French Greetings: A Beginner’s Guide (DELF A0 Grammar)
Introduction
If you're learning French at the DELF A0 level, one of the first things you need to master is how to greet people correctly. French greetings vary based on formality and time of day, and understanding when to use them is key to making a good impression.
In this post, we’ll cover essential greetings, simple grammar rules, and example conversations to help you sound natural in French.
1. Basic Greetings and When to Use Them
Formal vs. Informal Greetings
Asking "How Are You?"
💡 Formal:
➡️ Comment allez-vous ? (koh-mahn tah-lay voo?) – "How are you?"
💡 Informal:
➡️ Ça va ? (sah vah?) – "How’s it going?"
➡️ Tu vas bien ? (tew vah byan?) – "Are you doing well?"
Grammar Tip:
- "Vous" (voo) = (you) is formal or plural.
- "Tu" (tew) = (you) is informal and singular.
Mnemonic: Formal vs. Informal Greetings
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | (bohn-zhoor) | Good morning / Hello | Formal, used until evening |
| Bonsoir | (bohn-swahr) | Good evening | Formal, after 6 PM |
| Salut | (sah-loo) | Hi | Informal, with friends |
| Allô | (ah-loh) | Hello (on the phone) | Only used for phone calls |
2. How to Introduce Yourself
When meeting someone for the first time, use:
✅ Je m’appelle... (zhuh mah-pell...) → "My name is..."
✅ Enchanté(e). (ahn-shahn-tay) → "Nice to meet you."
✅ Comment vous appelez-vous ? (koh-mahn voo zah-play voo?) → "What is your name?" (Formal)
✅ Tu t’appelles comment ? (tew tah-pell koh-mahn?) → "What’s your name?" (Informal)
Grammar Tip:
- Je m’appelle comes from the reflexive verb s’appeler (to call oneself).
3. Saying Goodbye in French
Grammar Tip:
- Bonne journée and Bonne soirée are feminine because they refer to la journée (the day) and la soirée (the evening).
Mnemonic: Saying Goodbye in French
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Au revoir | (oh ruh-vwahr) | Goodbye (Formal) |
| À bientôt | (ah byan-toh) | See you soon |
| À demain | (ah duh-mahn) | See you tomorrow |
| Bonne journée | (bohn zhoor-nay) | Have a good day |
| Bonne soirée | (bohn swah-ray) | Have a good evening |
4. Example Conversations
👔 Formal Situation: Meeting a Colleague
👩 Sophie: Bonjour, monsieur. Comment allez-vous ? (bohn-zhoor, muh-syeuh. koh-mahn tah-lay voo?)
👨 Jean: Bonjour, madame. Je vais bien, merci. Et vous ? (bohn-zhoor, mah-dahm. zhuh vay byan, mehr-see. ay voo?)
👩 Sophie: Très bien, merci. Enchantée. (tray byan, mehr-see. ahn-shahn-tay.)
👨 Jean: Enchanté. (ahn-shahn-tay.)
(Translation:
Sophie: Good morning, sir. How are you?
Jean: Good morning, ma’am. I’m well, thank you. And you?
Sophie: Very well, thank you. Nice to meet you.
Jean: Nice to meet you too.)
🎉 Informal Situation: Greeting a Friend
👩 Emma: Salut, Lucas ! Ça va ? (sah-loo, loo-kah! sah vah?)
👨 Lucas: Salut, Emma ! Oui, ça va bien, et toi ? (sah-loo, eh-mah! wee, sah vah byan, ay twah?)
👩 Emma: Super ! (soo-pehr!)
(Translation:
Emma: Hi, Lucas! How’s it going?
Lucas: Hi, Emma! Yes, I’m good, and you?
Emma: Great!)
5. Practice Your French Greetings!
Now that you know the basics, try practicing these greetings:
Mastering greetings is the first step to confident French conversations. Bonne chance! (bohn shahns!) 🚀
Would you like to learn more French basics? Let me know in the comments! 😊
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Read more:
💙 Bonjour vs. Salut: Understanding the Differences and Proper Usage
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