How do you respond to French greetings? (2024)

How do you respond to French greetings?

What is the proper response to bonjour? It's more than sufficient to simply say bonjour back in response to those who greet you, but if you want to go a step beyond, you can respond with comment allez-vous, which is the French equivalent of asking how it's going.

How do you respond to Bonjour CA VA?

Two of the most common responses to the question Ça va ? (How's it going?) in French are Ça va bien and Ça va mal. As you can see, the only difference between these two responses is the use of bien (good) and mal (bad). If it's not going too well the next time someone asks you Ça va ?

How do you respond to Bonne Journee?

To respond, you can repeat “bonne journée” back, or simply say “[à] toi aussi!” or “[à] vous aussi!” – “[to] you too!”. Merci, bonne journée ! / À vous aussi, bonne journée. – Thank you, have a good day! / You too, have a good day.

What do French people say when they greet each other?

Adults say "tu" to children and kiss them on the cheek, even if they have just met for the first time. To greet people, you say "Bonjour". Among young people and students, "Salut" is used more frequently.

What is the greeting etiquette in France?

It is expected that you will shake hands with everyone present when arriving and leaving. Among friends and relatives, the most common greeting is the 'la bise' (kiss on both cheeks). The la bise consists of placing one's cheek against another's, making a kiss noise, then repeating it on the opposite side.

What does Je vais bien mean?

— Je vais bien. How are you? — I'm fine.

How do you respond to Merci beaucoup monsieur?

You can reply to this phrase by saying De rien (You are welcome), if it's an informal engagement, or Je vous en prie (You are welcome), in a formal setting.

What should we reply to merci?

The usual response to merci is de rien (You're welcome – literally, It's nothing) or il n'y a pas de quoi. In a more formal context, you could say Je vous en prie or Je t'en prie.

How do you respond to Bonjour tout le monde?

I can only surmise that this person actually said "Bonjour au monde" (Hello, world) or perhaps "Bonjour à tout le monde" (Hello, everyone). In either case, the correct response would be "Bonjour".

How do I respond to Bonsoir?

When someone says 'bonsoir' (pronounced: bohn-SWAHR), you can simply reply 'bonsoir' as well. Notice that this is the equivalent of 'good evening.

Why do the French not say bon matin?

However, though this is a literal translation of “good morning,” it is not typically used in France. It's an Anglicization, or Anglicisme, that works as a literal translation but that isn't commonly heard. However, bon matin may be heard more frequently in Québécois French, the variety of French spoken in Canada.

Which cheek do you kiss first in France?

In the southeastern and eastern areas of France, it's left cheek first. In the rest of the country, it's the right. There are, however, two islands in each of these broad regions: In the blue zone, the French-speaking part of Switzerland stands out. In the red zone, Haute-Normandie is the exception.

What does Coucou mean in French slang?

The slangy one: Coucou!

Meaning: “Hi!” About: Coucou is a sweet, sincere way of saying hi, normally reserved for close friends and family. It's a little like saying “darling!” or “hey babe!”. It's warm and fuzzy – and, while not in the least bit offensive, typically a bit too cuddly and casual for work.

How do you show respect in France?

If addressing a stranger, you should always greet them formally before asking anything; whenever meeting someone new, address them with either Monsieur, Madame or Mademoiselle; typically use the latter for under 18s, and address most adult women as Madame, except in some situations, such as restaurants.

How to behave in France as an American?

Learn the basic French etiquette rules and make sure that you avoid embarrassment and stay polite when talking to French people.
  1. Polite Formality Governs the Country.
  2. Kiss, Not Hug.
  3. Table Manners: Polite, but Not Punctual.
  4. Say No to Small Talk.
  5. Choose the Correct Topic for Conversation.

What does the French handshake mean?

4- Se serrer la main

Meaning: To shake hands. How: French handshakes are brisk and firm, with one or two up-and-down movements while looking the person you're greeting straight in the eyes. Where / When: Shaking hands is the most common way to greet friends, colleagues, or strangers in France.

Can I say je suis bien?

"Je vais bien" or "je me sens bien" means you feel good, but "je suis bien" doesn't really mean much by itself. And if you say "je suis mal", it doesn't really mean "I feel bad", and it doesn't mean "I'm a bad person" like in English either, it's usually more like, "I'm in a difficult situation".

What does je vais te manger mean?

je vais te manger : I am going to eat youmanger, futur proche.

What does Merci Baku mean?

: thank you very much.

How do you say thank you in French formally?

The phrase for "thank you" is "grazia" (pronounced as "graht-see-ah"). Paris: In Paris, it's common to use the more formal "je vous remercie" to say “thank you,” especially in formal settings. In more casual settings, "merci beaucoup" or simply "merci" is appropriate.

What is a pas de soucis?

Among the phenomena to which purists take much exception, probably none is more contentious than the now highly frequent use of “pas de souci!”, an expression mirroring the English “no problem!” or “no worries!”

What does Merci beaucoup mean literally?

Merci beaucoup

Beaucoup means “a lot,” so this French phrase roughly translates to “thanks very much” or “thanks a lot.”

How do you respond to comment ca va in French?

When you want to be friendly: Comment ça va ?
  1. If you're doing well, you can say Ça va bien, et toi ? (It's going well, and you?).
  2. If you're not doing well, you can answer with Ça va mal (It's not going well).
Oct 24, 2021

Can you respond to ca va with oui?

Is that considered rude? Yes, that's a very common (maybe the most common?) answer to this question.

What does salut mean in France?

"Salut" is a French word that is commonly used as a casual greeting, similar to "hello" or "hi" in English. It can be used to say hello or goodbye in an informal setting. Steven Haddock.

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