Lesson 1: Essential Greetings and Introductions
Master your first French words: greetings, introductions, politeness, and basic questions to start conversations confidently.
🇫🇷 Lesson 1: Essential Greetings and Introductions
👋 Introduction
Welcome to your French journey! In this first lesson, we'll explore the most essential words and phrases you need to greet people, introduce yourself, and navigate basic social interactions in French. These aren't just words to memorize—they're your passport to connecting with French speakers around the world.
Why start with greetings? Because every conversation begins with hello! Whether you're visiting Paris, Montreal, or just ordering a croissant at your local French bakery, these phrases will be your foundation. By the end of this lesson, you'll know approximately 40-50 core words that will unlock countless conversations.
💡 Pro Tip: French is spoken by over 275 million people across five continents. These basic phrases work everywhere French is spoken, from France to Quebec, Belgium to Senegal!
🎯 Core Concepts
Part 1: Basic Greetings (Les Salutations)
Let's start with the most important word in French:
Bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR) = Hello / Good day
This is THE word you'll use most often. Unlike English where we say "good morning," "good afternoon," etc., bonjour works for any time during daylight hours. It's polite, universal, and essential.
🎭 Cultural Note: In France, you should ALWAYS greet people when entering a shop, waiting room, or elevator. A simple "bonjour" shows respect. Skipping it is considered rude!
Other essential greetings:
+------------------+-------------------+---------------------------+
| French | Pronunciation | When to Use |
+------------------+-------------------+---------------------------+
| Bonjour | bohn-ZHOOR | Daytime (most common) |
| Bonsoir | bohn-SWAHR | Evening/night greetings |
| Salut | sah-LU | Informal "hi" (friends) |
| Bonne nuit | bun NWEE | Good night (leaving) |
+------------------+-------------------+---------------------------+
Bonsoir (bohn-SWAHR) = Good evening
- Use this after about 6 PM or when it gets dark
- Also used when entering evening events
Salut (sah-LU) = Hi / Bye (informal)
- Only use with friends, family, or people your age
- Too casual for shops, strangers, or professional settings
- Interestingly, can mean both "hi" AND "bye"!
Bonne nuit (bun NWEE) = Good night
- ⚠️ Important: Only used when someone is going to sleep
- NOT used as a greeting when arriving in the evening (use "bonsoir" instead)
🧠 Mnemonic Device: "Bon" = good, "jour" = day → "Good day!" Think of "jour" like "journal" (a daily record).
Part 2: Saying Goodbye (Les Adieux)
Au revoir (oh ruh-VWAHR) = Goodbye
- The standard, polite way to say goodbye
- Literally means "until we see each other again"
- Safe to use in any situation
À bientôt (ah bee-ehn-TOH) = See you soon
- More friendly and warm than "au revoir"
- Use when you'll likely see the person again
À plus tard (ah plu TAR) = See you later
- Often shortened to "à plus" (ah PLU) in casual speech
- Common among friends
Bonne journée (bun zhoor-NAY) = Have a good day
- Said when leaving during daytime
- Shows extra politeness and warmth
Bonne soirée (bun swah-RAY) = Have a good evening
- Used when leaving in the late afternoon/evening
- The evening equivalent of "bonne journée"
Greeting Flow Chart
☀️ DAYTIME (before ~6pm)
|
Enter: "Bonjour"
|
Leave: "Au revoir" + "Bonne journée"
🌙 EVENING (after ~6pm)
|
Enter: "Bonsoir"
|
Leave: "Au revoir" + "Bonne soirée"
😴 BEDTIME
|
Leave: "Bonne nuit"
Part 3: Politeness - The French Superpower!
French culture values politeness extremely highly. These "magic words" will open doors (literally and figuratively!).
