French Greetings: 50+ Common French Greetings and Everyday Expressions
Learning French greetings is one of the best ways to start speaking French. Whether you are meeting someone for the first time, greeting a friend, saying goodbye, asking how someone is, or wishing someone well, French has many useful expressions for everyday communication.
The most familiar French greeting is bonjour, but French greetings are much more than simply saying “hello.” Depending on the situation, you may use salut, bonsoir, enchanté(e), comment allez-vous ?, ça va ?, or a variety of expressions when leaving.
In this complete guide, you will learn the most useful French greetings and common expressions, including greetings, farewells, special wishes, apologies, expressions of thanks, and ways to ask and answer “How are you?”
Table of Contents
- What Are French Greetings?
- Basic French Greetings
- Formal and Informal French Greetings
- French Greetings When Meeting Someone
- French Farewells
- French Expressions for Special Occasions
- French Expressions for Apologizing
- How to Say Thank You in French
- How to Respond to Thank You in French
- How to Ask How Are You in French
- How to Answer How Are You in French
- French Greetings at Different Times of Day
- French Greetings Cheat Sheet
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are French Greetings?
French greetings are words and expressions used when meeting, welcoming, addressing, or saying goodbye to someone.
Some French greetings are appropriate in formal situations, while others are mainly used with friends, family, or people you know well.
For example:
- Bonjour ! — Hello! / Good morning!
- Salut ! — Hi! / Hello!
- Bonsoir ! — Good evening!
- Bienvenue ! — Welcome!
- Au revoir ! — Goodbye!
- À bientôt ! — See you soon!
Understanding when to use each expression is just as important as learning its English meaning.
Basic French Greetings
Let’s begin with the most common French greetings.
| French | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour ! | Hello! / Good morning! | Formal or neutral |
| Salut ! | Hi! / Hello! | Informal |
| Bonsoir ! | Good evening! | Formal or neutral |
| Bienvenue ! | Welcome! | Welcoming someone |
| Enchanté(e) ! | Nice to meet you! | Meeting someone for the first time |
1. Bonjour — Hello / Good morning
Bonjour is probably the most important French greeting to learn.
It literally combines:
- bon = good
- jour = day
So bonjour literally means “good day,” but it is normally translated as hello or good morning.
Examples
Bonjour, Madame.
Hello, Madam.
Bonjour, comment allez-vous ?
Hello, how are you?
Bonjour can be used in both formal and everyday situations.
2. Salut — Hi / Hello
Salut is an informal way to say hi or hello.
Use it mainly with:
- friends
- family
- classmates
- colleagues you know well
- people of similar age in informal situations
Example
Salut, Paul ! Ça va ?
Hi, Paul! How are you?
Important: In addition to meaning “hi,” salut can also mean “bye” in informal French.
3. Bonsoir — Good evening
Bonsoir means good evening.
It is normally used when greeting someone in the evening.
Example
Bonsoir, Monsieur.
Good evening, Sir.
Do not confuse:
- Bonsoir → used when greeting someone in the evening
- Bonne soirée → generally used when wishing someone a nice evening as you leave
4. Bienvenue — Welcome
Bienvenue means welcome.
It is used to welcome someone to a place, event, group, or situation.
Examples
Bienvenue en France !
Welcome to France!
Bienvenue chez nous !
Welcome to our home!
Bienvenu and bienvenue agree with the person being welcomed in certain grammatical contexts, but the fixed expression Bienvenue ! is commonly used when welcoming someone.
5. Enchanté(e) — Nice to meet you
Enchanté means nice to meet you or pleased to meet you.
A woman generally says:
Enchantée !
A man generally says:
Enchanté !
Example
Bonjour, je m’appelle Marie.
Enchantée !
Hello, my name is Marie.
Nice to meet you!
Formal and Informal French Greetings
Knowing the difference between formal and informal French is extremely important.
Formal or polite greetings
- Bonjour
- Bonsoir
- Comment allez-vous ?
- Vous allez bien ?
Informal greetings
- Salut
- Comment vas-tu ?
- Ça va ?
- Comment ça va ?
- Quoi de neuf ?
The choice often depends on your relationship with the person.
