Hey, hi, hello, good morning, afternoon, evening and night… there are SO many ways to greet someone in every language — English and French included! This week, French Translator and Foreign Language Studies Researcher Fr. Philip Johnson shares a lesson on French greeting for basic conversation:
Formal French Greetings
Understanding formality is a crucial part of conversation and communication in any language. You wouldn’t greet your boss or professor the same way you might speak to your friends and family. This is largely universal and applies in both English and French. In French, there are various initial greetings that can be used formally. Many of these greetings are neutral in formality; thus making each greeting acceptable in a variety of social situations. Examples:
- Bonjour — ‘Hello’ — Literal Translation: ‘Good day’
- Bon matin — ‘Good morning’
- Bon après-midi — ‘Good afternoon’
- Bonsoir — ‘Good evening/night’
- Rebonjour — ‘Hello again’
Informal French Greetings
In English, you might greet a friend with an informal greeting in non-serious social situations. These interactions are much the same in French. French Translator Fr. Philip Johnson recommends trying out these informal greetings in conversation with friends:
- Salut — ‘Hi’
- Coucou — ‘Hey’
Continuing the Conversation
A greeting in French is typically followed by an introduction. This could be posed as a question or statement, given the context of the interaction. Basic introductions in French include:
- Comment vous appelez-vous? — ‘What’s your name?’ (Formal)
- Comment tu t’appelles? — ‘What’s your name?’ (Informal)
- Je suis très heureux de faire votre connaissance — ‘I’m pleased to meet you’ (Neutral)
- Tres heureux — ‘Nice to meet you’ (Slightly informal)
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