Now that you’ve got a handle on French pronunciation, it’s time to dive into some practical language skills. In this section, we’ll cover the essential French greetings and introductions that will help you start conversations with confidence.

Learning greetings is a great way to start speaking French right away. Even if the rest of the conversation is in English, beginning with a French greeting shows respect and interest in the language and culture.

​
Basic French Greetings

One of the first things you’ll want to master in French is how to say hello and goodbye. Here are the most common French greetings:

Common French Greetings

—

  • Bonjour (Hello/Good day)
  • Bonsoir (Good evening)
  • Salut (Hi - informal)
  • Au revoir (Goodbye)
  • À bientôt (See you soon)
  • À plus tard (See you later)
  • À demain (See you tomorrow)
  • Bonne nuit (Good night - when going to bed)

Bonjour is the most common and safe choice for saying hello, as it’s appropriate for both formal and informal situations, and at any time of day. However, after around 6 PM, bonsoir becomes more common.

​
Asking How Someone Is

After the initial hello, it’s polite to ask how the other person is doing. Here are some common phrases:

  • Comment allez-vous ? (How are you? - formal)
  • Comment vas-tu ? (How are you? - informal)
  • Comment ça va ? (How’s it going? - informal)
  • Ça va ? (How are things?/How’s it going? - informal)

Remember, when someone asks you how you’re doing in French, it’s polite to ask them back:

  • Et vous ? (And you? - formal)
  • Et toi ? (And you? - informal)

Be careful with the phrase “Comment allez-vous ?” as it can sound quite formal, especially for younger people. “Ça va ?” or “Comment ça va ?” are safer choices in most situations.

​
Introducing Yourself

Once you’ve exchanged greetings, the next step is often to introduce yourself. Here are the key phrases you’ll need:

  • Je m’appelle… (My name is…)
  • Je suis… (I am…)
  • Enchanté(e) (Nice to meet you - literally “enchanted”)
  • Ravi(e) de vous rencontrer (Delighted to meet you - formal)
  • Moi, c’est… (I’m… - very informal, used among young people)

Here’s how a basic introduction might go:

​
Titles and Last Names

In French, it’s common to use titles when addressing people, especially in formal situations or when there’s an age difference. The most common titles are:

  • Monsieur (Mister/Sir - for men)
  • Madame (Mrs./Ma’am - for women)
  • Mademoiselle (Miss - for young, unmarried women)

In recent years, the use of Mademoiselle has declined as it’s seen as defining a woman by her marital status. Madame is now preferred in most situations, regardless of marital status or age.

When introducing yourself in a formal context, you might include your last name:

  • Je m’appelle [First Name] [Last Name].
  • Je suis [First Name] [Last Name].

And when addressing someone else formally, use their title followed by their last name:

  • Enchanté, Monsieur Dupont.
  • Ravie de vous rencontrer, Madame Lambert.

If you’re unsure whether to use someone’s first or last name, err on the side of formality and use their title and last name until invited to do otherwise.

​
Asking and Giving Basic Information

After introductions, you might engage in some small talk and exchange basic information. Here are some common questions and answers:

​
Where are you from?

  • D’où venez-vous ? (Where are you from? - formal)
  • Tu viens d’où ? (Where are you from? - informal)
  • Je viens de… (I come from…)
    • Je viens des États-Unis. (I’m from the United States.)
    • Je viens du Canada. (I’m from Canada.)
    • Je viens de France. (I’m from France.)

When saying where you’re from, use de for feminine countries and du for masculine countries. Most countries ending in “e” are feminine (la France, l’Allemagne, l’Espagne), while others are masculine (le Canada, le Japon, le Mexique).

​
Where do you live?

  • Où habitez-vous ? (Where do you live? - formal)
  • Tu habites où ? (Where do you live? - informal)
  • J’habite à… (I live in…)
    • J’habite à New York. (I live in New York.)
    • J’habite à Paris. (I live in Paris.)
    • J’habite à Montréal. (I live in Montreal.)

For cities, use à to say where you live. For countries, use en for feminine countries (J’habite en France.) and au for masculine countries (J’habite au Canada.).

​
What do you do?

  • Que faites-vous dans la vie ? (What do you do for a living? - formal)
  • Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans la vie ? (What do you do? - informal)
  • Je suis… (I am a…)
    • Je suis étudiant(e). (I’m a student.)
    • Je suis professeur. (I’m a teacher.)
    • Je suis ingénieur. (I’m an engineer.)
    • Je travaille comme… (I work as a…)
    • Je travaille dans… (I work in…)

Many professions have both a masculine and feminine form in French. For example, a male student is un étudiant while a female student is une étudiante. However, some professions, like professeur or médecin, stay the same regardless of gender.

​
Parting Phrases

As important as it is to know how to start a conversation in French, it’s equally crucial to know how to end one politely. Here are some common parting phrases:

Common Parting Phrases

  • Au revoir ! (Goodbye!)
  • À bientôt ! (See you soon!)
  • À plus tard ! (See you later!)
  • À la prochaine ! (Until next time!)
  • Bonne journée ! (Have a good day!)
  • Bonne soirée ! (Have a good evening!)
  • Bon après-midi ! (Have a good afternoon!)
  • Bon week-end ! (Have a good weekend!)
  • Bonnes vacances ! (Have a good vacation!)

Bonne nuit is only used when someone is going to bed. To wish someone a good night as you part ways in the evening, use Bonne soirée !

​
Putting It All Together

Now that you’ve learned the basic building blocks of French greetings and introductions, let’s see how they might come together in a real conversation:

While it’s good to memorize common phrases, the best way to get comfortable with French greetings and introductions is to practice them in real conversations. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - most French speakers appreciate the effort and will help you along!

​
Cultural Tips

When meeting and greeting in French, there are a few cultural norms to be aware of:

​
La bise

The French often greet friends, family, and sometimes even acquaintances with kisses on the cheek, known as la bise. The number of kisses varies by region - it can be two, three, or even four!

As a general rule, la bise starts on the left cheek. If you’re unsure, just follow the lead of the French person you’re greeting. And with the global pandemic, la bise has become much less common, often replaced by a wave or elbow bump.

​
Handshakes

In more formal situations, the French shake hands when meeting and parting. This is common in business settings or when meeting someone for the first time.

​
Tu vs Vous

As you’ve seen, French has both a formal (vous) and informal (tu) “you”. In general, use vous with strangers, authority figures, and anyone significantly older than you. Use tu with friends, family, children, and peers.

If you’re ever in doubt, start with vous. It’s better to be too formal than too familiar. And if a French person invites you to tutoyer (use tu), then you can switch to the informal tu.

​
Conclusion

Congratulations! You’re now equipped with the essential French greetings and introductions. Remember:

Key Takeaways

  1. Bonjour is the most versatile greeting, but bonsoir is used in the evening.
  2. Use vous for formal situations and tu for informal ones.
  3. Introduce yourself with Je m’appelle… or Je suis…
  4. Use titles (Monsieur/Madame) in formal introductions.
  5. La bise (cheek kisses) are a common informal greeting in France.
  6. Practice is key! Use these phrases whenever you can to build confidence.

Armed with these basics, you’re ready to start having simple conversations in French. In the next section, we’ll dive into numbers and telling time - essential skills for navigating everyday situations. À bientôt !

Was this page helpful?

French Alphabet & PronunciationNumbers & Telling Time