How to say hello in French

Some will argue that things are changing, but la politesse is part of the French language and culture. Even if you don’t master la langue de Molière, a few words in French can go a long way. With that in mind, you might want to complement your greetings with some French slang, to strengthen your conversational skills. And actually, this rule applies to any language.

There is also pretty big French-speaking community in the Czech republic, and our country also has many ties with French-speaking countries through airlines, international businesses, and government organizations. With greetings being the first thing you say during a conversation, it is important to learn different ways to say hello in French. It is the starting point for any trip, meeting, and relationship with French-speaking people, and a chance to show off your new vocabulary.

Next time you are abroad, try to greet the locals in their language and see what happens! Seeing a broad smile will also help you to overcome language anxiety.

But revenons-en à nos moutons (this expression means “Let’s get back to the point” in French). Politesse aside, learning to say hello in French is the base to initiate communication and maybe make some new friends.

Firstly, how do you actually say “hello” in French?

The most common greeting in French is the very useful “bonjour”, and “bonsoir”. The first can be used throughout the day, and the second in the evening. “Salut” is also widely used in a more informal setting and is basically French for hello. These are the most basic greetings that will commonly be learned in lessons for French for kids.

23 other ways to say hi in French

If you’re having a hard time pronouncing French words like a local - or almost - the International Phonetic Alphabet can help. It’s easy to learn and will help you with any language you study in the future.

Everytime you look for a word in a language book, dictionary, translator or online resource, you'll notice the IPA pronunciation next to it, like in the table above. In no time, your French will sound parfait!

But for now, let’s have a look at other ways to say “hello”, or “hello how are you” in French, with their respective pronunciations for English speakers.

We hope this article not only taught you how to say hi in French but also the basics of French culture. Equipped with these greeting tools, there is no doubt you will create a great first impression the next time you meet a French speaker. Whether you are traveling the world, this knowledge can prove useful when meeting French-speaking people. You can also take Berlitz classes to surprise your friends, business partners, and spouse with your new skills! To make sure you find the perfect class for you, we offer private courses as well as group instruction and online self-study courses.