S'il vous plaît (seel voo PLEH) = Please (formal)
- Literally means "if it pleases you"
- Use with strangers, in shops, with anyone older, in professional settings
- The "vous" form shows respect
S'il te plaît (seel tuh PLEH) = Please (informal)
- Use only with friends, children, family
- The "te" form is for people you're close to
🆚 Vous vs. Te: This is your first encounter with formal vs. informal French:
- Vous = respectful, formal, or plural "you"
- Tu/Te = informal, singular "you" (friends/family only)
Merci (mehr-SEE) = Thank you
- Works in all situations
- Can add "beaucoup" (boh-KOO) for "thank you very much": merci beaucoup
Merci bien (mehr-SEE bee-ehn) = Thanks a lot
- Slightly more emphatic than just "merci"
De rien (duh ree-ehn) = You're welcome
- Literally "of nothing" (like "it's nothing")
- Most common response to "merci"
Je vous en prie (zhuh vooz ahn PREE) = You're very welcome (formal)
- More polite than "de rien"
- Shows extra courtesy
Excusez-moi (ex-ku-zay MWAH) = Excuse me (formal)
- To get someone's attention
- To apologize for a minor inconvenience
- To pass through a crowd
Pardon (par-DOHN) = Pardon / Sorry
- Quick apology (bumping into someone)
- Also used to ask someone to repeat: "Pardon?"
Désolé (day-zoh-LAY) = Sorry (masculine speaker) Désolée (day-zoh-LAY) = Sorry (feminine speaker)
- More serious apology than "pardon"
- The pronunciation is the same, but spelling changes based on your gender
💡 The Magic Formula: In France, always start requests with "Bonjour" + "excusez-moi" + your request + "s'il vous plaît" + "merci"!
Example: "Bonjour! Excusez-moi, un café, s'il vous plaît. Merci!"
Part 4: Introducing Yourself (Se Présenter)
Now let's learn how to tell people who you are!
Je (zhuh) = I
- The subject pronoun for "I"
- Used before verbs
Je m'appelle (zhuh mah-PELL) = My name is / I am called
- Literally "I call myself"
- Follow with your name: "Je m'appelle Marie"
Comment (koh-MAHN) = How Vous (voo) = You (formal) Tu (tu) = You (informal)
Comment vous appelez-vous? (koh-MAHN vooz ah-play VOO?) = What is your name? (formal) Comment tu t'appelles? (koh-MAHN tu tah-PELL?) = What is your name? (informal)
🔤 Word Root: "Appeler" comes from Latin "appellare" (to call), related to English "appellation" (a name or title).
Enchanté (ahn-shahn-TAY) = Pleased to meet you (masculine) Enchantée (ahn-shahn-TAY) = Pleased to meet you (feminine)
- Say this after being introduced to someone
- Literally means "enchanted"
- Pronunciation identical, but spelling matches your gender
Et (ay) = And Vous? (voo) = And you? (formal) Et toi? (ay TWAH) = And you? (informal)
+------------------------+--------------------------------+
| FORMAL (Vous) | INFORMAL (Tu) |
+------------------------+--------------------------------+
| Comment vous | Comment tu |
| appelez-vous? | t'appelles? |
| | |
| Et vous? | Et toi? |
| | |
| S'il vous plaît | S'il te plaît |
+------------------------+--------------------------------+
Part 5: Essential Question Words
These little words unlock understanding:
Oui (wee) = Yes Non (nohn) = No Peut-être (puh-TEH-truh) = Maybe
Qui? (kee) = Who? Quoi? (kwah) = What? Où? (oo) = Where? Quand? (kahn) = When? Pourquoi? (poor-KWAH) = Why? Comment? (koh-MAHN) = How?
🧠 Memory Trick: Notice that most question words starting with "qu" sound like "k"! This is a consistent pattern in French.
Parlez-vous anglais? (par-lay voo ahn-GLAY?) = Do you speak English?
- Your emergency phrase when stuck!
- "Parler" = to speak
- "Anglais" = English
Je ne comprends pas (zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah) = I don't understand
- "Comprendre" = to understand
- "Ne...pas" creates the negative
Répétez, s'il vous plaît (ray-pay-TAY seel voo PLEH) = Please repeat
- Essential for learners!
- Don't be shy to ask people to repeat
Part 6: Basic Responses
Ça va? (sah VAH?) = How are you? / How's it going?
- Extremely common informal greeting
- Literally "it goes?"
Ça va (sah VAH) = I'm fine / It's going well
- Same phrase, different intonation!
- With question mark (rising tone) = question
- Without (flat tone) = answer
Bien (bee-ehn) = Good / Well Très bien (treh bee-ehn) = Very good / Very well Comme ci, comme ça (kum see, kum SAH) = So-so
- Literally "like this, like that"
- Hand gesture: tilt hand side to side
Et vous? / Et toi? = And you?
