# French Greetings — Every Hello and Goodbye, and When to Use Each

> The safe answer is always **bonjour** (bohn-ZHOOR) — "good day", correct with anyone until early
> evening, when French switches to **bonsoir**. Everything else is decided by two questions: what
> time is it, and do you know this person.

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Updated: 2026-09-07

## Every greeting at a glance

| French | Say it | Means | Use with |
|---|---|---|---|
| bonjour | bohn-ZHOOR | hello / good day | anyone, until early evening |
| bonsoir | bohn-SWAHR | good evening | anyone, from about 6pm |
| salut | sah-LEW | hi *and* bye | friends, family, peers only |
| coucou | koo-KOO | hiya | close friends, children |
| allô | ah-LOH | hello? | **telephone only** |
| rebonjour | ruh-bohn-ZHOOR | hello again | second meeting, same day |
| enchanté | ahn-shahn-TAY | nice to meet you | a first introduction |
| au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR | goodbye | anyone, anywhere |

**Allô is a telephone word and nothing else.** Saying it to someone standing in front of you sounds
as strange as answering your front door with "hello, are you there?".

## Rule one: what time is it?

| Time | Arriving | Leaving |
|---|---|---|
| Morning to late afternoon | bonjour | bonne journée (bun zhoor-NAY) |
| Evening | bonsoir | bonne soirée (bun swah-RAY) |
| Going to bed | — | bonne nuit (bun NWEE) |

**The arriving/leaving trap.** *Bonjour* greets; *bonne journée* ("have a good day") sends someone
off. They look almost identical and do opposite jobs. And *bonne nuit* is not a way to leave a
party — French keeps it strictly for actual sleep. Leaving in the evening, use *bonne soirée*.

## Rule two: do you know them?

| | Stranger, older, professional (vous) | Friend, family, peer (tu) |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | bonjour | salut · coucou · bonjour |
| How are you? | comment allez-vous ? | ça va ? · comment ça va ? |
| Goodbye | au revoir | salut · à plus · à bientôt |
| Physical greeting | a handshake | la bise |

**Too formal costs you nothing.** Being over-polite in French is invisible; being too familiar with
a stranger is a genuine misstep. Open with *vous* and let the other person invite you to relax —
they will, with *on peut se tutoyer*.

## Meeting someone for the first time

| French | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour, je m'appelle… | zhuh mah-PELL | Hello, my name is… |
| Moi, c'est… | mwah SAY | I'm… (relaxed) |
| Enchanté / Enchantée | ahn-shahn-TAY | Nice to meet you |
| Ravi de vous rencontrer | rah-VEE duh voo rahn-kohn-TRAY | Delighted to meet you |
| Comment vous appelez-vous ? | ko-MAHN voo zah-play VOO | What is your name? |

The written difference between *enchanté* and *enchantée* is the speaker's own gender — a woman
adds the silent *e*. Out loud they are identical.

## Saying goodbye

| French | Say it | When |
|---|---|---|
| au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR | the safe default, anyone |
| salut | sah-LEW | friends — the same word as "hi" |
| à bientôt | ah byan-TOH | see you soon |
| à tout à l'heure | ah too tah LUR | see you later today |
| à demain | ah duh-MAN | see you tomorrow |
| à plus | ah PLOOSS | "laters" — casual; the *s* is pronounced |
| adieu | ah-DYUH | farewell — final; avoid it |

**Real goodbyes come in pairs.** What French speakers actually say is the goodbye plus a wish:
*au revoir, bonne journée !* Leaving a shop, the full natural exit is *merci, au revoir, bonne journée*.

## La bise

*La bise* is not a kiss on the cheek — cheeks touch lightly while you make a small kissing sound in
the air. Lips do not land.

| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Two women, or a man and a woman, who know each other | la bise |
| Two men | usually a handshake; la bise within families and close friends |
| Professional, or meeting for the first time | a handshake |
| Children and relatives | la bise, always |

**How many, and which side?** Two is most common — three in parts of the south, four around Nantes,
one in a few corners. Most people start by offering the left cheek. Getting it wrong means bumping
noses and laughing; nobody expects a foreigner to know the local count.

## The greeting that is almost obligatory

In France you greet the **room**, not just the person you want something from.

- A bakery, pharmacy, small shop or market stall — *bonjour* as you cross the threshold, before you
  ask for anything.
- A doctor's waiting room — a general *bonjour* to whoever is sitting there.
- A lift, a small hotel breakfast room, a train compartment.
- The opening line of any phone call or email to someone you do not know.

Skipping it is why many tourists conclude French people are cold. Almost always the coldness is a
reply to a missing *bonjour*, and it disappears the moment you offer one.

## FAQ

### What is the most common French greeting?

*Bonjour*, pronounced bohn-ZHOOR. It means "good day" and is correct with anyone in any situation
from morning until early evening, after which French switches to *bonsoir*.

### When do you say bonsoir instead of bonjour?

From roughly 6pm, or once it begins to get dark. There is no official cut-off and French speakers
hesitate over it themselves, particularly in summer.

### Is salut formal or informal?

Informal. *Salut* is only for friends, family, and people your own age you already know. It is also
unusual in that it means both "hi" and "bye".

### When do you say allô in French?

Only on the telephone. *Allô* is not a general greeting. Face to face, the word is *bonjour*.

### What is la bise?

The French cheek-kiss greeting — light contact of cheeks with a kissing sound, not an actual kiss.
The number varies by region, most commonly two.

### What is the difference between bonne journée and bonjour?

*Bonjour* is a greeting used on arriving. *Bonne journée* means "have a good day" and is said on
leaving.

### How do you greet someone for the first time in French?

Say *bonjour*, give your name with *je m'appelle*, and respond to the introduction with *enchanté*
(a woman writes *enchantée*, pronounced the same).

## Related guides

- How to say hello in French: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/hello-in-french
- Au revoir meaning: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/au-revoir-meaning
- Enchanté meaning: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides/enchante-meaning
- All free French guides: https://cocoonfrench.com/guides