French Greetings When Meeting Someone
Here are some useful expressions for meeting someone.
| French Expression | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bonjour ! | Hello! |
| Bonsoir ! | Good evening! |
| Salut ! | Hi! |
| Bienvenue ! | Welcome! |
| Enchanté(e) ! | Nice to meet you! |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? |
| Comment vas-tu ? | How are you? |
| Ça va ? | How are you? / Are you okay? |
| Comment ça va ? | How are things? |
| Vous allez bien ? | Are you doing well? |
| Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? |
French Farewells
French has many ways to say goodbye. The expression you choose depends on when you expect to see the person again.
1. Au revoir — Goodbye
Au revoir is the standard French expression for goodbye.
Example
Au revoir, à demain !
Goodbye, see you tomorrow!
It is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.
2. Bonne soirée — Have a nice evening
Bonne soirée means have a nice evening.
It is commonly used when leaving someone in the evening.
Bonne soirée !
Have a nice evening!
3. À demain — See you tomorrow
À demain literally means until tomorrow and is used to say:
See you tomorrow!
4. À tout à l’heure — See you later
À tout à l’heure means see you later.
It is often used when you expect to see the person again later the same day.
À tout à l’heure !
See you later!
5. À la prochaine ! — See you next time!
À la prochaine ! means:
See you next time!
It is generally informal.
6. À bientôt ! — See you soon!
À bientôt means see you soon.
À bientôt, Marie !
See you soon, Marie!
7. À tout de suite ! — See you in a moment!
À tout de suite ! means see you in a moment or see you right away.
Use it when you expect to see the person very soon.
8. À plus tard ! — See you later!
À plus tard ! means see you later.
An even more informal shortened version is:
À plus !
9. À ce soir — See you this evening
À ce soir ! means:
See you this evening!
10. À la semaine prochaine — See you next week
À la semaine prochaine ! means:
See you next week!
11. À un de ces jours — See you around / See you one of these days
À un de ces jours ! is a casual way of saying that you hope to see someone sometime.
12. Tchao / Ciao — Bye!
Tchao or ciao is an informal way to say goodbye.
Tchao ! À demain !
Bye! See you tomorrow!
French Expressions for Special Occasions
French also has many expressions used to wish someone well.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Meilleurs vœux ! | Best wishes! |
| Bonne Saint-Valentin ! | Happy Valentine’s Day! |
| Joyeuses Pâques ! | Happy Easter! |
| Joyeux Noël ! | Merry Christmas! |
| Santé ! | Cheers! |
| Bonne santé ! | Good health! / Wishing you good health! |
| Bonne année ! | Happy New Year! |
| Bon courage ! | All the best! / Good luck! |
| Bonne chance ! | Good luck! |
| Bon anniversaire ! | Happy birthday! |
| Bon voyage ! | Have a good trip! |
| Bonne journée ! | Have a nice day! |
| Bonne nuit ! | Good night! |
Bonne année — Happy New Year
Bonne année !
Happy New Year!
You can also say:
Bonne année et meilleurs vœux !
Happy New Year and best wishes!
Joyeux Noël — Merry Christmas
Joyeux Noël !
Merry Christmas!
Joyeuses Pâques — Happy Easter
Joyeuses Pâques !
Happy Easter!
Bon anniversaire — Happy birthday
Bon anniversaire !
Happy birthday!
Bonne chance — Good luck
Bonne chance ! is used when wishing someone success.
Bonne chance pour ton examen !
Good luck with your exam!
Bon courage — All the best / Good luck
Bon courage ! is a very useful French expression.
It literally refers to having “good courage,” but its meaning depends on the context. It can express encouragement such as:
- Good luck!
- All the best!
- Hang in there!
- Stay strong!
- You’ve got this!
For example:
Bon courage pour ton examen !
Good luck with your exam!
French Expressions for Apologizing
Here are some common French expressions for apologizing.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Excusez-moi ! | Excuse me! |
| Pardon ! | Sorry! / Excuse me! |
| Désolé(e) ! | Sorry! |
| Je suis désolé(e). | I am sorry. |
Excusez-moi — Excuse me
Excusez-moi is the formal or polite form.
Excusez-moi, où est la gare ?
Excuse me, where is the train station?
With someone you address informally:
Excuse-moi !
Excuse me!
Pardon — Sorry / Excuse me
Pardon can be used when:
- apologizing for a small mistake
- asking someone to repeat something
- getting someone’s attention
- accidentally bumping into someone
Pardon, je n’ai pas compris.
Sorry, I didn’t understand.
