Greetings & Introductions
French politeness is not decoration — it is structural. Walking into a shop without saying bonjour is genuinely rude in a way that has no English equivalent, and getting this one habit right changes how people respond to you.
Start with the greeting, then the request. Always in that order.
Vocabulary
- Bonjour
- Hello / Good morning
- Bonsoir
- Good evening
- Salut
- Hi / Bye (informal)
- Au revoir
- Goodbye
- À bientôt
- See you soon
- S'il vous plaît
- Please (formal)
- Merci
- Thank you
- De rien
- You're welcome
- Pardon
- Sorry / Excuse me
- Oui / Non
- Yes / No
Example Phrases
Comment vous appelez-vous ?
What is your name? (formal)
Je m'appelle Marc.
My name is Marc.
Comment allez-vous ?
How are you? (formal)
Ça va bien, merci.
I'm well, thank you.
Enchanté.
Pleased to meet you.
Grammar note
Tu vs. vous
Vous is both the plural you and the polite singular you. Tu is singular and informal — for friends, family, children, and colleagues who have invited it.
Default to vous with any adult stranger. Switching to tu is a small social event; the other person will usually propose it (on peut se tutoyer ?). Using tu too early reads as presumptuous rather than friendly.
Cultural note
Bonjour is the price of entry
In France you greet the room, not just the person serving you. Entering a bakery, a small shop, or a doctor's waiting room without a bonjour is noticed.
The flip side: once you've said it, a great deal of warmth becomes available. It genuinely is the single highest-return phrase in the language.