1.2: Comment se saluer
- Page ID
- 104332
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn how to:
- Greet others
- Use informal and formal ways to address people
- Say goodbye
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
On étudie !
Les salutations et adieux
How do people greet each other in French?
- Let's look at how these two people in the video greet each other.
- To practice, you can listen and repeat their dialogues.
Les salutations
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello |
| Salut | Hi |
| Bonsoir | Good evening |
Watch this video tutorial to learn about the common French greetings: Top 10 French Greetings.
| Questions | Questions | Réponses | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Comment ça va ? Ça va ? |
How's it going? |
Ça va. Ça va (très) bien. Ça va comme-ci, comme-ça. Pas mal. Ça va (très) mal. Non, ça ne va pas. |
Fine, good Very well, good So-so, OK Not bad Not so good. It's bad. No, I'm not ok. |
|
Comment vas-tu ? (informal) Comment allez-vous ? (formal) |
How are you (doing)? |
Je vais (très) bien. Je vais (très) mal. |
I'm (doing) (very) well, fine. I'm feeling (very) bad. |
Look for the words ne and pas. Whenever you see or hear them -- especially the word pas -- you are dealing with a negation.
Notice the difference: J'aime (I like) vs. Je n'aime pas (I don't like); or ça va vs. ça ne va pas.
Les adieux
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| Au revoir. (most common) | Goodbye. (also: "until we see each other again") |
| À bientôt. | See you soon. |
| À demain. | See you tomorrow. |
| À plus tard (À plus) | See you later. |
| À ce soir. | See you tonight. |
| À tout à l'heure. | See you in a little bit, while. |
| À tout de suite ! | See you very soon. |
| Bonne journée. | Have a good day. |
| Bonne soirée. | Have good evening. Enjoy your evening. |
| Ciao. | Bye. |
| Salut. | Bye. |
| À la prochaine. | Until the next time. |
For a more detailed description of how these goodbye expressions are different read this article: 10 ways to say goodbye in French.
Formules de politesse
"Couple Out to Eat" by j4p4n is in the Public Domain
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
|
Merci. Merci beaucoup. |
Thank you. Thanks a lot. |
|
De rien. |
You're welcome. |
|
Je vous en prie. (formal) Je t'en prie. (informal) |
You're welcome; please |
| Pardon. | Pardon (me). |
|
Excusez-moi. (formal) Excuse-moi. (informal) |
Excuse me. |
|
S'il vous plaît. (formal) S'il te plaît. (informal) |
Please. |
Les étiquettes
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| Monsieur (M.) | Sir (Mr.) |
| Madame (Mme.) | Ma'am (Mrs.) |
| Mademoiselle (Mlle.) | Miss |
In recent years, the term 'mademoiselle' has been considered controversial for its sexist connotation since it emphasizes the marital status of women. As such 'mademoiselle' is no longer used in French governmental documents since 2012 providing instead two options: madame, monsieur. However, social changes take time and the word 'mademoiselle' is still used in everyday interactions when addressing younger women as a form of politeness to avoid using 'madame' which can infer the more advanced age of women.
On pratique !
Activité A
Using the expressions above, answer the questions below:
- How would you greet a salesperson that you are meeting for the first time?
- How do you say goodbye to a friend?
- What do you say if you bump into someone that you don’t know?
- What do you say to a waiter, waitress who brings you your drink?
Activité B
Faisons connaissance ! Let's get to know each other. Practice the following conversation with a partner, then switch roles and repeat. When you finish, find a new partner and repeat the process. After changing partners several times, continue to repeat it with a new partner, but this time without reading it.
- Follow the examples of Patrick and Marie who are getting to know each other.
- To practice, you can listen and repeat their dialogues.
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour, je m’appelle Patrick.
Étudiant(e) 2 : Salut ! Moi, c’est Marie. Enchantée. *
Pratiquez →
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour, je m’appelle ________.
Étudiant(e) 2 : Salut ! Moi c’est ________. Enchanté(e).
There are many different ways to have this conversation. This is just an example. You will see more examples below, along with a list of useful vocabulary to practice. You are free to change it up a little or add other elements.
Activité C
In the video below, Diane and Didier have just met on the steps of the Sorbonne University in Paris.
- Listen to them get to know each other.
- To practice, you can listen and repeat their dialogue.
Now, like Didier and Diane, practice greeting each other using the dialogue below.
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour, je suis Didier. Comment t'appelles-tu ?
Étudiant(e) 2 : Je m'appelle Diane.
Pratiquez →
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour, je suis ________. Comment t'appelles-tu ?
Étudiant(e) 2 : Je m'appelle ________.
Activité D
Listen to the dialogue below.
Ask each other how you are doing using the dialogue below.
Étudiant(e) 1 : Ça va ?
Étudiant(e) 2 : Ça va bien, merci. Et toi ?
Étudiant(e) 1 : Ça va.
Pratiquez →
Étudiant(e) 1 : ________ ?
Étudiant(e) 2 : ________. Et toi ?
Étudiant(e) 1 : ________.
Activité E
Let's ask each other how we are doing in a different way.
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour Jean !
Étudiant(e) 2 : Salut, Stéphanie. Comment vas-tu ?
Étudiant(e) 1 : Je vais bien, merci.
Pratiquez →
Étudiant(e) 1 : Bonjour ________ !
Étudiant(e) 2 : Salut, ________. Comment vas-tu ?
Étudiant(e) 1 : Je vais bien, merci.
Activité F
Now it's time to say goodbye:
(a)
Étudiant(e) 1 : Au revoir !
Étudiant(e) 2 : A bientôt !
(b)
Étudiant(e) 1 : À la prochaine !
Étudiant(e) 2 : Ciao.
(c)
Étudiant(e) 1 : À plus tard.
Étudiant(e) 2 : Salut !
(d)
Sophie : Ça va, Véro ?
Véro : Oui, ça va très bien, merci. Et vous ?
Sophie : Je vais bien, merci.
(e)
Paul : Bonjour Madame Renoue. Je vous présente Charles Leblanc.
Catherine : Bonjour, Monsieur.
Charles : Enchanté.
(f)
Aurélie : Excusez-moi, Monsieur.
M. Gautier : Je vous en prie, Madame.
(g)
Marc : Merci.
Anne : Pas de problème.
(h)
Kapenda : Comment allez-vous ?
Jacqueline : Pas mal, merci.
(i)
Valérie : Tu vas bien ?
Marie-Laure : Oui, et toi ?
(j)
Françoise : Au revoir Guillaume !
Guillaume : A plus tard Françoise.
On approfondit !
Use the following resources to type accents and/or search for words:
- Accents: ç, à, é, è, â, ê, î, ô, û, ù, ë, ï, ü
- Dictionnaire français-anglais