The French Connection Hello
While most people are familiar with bonjour, the French have many other greetings to offer. Whether you are a beginner learning French or a native speaker, these 36 French greetings will help you expand your vocabulary and connect with others.
Allo
Allo is a very casual greeting, almost like the English "hey." It's often used over the phone to determine if someone is on the other end, or if you think your conversation may have disconnected. You can also use allo as a way to say goodbye.
Bonjour
Bonjour is probably the most well-known of all French greetings, but it's not as common as some language crash courses would have you believe. It is the formal way to greet a person, so it is the perfect way to introduce yourself or start a business call.
A less formal version of Bonjour is salut (pronounced sa-loo). It's often used by younger generations to greet one another, and is similar in meaning to hello.
You'll often hear this in movies or TV shows after two people who have just slept together wake up in the morning. It's a sweet, loving way to greet a friend or family member, and it's very casual; you wouldn't say coucou in a work setting, for example.
Pourquoi êtes-vous là?
Pourquoi allez-vous là? is a very The french connection the pornostarz album casual greeting that means "Why are you here?" or more literally, "why are you in this place?" It's a great way to get to know someone in a more personal, friendly manner.
Comment ca va?
Comment ca va is a casual French greeting that can be used to ask how you're doing or to simply say hello. It's a very versatile greeting that you can use in any situation, although it may be slightly more formal than the alternatives.
Another informal way to greet a person is to say quoi de neuf? Literally, this translates to "what's new?" This is another great question to ask a friend or family member to get a more personalized response. It's also a fun fact that Bugs Bunny says this in the French version of Looney Tunes!