Désolé(e) — Sorry
Désolé is commonly used to express an apology.
A woman generally writes/says:
Désolée.
A man generally writes/says:
Désolé.
How to Say Thank You in French
The most important French expression for thanking someone is:
Merci ! — Thank you!
There are several stronger ways to express gratitude.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Merci ! | Thank you! |
| Merci beaucoup ! | Thank you very much! |
| Merci mille fois ! | Thank you a thousand times! |
| Merci infiniment ! | Thank you immensely / Thank you very much! |
| C’est très gentil ! | That’s very kind! |
| Vous êtes très gentil(le) ! | You are very kind! |
| Tu es très gentil(le) ! | You are very kind! |
Merci beaucoup
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
Thank you very much for your help.
Merci mille fois
Merci mille fois ! literally means “thank you a thousand times” and is an emphatic way of expressing gratitude.
Merci infiniment
Merci infiniment ! means thank you very much or thank you immensely.
C’est très gentil
C’est très gentil ! means:
That’s very kind!
It is particularly useful when someone does something nice for you.
How to Respond to “Merci” in French
When someone says merci, you have several possible responses.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| De rien ! | You’re welcome! |
| Je vous en prie ! | You’re welcome! |
| Je t’en prie ! | You’re welcome! |
| Avec plaisir ! | My pleasure! |
| Pas de quoi ! | Don’t mention it! |
| Il n’y a pas de quoi ! | You’re welcome! / Don’t mention it! |
| Ce n’est rien ! | It’s nothing! |
De rien — You’re welcome
De rien is one of the most common informal responses to merci.
— Merci beaucoup !
— De rien !
— Thank you very much!
— You’re welcome!
Je vous en prie — You’re welcome
Je vous en prie is polite and can be used in formal situations.
With someone you address as tu, use:
Je t’en prie.
Je vous en prie can also have meanings such as “please” depending on the context, so its meaning is determined by the situation.
Avec plaisir — My pleasure
Avec plaisir ! literally means “with pleasure.”
It is a warm and natural response to thanks.
— Merci pour votre aide.
— Avec plaisir !
— Thank you for your help.
— My pleasure!
How to Ask “How Are You?” in French
French has several ways to ask someone how they are.
1. Comment allez-vous ?
Comment allez-vous ? means:
How are you?
This is the formal or polite form.
Use it with:
- people you don’t know well
- older people when politeness calls for it
- professional contacts
- people you address with vous
Example
Bonjour, Monsieur. Comment allez-vous ?
Hello, Sir. How are you?
2. Comment vas-tu ?
Comment vas-tu ? also means How are you?, but it is informal.
Use it with someone you address with tu.
Salut ! Comment vas-tu ?
Hi! How are you?
3. Ça va ?
Ça va ? is one of the most common everyday expressions.
Depending on the context, it can mean:
- How are you?
- Are you okay?
- Is everything okay?
Salut ! Ça va ?
Hi! How are you?
4. Comment ça va ?
Comment ça va ? means:
How are things? / How are you?
It is informal and common in conversation.
5. Vous allez bien ?
Vous allez bien ? means:
Are you doing well?
This is polite/formal because it uses vous.
6. Quoi de neuf ?
Quoi de neuf ? literally means:
What’s new?
It is informal and is commonly used with friends and people you know.
How to Answer “How Are You?” in French
Here are some useful responses.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je vais bien. | I am well. |
| Je vais très bien. | I am very well. |
| Ça va bien. | I’m doing well. |
| Très bien, merci. | Very well, thank you. |
| Ça va très bien. | I’m doing very well. |
| Oui, ça va. | Yes, I’m fine. |
| Ça va. | I’m fine / It’s okay. |
| Comme ci, comme ça. | So-so. |
| Pas mal. | Not bad. |
| Pas très bien. | Not very well. |
| Mal. | Badly / Not well. |
| Rien de nouveau. | Nothing new. |
Je vais bien
Je vais bien, merci.
I am well, thank you.
Très bien, merci
Très bien, merci. Et vous ?
Very well, thank you. And you?
Comme ci, comme ça
Comme ci, comme ça means:
So-so.
It indicates that you are neither particularly good nor particularly bad.
Pas mal
Pas mal literally means “not bad.”
Ça va ?
Pas mal, merci.
How are you?
Not bad, thanks.
Rien de nouveau
Rien de nouveau means:
Nothing new.
