"Bonjour" is the most common word used to greet a person in France. From a common language level, "bonjour" is used in everyday life, from sunrise to the beginning of the end of the day. Saying "bonjour" is a mark of politeness and it is well considered.
The most important French greetings include bonjour (hello), enchanté(e) (nice to meet you), bonsoir (good evening/hello), salut (hi), coucou (hey), Ça fait longtemps, dis donc (long time no see), Âllo (hello), Ça va? (how are you?), tu vas bien? (have you been well?), quoi de neuf? (what's up?), au revoir!
Adults say "tu" to children and kiss them on the cheek, even if they have just met for the first time. To greet people, you say "Bonjour". Among young people and students, "Salut" is used more frequently.
As we mentioned at the beginning, a greeting is of great importance in France. If you go down the street , if you get on the bus, or enter a bakery, and you meet someone you see on a regular basis the most normal thing is to say “bonjour”, even if you don't really know the person.
Of Latin origin, the greeting kissing persists in countries where the culture of contact dominates, and this culture is deeply rooted in France. The French still greet each other by touching each other, kissing or shaking hands.
Bonjour means “hello,” or “good morning,” or “good afternoon,” while bonne journée means “have a good day.” So if you ran into someone at the grocery store one morning you would say, “bonjour” when you saw them and then, “bonne journée” when you parted ways!
French: ciao, tchao, tchô (mostly used to say "goodbye").
Salut (pronounced with a silent t) is commonly used in France, although it is extremely informal: It's the equivalent of saying "hey" in English. Avoid using salut with people you don't know unless you are a teenager. If you are in doubt, stick with bonjour, which—as noted—is always an acceptable form of greeting.
Another tip to respect the French etiquette is politeness. Manners are very important to French people and can be tricky for overseas visitors. “Please” (s'il voul plait ) “Thank you” ( merci ) and “You're welcome” ( je vous en prie or de rien) are used in any circumstances, whenever given the chance.
French kisses can be more stimulating than kisses without the tongue since the lips, tongue, and other parts of the mouth are powerful erogenous zones that contribute to sexual arousal.
In France, saying bonjour in French is a sign of respect and a cultural norm. It's not optional to forgo the greeting if you want people to know that you understand French manners.
What is the proper response to bonjour? It's more than sufficient to simply say bonjour back in response to those who greet you, but if you want to go a step beyond, you can respond with comment allez-vous, which is the French equivalent of asking how it's going.
Unlike Americans, the French do not use hugging as a greeting. Instead, they kiss cheeks (faire la bise) informally and shake hands in formal settings. Because they are not given often, hugs tend to make French people uncomfortable and can easily seem like an invasion of personal space.
Women will often greet each other with a handshake or by kissing once on each cheek. Men who know the woman they are greeting, may exchange a kiss on each cheek.
The French do not just say 'Salut'. They also shake hands or kiss. At work in the morning, colleagues shake hands, and sometimes it is also customary to shake hands again at the end of the day. Shaking hands is thus a ritual at the beginning and end of each encounter, even if the encounter only lasts five minutes.
Among friends and relatives, the most common greeting is the 'la bise' (kiss on both cheeks). The la bise consists of placing one's cheek against another's, making a kiss noise, then repeating it on the opposite side. A la bise is sometimes accompanied with an embrace.
Generally speaking, bonjour is the standard method of saying “good morning.” But depending on where in the world you are, you may also be able to say bon matin! Interestingly, you generally want to say bonjour to someone once per day.
The informal French greeting “Salut!” (pronounced sah-lu) has several meanings including hi, hello, bye, goodbye and cheers. The French strictly use salut with acquaintances and not strangers. In more formal situations the French use both bonjour and au revoir.
The following phrase is the most common way of saying “good morning” in French, and you will hear it the most often. “Bonjour” is not only limited to the morning, it can also be used to greet someone you meet for the first time during the day. You can say bonjour in many formal and informal situations.
When meeting, men greet each other with a handshake. However, air kisses are common greetings. Let your French counterpart lead. Always say hello to everyone when greeting.
One of the common mistakes is using “salut” as a greeting in formal settings, as it is considered informal and impolite. Another mistake is using “salut” in a business context, where “bonjour” or “bonsoir” is more appropriate.