French 1 / Unit 1: Greetings and Introductions
1.1 Greetings and Goodbyes
Notes
French greetings change with the time of day and with how formal you want to be.
- Bonjour = hello / good morning / good afternoon (used until evening). Bonsoir = good evening. Salut = hi / bye (informal, friends only).
- Goodbyes: Au revoir (goodbye), À bientôt (see you soon), À demain (see you tomorrow), Salut (bye, informal), Bonne nuit (good night, said before sleep).
- S'il vous plaît / s'il te plaît = please. Merci = thank you. De rien = you're welcome. Excusez-moi = excuse me.
| Français | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour, madame. | Hello, ma'am. |
| Bonsoir, monsieur. | Good evening, sir. |
| À demain ! | See you tomorrow! |
Practice
You meet your teacher at 10 a.m. Which greeting is best?
Bonjour is used during the day. Bonsoir is for the evening and au revoir means goodbye.
What does « À demain ! » mean?
Demain means tomorrow. « À bientôt » would be "see you soon".
Your friend says « Merci ! » What is a polite reply?
De rien means "you're welcome".
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