It is a natural response to:
Quoi de neuf ?
What’s new?
French Greetings at Different Times of Day
Knowing when to use bonjour, bonsoir, and bonne nuit is important.
| Expression | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello / Good morning | During the day |
| Bonsoir | Good evening | Evening greeting |
| Bonne soirée | Have a nice evening | When leaving |
| Bonne nuit | Good night | Before sleeping / leaving someone for the night |
Bonjour vs. Bonsoir
Use:
Bonjour !
during the day.
Use:
Bonsoir !
when greeting someone in the evening.
When leaving in the evening, you can say:
Bonne soirée !
And when someone is going to sleep:
Bonne nuit !
French Greetings: Complete Cheat Sheet
Here is a quick reference to the most useful expressions from this guide.
| # | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bonjour | Hello / Good morning |
| 2 | Salut | Hi / Hello |
| 3 | Bonsoir | Good evening |
| 4 | Bienvenue | Welcome |
| 5 | Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you |
| 6 | Au revoir | Goodbye |
| 7 | Bonne soirée | Have a nice evening |
| 8 | À demain | See you tomorrow |
| 9 | À tout à l’heure | See you later |
| 10 | À bientôt | See you soon |
| 11 | À la prochaine | See you next time |
| 12 | À tout de suite | See you in a moment |
| 13 | À plus tard | See you later |
| 14 | À plus | See you later |
| 15 | À ce soir | See you this evening |
| 16 | À la semaine prochaine | See you next week |
| 17 | À un de ces jours | See you around |
| 18 | Tchao / Ciao | Bye |
| 19 | Meilleurs vœux | Best wishes |
| 20 | Bonne Saint-Valentin | Happy Valentine’s Day |
| 21 | Joyeuses Pâques | Happy Easter |
| 22 | Joyeux Noël | Merry Christmas |
| 23 | Santé ! | Cheers! |
| 24 | Bonne santé | Good health |
| 25 | Bonne année | Happy New Year |
| 26 | Bon courage | All the best / Good luck |
| 27 | Bonne chance | Good luck |
| 28 | Bon anniversaire | Happy birthday |
| 29 | Bon voyage | Have a good trip |
| 30 | Bonne journée | Have a nice day |
| 31 | Bonne nuit | Good night |
| 32 | Excusez-moi | Excuse me |
| 33 | Pardon | Sorry / Excuse me |
| 34 | Désolé(e) | Sorry |
| 35 | Je suis désolé(e) | I am sorry |
| 36 | Merci | Thank you |
| 37 | Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much |
| 38 | Merci mille fois | Thank you a thousand times |
| 39 | Merci infiniment | Thank you immensely |
| 40 | C’est très gentil | That’s very kind |
| 41 | De rien | You’re welcome |
| 42 | Je vous en prie | You’re welcome |
| 43 | Je t’en prie | You’re welcome |
| 44 | Avec plaisir | My pleasure |
| 45 | Pas de quoi | Don’t mention it |
| 46 | Il n’y a pas de quoi | You’re welcome |
| 47 | Ce n’est rien | It’s nothing |
| 48 | Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? |
| 49 | Comment vas-tu ? | How are you? |
| 50 | Ça va ? | How are you? |
| 51 | Comment ça va ? | How are things? |
| 52 | Vous allez bien ? | Are you doing well? |
| 53 | Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new? |
| 54 | Je vais bien | I am well |
| 55 | Très bien, merci | Very well, thank you |
| 56 | Comme ci, comme ça | So-so |
| 57 | Pas mal | Not bad |
| 58 | Rien de nouveau | Nothing new |
Formal vs. Informal French Greetings
One of the most important things for French learners is understanding tu and vous.
Informal
Use tu with people such as:
- close friends
- family members
- children
- people with whom you have a familiar relationship
Examples:
Comment vas-tu ?
How are you?
Ça va ?
How are you?
Je t’en prie.
You’re welcome.
Formal or polite
Use vous in formal situations or when addressing multiple people.
Examples:
Comment allez-vous ?
How are you?
Vous allez bien ?
Are you doing well?
Je vous en prie.
You’re welcome.
When you are unsure whether to use tu or vous, vous is generally the safer polite choice.
French Greeting Conversation Examples
Example 1: Formal Conversation
A: Bonjour, Monsieur. Comment allez-vous ?
B: Bonjour. Je vais très bien, merci. Et vous ?
