French Greetings for Beginners: Hello, Goodbye and Polite Basics

French greetings are one of the fastest ways to sound more natural. Even if your grammar is still basic, using the right greeting at the right moment makes a strong impression and helps conversations start more smoothly.

In this guide, you will learn the most useful beginner greetings in French, when to use them, and how to combine them with simple polite expressions.

The most important French greetings

Bonjour = hello
Salut = hi
Bonsoir = good evening
Au revoir = goodbye
A bientot = see you soon
A demain = see you tomorrow

Bonjour or salut?

Bonjour is the safest choice in most situations. Use it with strangers, teachers, shop staff, colleagues, and anyone you want to address politely.

Salut is more informal. Use it with friends, family, classmates, or people your age in relaxed situations.

Examples:

Bonjour madame. = Hello ma’am.
Salut Paul, ca va ? = Hi Paul, how are you?

How to ask “How are you?” in French

Ca va ? = How are you?
Tu vas bien ? = Are you doing well?
Vous allez bien ? = Are you doing well? formal

For a beginner, Ca va ? is one of the easiest and most useful choices.

Useful answers

Ca va bien. = I am fine.
Tres bien, merci. = Very well, thank you.
Comme ci, comme ca. = So-so.
Pas mal. = Not bad.

The polite basics you should always know

Merci = thank you
Merci beaucoup = thank you very much
S’il vous plait = please
Pardon = sorry / excuse me
Excusez-moi = excuse me
De rien = you are welcome

How to say goodbye naturally

Au revoir works almost everywhere. It is polite, clear, and safe for beginners.

You can also use:

A bientot = see you soon
A plus tard = see you later
Bonne journee = have a nice day
Bonne soiree = have a nice evening

Mini dialogues for beginners

At a bakery
A: Bonjour madame.
B: Bonjour.
A: Un croissant, s’il vous plait.
B: Bien sur.
A: Merci.
B: De rien. Au revoir.

With a friend
A: Salut, ca va ?
B: Oui, ca va bien. Et toi ?
A: Tres bien, merci.

Formal or informal?

If you are not sure, choose the polite version. In French, being slightly too formal is usually better than being too casual with the wrong person.

Final tip

Greetings are not a small detail in French. They are a big part of sounding respectful and comfortable in real life. Practice them aloud until they come automatically.

For related lessons, see different ways to say thank you in French and ways to say goodbye in French.