- Always polite to ask back!
💬 Examples with Explanations
Example 1: Entering a Bakery (La Boulangerie) 🥐
Situation: You walk into a French bakery in the morning.
☀️ Morning at the Boulangerie
[You enter the shop]
YOU: Bonjour!
(Hello! - Always greet first!)
BAKER: Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?
(Hello! How are you?)
YOU: Très bien, merci. Et vous?
(Very well, thank you. And you?)
BAKER: Ça va, merci.
(I'm fine, thanks.)
YOU: Un croissant, s'il vous plaît.
(A croissant, please.)
BAKER: Voilà!
(Here you go!)
YOU: Merci beaucoup!
(Thank you very much!)
BAKER: De rien. Bonne journée!
(You're welcome. Have a good day!)
YOU: Bonne journée! Au revoir!
(Have a good day! Goodbye!)
Why this works: Notice how the interaction is framed by greetings and politeness. The baker won't help you without "bonjour" first! "S'il vous plaît" makes your request polite, and exchanging "bonne journée" shows warmth.
Example 2: Meeting Someone New at a Party 🎉
Situation: Your friend introduces you to someone at an evening gathering.
🌙 Evening Introductions
FRIEND: Sophie, je te présente Marc.
(Sophie, I introduce you to Marc.)
YOU: Bonsoir! Enchanté!
(Good evening! Pleased to meet you!)
[Note: Say "enchantée" if you're female]
MARC: Enchanté! Comment tu t'appelles?
(Pleased to meet you! What's your name?)
[Using "tu" because you're all friends/same age]
YOU: Je m'appelle Sophie. Et toi?
(My name is Sophie. And you?)
MARC: Marc. Ça va?
(Marc. How's it going?)
YOU: Ça va bien, merci! Et toi?
(I'm good, thanks! And you?)
MARC: Très bien!
(Very good!)
[Later, when leaving]
YOU: Au revoir, Marc! À bientôt!
(Goodbye, Marc! See you soon!)
MARC: À plus tard! Bonne soirée!
(See you later! Have a good evening!)
Why this works: The informal "tu" form is used throughout because they're friends/peers at a social gathering. "Bonsoir" is used because it's evening. "À bientôt" and "à plus tard" show friendly connection.
Example 3: Lost Tourist Asking for Help 🗺️
Situation: You're lost in Paris and need to ask for directions.
🗼 On the Streets of Paris
YOU: Excusez-moi, madame!
(Excuse me, ma'am!)
[Getting someone's attention politely]
WOMAN: Oui?
(Yes?)
YOU: Parlez-vous anglais?
(Do you speak English?)
WOMAN: Non, désolée.
(No, sorry.)
YOU: Euh... où... métro?
(Um... where... metro?)
[You're struggling but trying!]
WOMAN: [Points] Là-bas!
(Over there!)
YOU: Merci beaucoup!
(Thank you very much!)
WOMAN: De rien. Bonne journée!
(You're welcome. Have a good day!)
YOU: Bonne journée! Au revoir!
(Have a good day! Goodbye!)
Why this works: You started with "excusez-moi" to get attention respectfully. Even though you don't speak much French, using the polite phrases shows effort and respect. The woman appreciates your attempt and helps!
Example 4: Complete Beginner's Conversation 🌟
Situation: Using ONLY the words from this lesson, here's a realistic basic exchange.
☕ At a Café Terrace
WAITER: Bonjour!
YOU: Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?
WAITER: Très bien, merci. Et vous?
YOU: Bien, merci.
WAITER: [Takes your order]
YOU: S'il vous plaît... [points at menu]
WAITER: Oui, oui.
[Later]
WAITER: Voilà!
YOU: Merci beaucoup!
WAITER: De rien!
[When leaving]
YOU: Excusez-moi... [asking for the check gesture]
WAITER: [Brings check]
YOU: Merci. Au revoir!
WAITER: Au revoir! Bonne journée!
YOU: Bonne journée!
Why this works: Even with limited vocabulary, you can navigate real situations by combining simple phrases with gestures. The greeting establishes rapport, politeness maintains it, and proper goodbyes leave a good impression.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Mistake #1: Forgetting to Greet
❌ Wrong: Walking into a shop and immediately asking "Un café?" ✅ Correct: "Bonjour! Un café, s'il vous plaît."
