Learn how to greet people, introduce yourself, and use essential polite expressions in French. You'll also understand the crucial tu vs vous distinction and how greetings differ between France and Canada.
Estimated Time: 45–55 minutes
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | bon-ZHOOR | Hello / Good day | Any time before evening; the default greeting |
| Bonsoir | bon-SWAHR | Good evening | From late afternoon/evening onward |
| Salut | sa-LÜ | Hi / Hey / Bye | Casual — friends, family, people you "tu" |
| Coucou | koo-KOO | Hey there! | Very casual/cute — close friends, kids |
| Au revoir | oh ruh-VWAHR | Goodbye | Standard goodbye, any situation |
| Bonne journée | bun zhoor-NAY | Have a good day | When parting during the day |
| Bonne soirée | bun swah-RAY | Have a good evening | When parting in the evening |
| Bonne nuit | bun NWEE | Good night | Only when going to bed |
| À bientôt | ah bee-en-TOH | See you soon | When you'll see each other again |
| À demain | ah duh-MAN | See you tomorrow | Specific — when meeting the next day |
In French culture, always say bonjour when entering a shop, approaching a stranger, or starting any interaction. Skipping this and going straight to your question is considered rude — even at a busy café or a market stall. It's the social lubricant of French life.
Bonjour is used throughout the day until about 6 PM, then switch to bonsoir. In shops, you might hear a cheery "Bonjour!" from the staff as you enter. Coucou is common in text messages and among close friends.
Bonjour works all day too, but in Montréal you'll often hear "Bonjour-Hi!" as a bilingual greeting in shops (letting you choose your language). Allô is used as a casual "hi" in person (not just on the phone like in France).
This is one of the most important concepts in French. Both words mean "you," but they signal very different social relationships:
| Tu (informal) | Vous (formal / plural) | |
|---|---|---|
| Use with | Friends, family, children, peers, animals | Strangers, elders, bosses, in professional settings |
| Verb conjugation | Tu parles (you speak) | Vous parlez (you speak) |
| Possessive | ton / ta / tes (your) | votre / vos (your) |
| Social signal | Familiarity, closeness, equality | Respect, distance, formality |
If you're unsure, always default to vous. It's never offensive to be too formal — but using tu too soon can feel presumptuous. The other person may say "On peut se tutoyer" (We can use tu with each other) to signal it's okay to switch.
Here's a standard self-introduction you can customize:
Bonjour ! (Hello!)
Je m'appelle [name]. (My name is [name].)
Je suis américain(e). (I am American.)
J'habite Ă Las Vegas. (I live in Las Vegas.)
Enchanté(e). (Nice to meet you.)
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Je m'appelle... | zhuh mah-PEL | My name is... |
| Comment vous appelez-vous ? | koh-MAHN voo-zah-play-VOO | What is your name? (formal) |
| Tu t'appelles comment ? | tĂĽ tah-PEL koh-MAHN | What's your name? (informal) |
| Enchanté(e) | ahn-shahn-TAY | Nice to meet you (add -e if you're female) |
| Je suis de... | zhuh swee duh | I'm from... |
| J'habite Ă ... | zhah-BEET ah | I live in... |
| Je parle un peu français | zhuh parl uhn puh frahn-SAY | I speak a little French |
| Je suis en train d'apprendre | zhuh swee ahn tran dah-PRAHNDR | I'm learning (right now) |
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| S'il vous plaît | seel voo PLAY | Please (formal) |
| S'il te plaît | seel tuh PLAY | Please (informal) |
| Merci | mair-SEE | Thank you |
| Merci beaucoup | mair-SEE boh-KOO | Thank you very much |
| De rien | duh ree-EN | You're welcome (casual) |
| Je vous en prie | zhuh voo-zahn PREE | You're welcome (formal) |
| Excusez-moi | ex-kü-zay MWAH | Excuse me (formal — getting attention or apologizing) |
| Pardon | par-DOHN | Pardon / Sorry (bumping into someone) |
| Je suis désolé(e) | zhuh swee day-zo-LAY | I'm sorry (genuine apology) |
| Oui | wee | Yes |
| Non | nohn | No |
| D'accord | dah-KOR | Okay / Agreed |
| Bien sûr | bee-en SÜHR | Of course |
| Pas de problème | pah duh pro-BLEM | No problem |
De rien is the most common casual "you're welcome." You'll also hear "Il n'y a pas de quoi" (There's nothing to thank me for) or simply "Pas de quoi." A very polite option: "Je vous en prie."
