In France, the greeting is not small talk — it is the price of admission. Walk into a shop, call a stranger, ask a question: bonjour comes first, always. Skip it and people think you are rude. Say it and doors open.
This guide covers the three French greetings from Polyglot French Episode 1 with Camille and Leo: when each one is right, how to pronounce them, and the two magic words to learn next.
Bonjour means hello, good morning, and good day in one word — usable from morning until evening. Break it down: bon (lips round like “bone”, sound through the nose — feel the buzz) + jour (soft j, like the s in “measure”, not the hard English j). Bon… jour. Say it out loud.
Evening version, same music: bon + soir (“swahr”). Use it after about six in the evening — arriving at a restaurant, a hotel reception, greeting a host. Daytime: bonjour. Evening: bonsoir. Simple.
Salut means hi — friendly, relaxed, and it doubles as bye. But it is informal only: friends, young people, never your boss or a stranger. Survival rule: when in doubt, bonjour. It is always safe.
The question you will hear a hundred times a day in France: “Ça va ?” (sah vah) — how is it going. Answer: “Ça va bien, merci.” Casual, friendly, everywhere. With these two phrases you can never truly be lost.
Leave this page with ten words you can use today:
Two French sounds make the biggest difference. Nasal vowels: bon, an, en, on — let the air flow through your nose instead of your mouth. English has nothing like them, which is exactly why they mark you as a real speaker the moment you nail them. Silent finals: most final consonants are not pronounced — Paris ends at the “ee” sound, merci ends at “see”. When in doubt, drop the last letter and you will usually be right.
Everything on this page in one exchange. Read it out loud, both parts:
French has two “you”s. Tu is for friends, family, children, and people your age in relaxed settings. Vous is for strangers, elders, officials, and anyone in a formal moment — it is also the plural “you”. Rule of thumb: start with vous, and let the French person offer tu (“on peut se tutoyer ?”). Getting this right matters more than perfect pronunciation — it signals respect instantly.
This guide pairs with French Episode 1: Speak French from Day One — watch the full lesson and grab the free study PDF.
Get the free study PDF for every episode plus one email when a new episode drops. Free forever — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Join learners getting better at real conversation, every week.