Why it matters: In French culture, not greeting first is considered very rude. Always say "bonjour" before any request or conversation.
Mistake #2: Using "Bonne Nuit" as a Greeting
❌ Wrong: Arriving at a dinner party at 8 PM: "Bonne nuit!" ✅ Correct: "Bonsoir!"
Why it matters: "Bonne nuit" is ONLY for when someone is going to bed, like "goodnight" in English when tucking in children. For evening arrivals, use "bonsoir."
Mistake #3: Mixing Formal and Informal
❌ Wrong: To a stranger: "Salut! Comment tu t'appelles?" ✅ Correct: "Bonjour! Comment vous appelez-vous?"
Why it matters: Using "tu" with strangers is disrespectful. Always use "vous" unless the person invites you to use "tu" or it's clearly a casual setting with peers.
Mistake #4: Pronouncing "Bonjour" Like "Bon Joor"
❌ Wrong: "Bon JOOR" (with English "j" sound) ✅ Correct: "Bohn ZHOOR" (soft "zh" sound like "measure")
Why it matters: The French "j" sounds like the "s" in "measure" or "treasure." Practice: "Je" (zhuh), "jour" (zhoor), "bonjour" (bohn-zhoor).
Mistake #5: Forgetting "S'il Vous Plaît"
❌ Wrong: "Un café!" (demanding) ✅ Correct: "Un café, s'il vous plaît." (requesting politely)
Why it matters: Without "please," you sound demanding rather than polite. French culture values politeness extremely highly.
Mistake #6: Not Asking Back "Et Vous?"
❌ Wrong: Person: "Ça va?" You: "Ça va bien." [then silence]
✅ Correct: Person: "Ça va?" You: "Ça va bien, merci! Et vous?"
Why it matters: French conversation is reciprocal. Always ask back to show interest and politeness.
Mistake #7: Wrong Gender Agreement
❌ Wrong: [Male speaker] "Enchantée!" or [Female speaker] "Enchanté!" ✅ Correct: Match the adjective to YOUR gender, not the other person's
Why it matters: In French, adjectives describing YOU take YOUR gender. Men say "enchanté" and "désolé," women say "enchantée" and "désolée."
📖 Mini-Story: Pierre's First Day in Paris
Here's a short story using ALL the vocabulary from this lesson:
🗼 Pierre Arrives in Paris
Pierre arrives in Paris on a beautiful morning. He's nervous but excited.
He enters a café and remembers to be polite: "Bonjour!"
The waitress smiles: "Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?"
Pierre responds: "Très bien, merci. Et vous?"
"Ça va," she says. "Comment vous appelez-vous?"
"Je m'appelle Pierre. Et vous?"
"Marie. Enchanté!"
"Enchanté! Excusez-moi, un café, s'il vous plaît."
"Oui!" Marie brings the coffee. "Voilà!"
"Merci beaucoup!"
"De rien!"
Pierre drinks his coffee and looks at his map. Où is the Eiffel Tower? He doesn't understand the map. "Je ne comprends pas," he mutters.
He asks Marie: "Parlez-vous anglais?"
"Non, désolée," Marie says, but she points him in the right direction.
"Merci! Au revoir!"
"Au revoir! Bonne journée!"
"Bonne journée!" Pierre waves.
That evening, Pierre meets his friend Sophie at a party. "Bonsoir, Sophie!"
"Bonsoir! Ça va?"
"Ça va bien! Et toi?"
"Très bien! Je te présente Marc."
Marc extends his hand: "Enchanté!"
"Enchanté!" Pierre says.
They talk for hours. When Pierre leaves, he says: "Au revoir! À bientôt!"
"À plus tard! Bonne soirée!" Marc and Sophie call.
At his hotel, Pierre is exhausted. The receptionist says: "Bonne nuit!"
"Bonne nuit!" Pierre replies, climbing the stairs to bed.
Ça va - what a good first day!
