Lesson 1: Greetings and goodbyes
Saluer et prendre congé
What you will be able to do
Greet people, say goodbye, ask how someone is and choose between tu and vous.
Audio
Phrases
- Bonjour, madame.Hello, madam.
- Bonsoir, monsieur.Good evening, sir.
- Salut, ça va ?Hi, how is it going?
- Comment allez-vous ?How are you? (formal)
- Je vais très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
- Enchanté, madame.Pleased to meet you, madam.
- Au revoir, à bientôt !Goodbye, see you soon!
- Bonne soirée, monsieur !Have a nice evening, sir!
Dialogue
- AnaBonjour, monsieur. Je m’appelle Ana Silva.Hello, sir. My name is Ana Silva.
- MarcBonjour, madame Silva. Bienvenue !Hello, Mrs Silva. Welcome!
- AnaMerci. Comment allez-vous ?Thank you. How are you?
- MarcTrès bien, merci. Et vous ?Very well, thank you. And you?
- AnaÇa va bien, merci. Vous êtes Marc Weber ?I am fine, thank you. Are you Marc Weber?
- MarcOui, c’est moi. Ici, on se tutoie. Ça va, Ana ?Yes, that is me. Here, we use tu with each other. How is it going, Ana?
- AnaÇa va bien, et toi ? Je suis contente.I am fine, and you? I am happy.
- MarcSuper ! À tout à l’heure, Ana. Bonne journée !Great! See you later, Ana. Have a good day!
- AnaMerci, à tout à l’heure ! Bonne journée, Marc.Thanks, see you later! Have a good day, Marc.
Vocabulary
- bonjourhello, good morning
- bonsoirgood evening
- saluthi, bye (informal)
- au revoirgoodbye
- à bientôtsee you soon
- mercithank you
- s’il vous plaîtplease (formal)
- s’il te plaîtplease (informal)
- ouiyes
- nonno
- madamemadam, Mrs
- monsieursir, Mr
Grammar
Tu or vous: who are you talking to?
French has two ways to say you. Use tu with a friend, a family member, a child or a close colleague. Use vous with someone you do not know, with older people, in shops, at the doctor and at the commune, and always when you speak to several people. The verb changes too: tu es, tu vas, but vous êtes, vous allez. When you start with vous, the other person will often suggest tu themselves.
- Salut Marc, tu vas bien ?Hi Marc, are you doing well?
- Bonjour madame, vous allez bien ?Hello madam, are you well?
- Entre collègues, on dit souvent tu.Between colleagues, people often say tu.
Exercises
- Exercises 1
Comment allez-vous ?
Comment allez-vous is the polite way to ask how someone is: it uses vous.
- Exercises 2
Bonjour, madame.
Hello, madam.
Bonjour is hello during the day, and madame is the polite word for a woman.
- Exercises 3
Ça va bien, merci. Vous êtes Marc Weber ?
I am fine, thank you. Are you Marc Weber?
With vous the verb is êtes: vous êtes. With tu it is es: tu es.
- Exercises 4
Merci. Comment allez-vous ?
Thank you. How are you?
Thank you comes first, then the polite question with vous at the end.
- Exercises 5
Bonjour, monsieur. Je m’appelle Ana Silva.
Je m’appelle means my name is, and monsieur is the polite word for a man.
- Exercises 6
Salut, ça va ?
Hi, how is it going?
Salut, ça va is informal: use it with friends and with colleagues who say tu.
- Exercises 7
Je vais très bien, merci.
I am doing very well, thank you.
With je, the verb aller is je vais. Then tu vas and vous allez.
- Exercises 8
Au revoir, à bientôt !
Goodbye, see you soon!
Au revoir means goodbye and à bientôt means see you soon.
- Exercises 9
s’il vous plaît
S’il vous plaît is the polite please. S’il te plaît is for someone you say tu to.
- Exercises 10
monsieur
sir, Mr
Monsieur is for a man and madame for a woman. Oui means yes and non means no.