Québécois often say "Bienvenue" for "you're welcome" — which is a false friend for France French speakers, who only use bienvenue to mean "welcome" (as in welcoming someone). In Québec, it literally functions like English "you're welcome."
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Comment allez-vous ? | koh-MAHN tah-lay VOO | How are you? (formal) |
| Comment ça va ? / Ça va ? | koh-MAHN sa VAH / sa VAH | How's it going? (casual) |
| Ça va bien, merci | sa va BYEN, mair-SEE | I'm doing well, thanks |
| Et vous ? / Et toi ? | ay VOO / ay TWAH | And you? (formal / casual) |
| Parlez-vous anglais ? | par-lay VOO ahn-GLAY | Do you speak English? (formal) |
| Je ne comprends pas | zhuh nuh kohn-PRAHN pah | I don't understand |
| Pouvez-vous répéter ? | poo-vay VOO ray-pay-TAY | Can you repeat? (formal) |
| Plus lentement, s'il vous plaît | plü lahnt-MAHN seel voo PLAY | More slowly, please |
| Comment dit-on... en français ? | koh-MAHN dee-TOHN ... ahn frahn-SAY | How do you say ... in French? |
| Qu'est-ce que c'est ? | kess kuh SAY | What is it / this? |
| OĂą est... ? | oo AY | Where is...? |
Ça va ? is both a question and an answer. Someone asks "Ça va ?" — you reply "Ça va !" and the exchange is complete. You can add detail: "Ça va bien" (going well), "Ça va pas mal" (not bad), "Bof, ça va" (meh, it's okay), or "Ça ne va pas" (it's not going well).
| Situation | 🇫🇷 France | 🇨🇦 Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Answering the phone | AllĂ´ ? | AllĂ´ ? / Oui allĂ´ ? |
| Casual "hi" in person | Salut, Coucou | AllĂ´, Salut |
| Text message greeting | Coucou ! / Salut ! / Hello ! | AllĂ´ ! / Salut ! / Hey ! |
| Ending a call | Allez, à bientôt / Bisous | Bon, c'est ça / Bye ! |
In France, greeting someone with light cheek kisses (la bise) is standard among friends, family, and often new acquaintances. The number varies by region — usually 2 (Paris), but can be 1, 3, or even 4 in some areas!
La bise is very common — between women, between women and men, and even between men in some regions or families. It's a social ritual, not romantic. Start on the right cheek (usually). If in doubt, let the other person lead.
La bise exists in Québec but is less automatic than in France. Handshakes are more common in professional settings. Among friends and family, hugs are often the norm (influenced by English-Canadian and American culture). Two kisses is standard when la bise is used.
What would you say in each situation?
1. What is the most important thing to say when entering a French shop?
2. When unsure whether to use tu or vous, you should:
3. In Québec, what does "Bienvenue" often mean in response to "Merci"?
4. How do you say "I don't understand" in French?
✦ Always greet with Bonjour — it's the essential social rule in French culture.
✦ Tu = informal/familiar, Vous = formal/respectful/plural. When in doubt, use vous.
✦ Ça va ? is the universal casual greeting and can be both question and answer.
✦ In Québec, "Bienvenue" means "you're welcome" — a key false friend.
✦ La bise (cheek kiss greeting) is standard in France; less automatic in Canada.
✦ Master these polite essentials: merci, s'il vous plaît, excusez-moi, pardon, de rien.