🎯 Key Takeaways
Essential Vocabulary Summary
Greetings: bonjour, bonsoir, salut, bonne nuit
Goodbyes: au revoir, à bientôt, à plus tard, bonne journée, bonne soirée
Politeness: s'il vous plaît, s'il te plaît, merci, merci beaucoup, de rien, je vous en prie, excusez-moi, pardon, désolé/désolée
Introductions: je, je m'appelle, comment vous appelez-vous?, comment tu t'appelles?, enchanté/enchantée, et vous?, et toi?
Basic Responses: oui, non, peut-être, ça va?, ça va, bien, très bien, comme ci comme ça
Questions: qui?, quoi?, où?, quand?, pourquoi?, comment?
Useful Phrases: parlez-vous anglais?, je ne comprends pas, répétez s'il vous plaît
Core Grammar Concepts
✅ Formal vs. Informal: Vous (formal/plural) vs. Tu (informal/singular) ✅ Gender Agreement: Adjectives match YOUR gender (enchanté/enchantée, désolé/désolée) ✅ Cultural Politeness: Always greet, always use s'il vous plaît, always say goodbye
Pronunciation Reminders
🗣️ J = "zh" sound (je, bonjour) 🗣️ R = guttural, from throat (merci, bonjour) 🗣️ Silent endings: Most final consonants aren't pronounced (comment, très) 🗣️ Nasal sounds: -on, -an, -in (bonjour, enchanté, bien)
💡 Tips for Success
Practice the "Bonjour" habit: Start greeting everyone in your daily life, even in English. This builds the habit of greeting-first thinking.
Mirror method: Watch French videos and repeat greetings exactly as you hear them. Mimic the intonation and rhythm.
Gesture helps: French speakers use hand gestures. A hand wave with "bonjour," a handshake with "enchanté," a tilting hand with "comme ci, comme ça."
Start every interaction: Even when ordering coffee in English, try starting with "Bonjour!" It builds your confidence.
Make mistakes proudly: French speakers appreciate effort. Even if you mess up, the attempt shows respect.
🤔 Did you know? The word "bonjour" was originally "bon jour" (good day) as two separate words. Over time, they merged into one word, but the meaning stayed the same!
📚 Further Study
Ready to practice more? Check out these resources:
- Forvo.com - Hear native speakers pronounce every word: https://forvo.com/languages/fr/
- TV5Monde - Première Classe - Free beginner French videos with greetings: https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/collections/premiere-classe
- Coffee Break French Podcast - Episode 1 covers greetings: https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/coffeebreakfrench/
📋 Quick Reference Card
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ FRENCH SURVIVAL PHRASES - LESSON 1 ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ 👋 GREETINGS ║
║ Bonjour (daytime) | Bonsoir (evening) ║
║ Salut (informal) | Bonne nuit (bedtime only!) ║
║ ║
║ 👋 GOODBYES ║
║ Au revoir | À bientôt (see you soon) ║
║ Bonne journée (have a good day) ║
║ Bonne soirée (have a good evening) ║
║ ║
║ 🙏 POLITENESS - USE THESE CONSTANTLY! ║
║ S'il vous plaît (please - formal) ║
║ Merci / Merci beaucoup (thank you / very much) ║
║ De rien (you're welcome) ║
║ Excusez-moi (excuse me) ║
║ Pardon / Désolé(e) (sorry) ║
║ ║
║ 💬 INTRODUCTIONS ║
║ Je m'appelle... (My name is...) ║
║ Comment vous appelez-vous? (What's your name?) ║
║ Enchanté(e) (Pleased to meet you) ║
║ ║
║ ❓ BASIC QUESTIONS ║
║ Ça va? (How are you?) → Ça va! (I'm fine!) ║
║ Où? (Where?) | Qui? (Who?) | Quoi? (What?) ║
║ Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English?) ║
║ Je ne comprends pas (I don't understand) ║
║ ║
║ ⭐ GOLDEN RULE: Always start with BONJOUR! ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
🎓 You're Ready!
Congratulations! You now know the essential building blocks of French conversation. These 40-50 words will carry you through countless interactions. Remember: every French conversation starts with a greeting. Make "bonjour" your new superpower!
In the next lesson, we'll build on these foundations with numbers, days of the week, and how to talk about yourself in more detail. But for now, practice these greetings every chance you get.
Bonne chance! (Good luck!) And remember: Ça va! You've got this! 🇫🇷✨