Rebonjour (or the extremely informal “Re”) is a way to acknowledge that you've already seen someone that day while still saying hello. Sometimes you will feel like being more formal.
(informal) hello again; hi again.
Bonjour – Hello in French
Wishing someone “Good day” is somewhat formal for people in most of the English world, but in French, it's just the standard – bonjour really is the equivalent of saying “hello” or “good morning”. You can use it with anyone, from a close friend or family member, to someone you've just met.
Bonjour : hello, good day, hi
Most of you know the formal expression “bonjour”, and you should since it's the most common way to greet someone in French. We use it to greet people in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. “Bonjour” is always polite, and works in any situation.
A Polite Way to Say Hello in French
Bonjour Madame. Bonjour Monsieur. Bonjour mademoiselle. or Bonjour Camille if you are on a first-name basis with the person.
You can either reply saying "Bonjour" back or you could say "salut" which also means hello but in an informal way. This is especially important in French because French-speakers tend to be much more formal about greetings.
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.
Bonjour means either “Hello, I'd like to ask something of you” when you are in a store or you're looking for help, or it can mean “Hello, I am entering your territory,” going on a bus or going in a store.
“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. It is the easiest way to greet someone in French. Once you have mastered it, you can use it almost everywhere and at any time.
One major difference is that Bonsoir can be used to say goodbye, whereas bonjour never is. This means that you can use Bonsoir when you meet someone (evening hours), and at the same time, you can use Bonsoir upon leaving (again not during the day).
Say "Bonjour" until the end of the afternoon and "bonsoir" once the evening starts. Bonjour is a greeting and only a greeting at the difference of "bonsoir" that can be used to say good bye in the evening and evening ONLY.
Learning French can take some time, but as you may have guessed, the most common way to say good morning is bonjour, which literally translates to “good day”. It can be used in both formal and informal situations, making it the perfect go-to greeting for beginners and experts alike.
Once the sun sets, you'll want to replace this little pleasantry with bonsoir ! (Good evening!) All in all, using either bonjour or bonsoir is your best bet for first greeting someone, especially for those you don't know well.
The French word, “bonjour” (Pronunciation: bɔ̃ʒuʀ) has several definitions. Bonjour translates to “good morning” when used early in the day. Bonjour translates to “hello” when used during the rest of the daytime until late afternoon.
Once you reach the end of the afternoon around 6 p.m., you stop saying bonjour and you start to say bonsoir, which means “good evening.” Unlike bonjour, you can use bonsoir when saying goodbye where it would translate more to “goodnight” instead of “hello.” If it's so late in the night that whoever you're saying ...
The two main acceptable ways of greetings in the morning in France are bonjour and salut.
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.
Bonjour is a French word meaning (literally translated) "good day", and is commonly used as a greeting.
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.
It is rude to sit with one's legs spread apart unless in a relaxed context. Rather, sit straight with your legs crossed at the knee or knees together. Feet should not be placed on tables or chairs. If someone is invited to a restaurant or a business function, it is acceptable to arrive at the specific time.
“Au revoir” means “goodbye” so the opposite would be “Bonjour” / “Salut” / “Coucou” (see our lesson on French greetings for more on their differences)
As with English, French people tend to reply to Ça va? with a positive response – Bien, or Bien, merci – much the same way as we would use fine in English. The following responses are polite enough for a new acquaintance, but general enough for a good friend, too: Très bien, merci. Very well, thank you.
In French, emails always start with Bonjour (Hello) or Bonsoir (Good evening), unlike letters, which usually start with Cher / Chère (Dear...). If you're not acquainted with the recipient, use Bonjour monsieur / madame,, meaning 'Hello Sir / Ma'am'.