt
Rule
À bientôt means see you soon.
Use it when you expect to meet again.
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| À bientôt Marie. | See you soon Marie. |
À demain
Rule
À demain means see you tomorrow.
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| À demain professeur. | See you tomorrow teacher. |
Bonne nuit
Rule
Bonne nuit means good night.
Use it when someone is going to sleep.
⚠️ Important:
Do not use bonne nuit when arriving somewhere.
Use it only when leaving at night or before sleep.
Examples
| French Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonne nuit maman. | Good night mom. |
Comment ça va ?
Rule
This means:
How are you?
It is very common.
Answers:
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ça va bien. | I am fine. |
| Ça va très bien. | I am very well. |
| Ça va mal. | I am not well. |
3. Vocabulary
| French Word | Gender | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| le bonjour | masculine | greeting hello | bon-zhoor |
| le bonsoir | masculine | evening greeting | bon-swahr |
| le salut | masculine | informal greeting | sa-lu |
| le revoir | masculine | goodbye | ruh-vwar |
| la nuit | feminine | night | nwee |
| le matin | masculine | morning | ma-tan |
| le soir | masculine | evening | swahr |
| l’ami | masculine | friend | a-mi |
| l’amie | feminine | female friend | a-mi |
| le professeur | masculine | teacher | pro-fe-sœr |
4. Mini Paragraph (Memorize)
Bonjour madame.
Comment ça va aujourd’hui ?
Ça va bien, merci.
Bonsoir monsieur.
Au revoir et à demain.
Meaning:
Hello madam.
How are you today?
I am fine, thank you.
Good evening sir.
Goodbye and see you tomorrow.
5. Memory Practice
Read aloud slowly:
Bonjour
Bonsoir
Salut
Au revoir
À bientôt
Bonne nuit
Comment ça va ?
Now full sentences:
Bonjour monsieur.
Salut Marie.
Au revoir madame.
À demain professeur.
Bonne nuit maman.
Note:
In French, greetings are not optional.
They are socially very important.
A person often sounds rude if they ask directly without greeting first.
Correct:
Bonjour madame, je voudrais un café.
Not:
Je voudrais un café.
That small difference matters a lot in real French.