A: Très bien, merci.
English:
A: Hello, Sir. How are you?
B: Hello. I am very well, thank you. And you?
A: Very well, thank you.
Example 2: Informal Conversation
A: Salut ! Ça va ?
B: Oui, ça va bien. Et toi ?
A: Ça va, merci.
English:
A: Hi! How are you?
B: Yes, I’m fine. And you?
A: I’m fine, thanks.
Example 3: Saying Goodbye
A: Bon, je dois partir.
B: D’accord. À bientôt !
A: À plus tard !
English:
A: Well, I have to leave.
B: Okay. See you soon!
A: See you later!
Example 4: Thanking Someone
A: Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
B: Je vous en prie.
A: C’est très gentil.
English:
A: Thank you very much for your help.
B: You’re welcome.
A: That’s very kind.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using French Greetings
1. Using “Salut” in every situation
Although salut is extremely common, it is informal.
For formal situations, bonjour is usually a better choice.
2. Confusing “Bonsoir” and “Bonne soirée”
Remember:
Bonsoir → greeting someone in the evening.
Bonne soirée → wishing someone a pleasant evening, often when leaving.
3. Using “Bonne nuit” as a normal evening greeting
Bonne nuit means good night and is generally associated with going to bed or ending the day.
When you meet someone in the evening, say:
Bonsoir !
not:
Bonne nuit !
4. Confusing “Comment allez-vous ?” and “Comment vas-tu ?”
Both mean How are you?
But:
- Comment allez-vous ? → formal/polite
- Comment vas-tu ? → informal
5. Thinking “Bon courage” only means “Good luck”
Bon courage is broader than the English phrase “good luck.”
It can be used to encourage someone who has:
- an exam
- a difficult task
- a long day at work
- a challenging situation
It can mean good luck, all the best, stay strong, or hang in there, depending on the context.
Tips for Learning French Greetings
If you are a beginner, don’t try to memorize all the expressions at once. Start with the most useful ones.
First learn these 10:
- Bonjour — Hello
- Salut — Hi
- Bonsoir — Good evening
- Au revoir — Goodbye
- À bientôt — See you soon
- Merci — Thank you
- De rien — You’re welcome
- Excusez-moi — Excuse me
- Comment allez-vous ? — How are you?
- Ça va ? — How are you?
Then gradually add expressions such as bonne journée, bonne soirée, bon courage, bonne chance, bon voyage, and meilleurs vœux.
Frequently Asked Questions About French Greetings
What is the most common French greeting?
Bonjour is one of the most common and useful French greetings. It can mean hello or good morning and is appropriate in many formal and everyday situations.
Is “Salut” formal or informal?
Salut is generally informal. It means hi or hello and can also be used to say bye.
How do you say “hello” in French?
The most common way to say “hello” in French is bonjour. In informal situations, you can say salut.
How do you say “good morning” in French?
You normally say bonjour for “good morning” in French.
How do you say “good evening” in French?
Say bonsoir when greeting someone in the evening.
How do you say “good night” in French?
Bonne nuit means “good night” and is normally used when someone is going to sleep or when ending the day.
How do you say “goodbye” in French?
The standard French word for “goodbye” is au revoir.
How do you say “see you soon” in French?
À bientôt ! means see you soon!
How do you say “thank you” in French?
Merci means thank you. For stronger gratitude, you can say merci beaucoup, merci mille fois, or merci infiniment.
How do you say “you’re welcome” in French?
Common responses to merci include de rien, je vous en prie, je t’en prie, avec plaisir, and pas de quoi.
How do you say “how are you?” in French?
You can say Comment allez-vous ? in formal situations and Comment vas-tu ? in informal situations. Ça va ? is one of the most common informal alternatives.
Conclusion
Learning French greetings gives you the foundation for everyday French conversation. Start with essential expressions such as bonjour, salut, bonsoir, and au revoir, and then expand your vocabulary with useful phrases for saying goodbye, expressing thanks, apologizing, asking how someone is, and wishing people well.
Remember that French greetings depend heavily on context and formality. Knowing when to use bonjour instead of salut, comment allez-vous ? instead of comment vas-tu ?, and bonsoir instead of bonne soirée will help you sound more natural and polite.
The best way to learn these expressions is to use them repeatedly in short conversations until they become automatic.
Bonjour ! À bientôt et bon courage pour votre apprentissage du français !