coucou
/ku.ku/
coucou is an informal French greeting used to say hello.
coucou is a friendly way to say hi or hey, primarily used with friends, family or children. The word is also used as the name for the game 'peek-a-boo' played with infants.
Which one should you use?
While salut is a common way to say hi among peers, coucou is more intimate and affectionate.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
coucou is an informal term.
How do you pronounce it?
/ku.ku/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, coucou can be used to describe someone who is a bit 'crazy' or 'eccentric', similar to saying someone is 'cuckoo' in English.
- The greeting is an onomatopoeia that mimics the rhythmic call of the cuckoo bird, known in French as the coucou.
- In French, the phrase faire coucou can mean to wave hello from a distance or to pop in briefly to visit someone, even if you are not speaking.
Examples in context
- Coucou, tout le monde !Hi, everyone!
- Coucou, ça va ?Hey, how are you?
- Un petit coucou de Paris.A little hello from Paris.
Example conversation
Lucas arrives at Emma's house.
- LucasCoucou Emma !Hi Emma!
- EmmaCoucou Lucas ! Entre.Hi Lucas! Come in.
- LucasMerci, comment tu vas ?Thanks, how are you doing?
- EmmaÇa va très bien, merci.I'm doing very well, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry coucou, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coucou, CC BY-SA 4.0.
