Master essential French greetings, farewells, and polite expressions that are fundamental to French culture.
Greetings & Politeness in French
The French place great importance on politeness. Starting any conversation correctly — in a shop, at work, or in the street — will make a huge difference to how you are perceived.
Saying Hello
French
English
When to use
Bonjour
Hello / Good morning
Any time of day, formal or informal
Bonsoir
Good evening
From around 6pm onwards
Salut
Hi / Hey
Informal — friends and people your age
Coucou
Hey! (affectionate)
Very informal — close friends, family
Saying Goodbye
French
English
Au revoir
Goodbye
À bientôt
See you soon
À demain
See you tomorrow
À tout à l'heure
See you later (same day)
Bonne journée !
Have a good day!
Bonne soirée !
Have a good evening!
Bonne nuit
Good night (before sleeping)
Essential Polite Expressions
French
English
Tiếng Việt
S'il vous plaît
Please (formal)
Làm ơn / Xin vui lòng
S'il te plaît
Please (informal)
Làm ơn (thân mật)
Merci
Thank you
Cảm ơn
Merci beaucoup
Thank you very much
Cảm ơn rất nhiều
De rien
You're welcome (casual)
Không có gì
Je vous en prie
You're welcome (formal)
Không dám
Excusez-moi
Excuse me (formal)
Xin lỗi
Pardon
Sorry / Pardon
Xin lỗi
Je suis désolé(e)
I am sorry
Tôi rất tiếc
How Are You?
French
English
Comment allez-vous ? (formal)
How are you?
Comment tu vas ? (informal)
How are you?
Ça va ? (very casual)
You OK?
Très bien, merci !
Very well, thank you!
Ça va bien.
I'm fine.
Comme ci, comme ça.
So-so.
Pas très bien.
Not very well.
🇻🇳 Culture tip for Vietnamese speakers: In France, it is considered rude to enter a shop without saying Bonjour first. Always greet the shopkeeper when entering and say Au revoir, merci when leaving — even if you buy nothing. This is a social rule the French take very seriously!
