Greetings & Introductions

Learn how to say hello, goodbye, and introduce yourself in French.

Lesson

In French, greetings vary depending on the time of day and level of formality.

Formal greetings:

Bonjour — Hello / Good morning (used until ~6 PM)
Bonsoir — Good evening
Au revoir — Goodbye
Bonne nuit — Good night

Informal greetings:

Salut — Hi / Bye (casual)
Coucou — Hey (very casual, between friends)

Introducing yourself:

Je m'appelle [name]. — My name is [name].
Comment vous appelez-vous ? — What is your name? (formal)
Tu t'appelles comment ? — What's your name? (informal)
Enchanté(e) — Nice to meet you.

Vocabulary

French	English	Example
Bonjour	Hello / Good morning	Bonjour, comment ça va ?
Bonsoir	Good evening	Bonsoir, madame.
Au revoir	Goodbye	Au revoir, à demain !
Salut	Hi / Bye (informal)	Salut, ça va ?
Je m'appelle	My name is	Je m'appelle Marie.
Enchanté(e)	Nice to meet you	Enchanté, je suis Pierre.
Merci	Thank you	Merci beaucoup !
S'il vous plaît	Please (formal)	Un café, s'il vous plaît.

Pronunciation

Word	Phonetic	Tip
Bonjour	bohn-ZHOOR	The "j" sounds like the "s" in "measure"
Au revoir	oh ruh-VWAHR	The "r" is guttural, from the throat
Enchanté	ahn-shahn-TAY	Nasal "an" sounds — pinch your nose slightly

Grammar tip

Gender agreement: Adjectives in French must agree with gender. If you are female, say Enchantée (with an extra silent "e"). This rule applies throughout French grammar.

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