bonjour
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/
The English phrase "good day" is translated into French as bonjour.
bonjour is used as a greeting between sunrise and sunset. It is the most common and universal way to say "good day" in French.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word bonjour is a compound of bon, meaning "good" and jour, meaning "day".
Which one should you use?
While bonjour is used during the day, bonsoir is the appropriate greeting to use once evening begins.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly write the greeting as two separate words. Ensure you write it as the single compound word bonjour.
When do people say it?
In French culture, it is considered impolite to start a conversation with a stranger, such as a shopkeeper or waiter, without first saying bonjour.
Did you know?
- In some regions and social circles, the greeting bonjour is often accompanied by la bise, which involves kissing both cheeks.
- The word jour inside bonjour is a linguistic relative of the English word 'journal', which originally meant a record of daily events.
- The phrase bonjour is so essential in France that ignoring it when entering a small store can be perceived as a genuine insult to the shopkeeper.
Examples in context
- Bonjour à tous sans exception !Good day to everyone without exception!This sentence shows how to address a group with bonjour.Tatoeba #5255492 by martin9, translation #12262404 by Miktsoanit
- Bonjour. Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui ?Good day. How are you today?This example demonstrates using bonjour before asking how someone is.Tatoeba #10683104 by Micsmithel, translation #54599 by AlanF_US
- Bonjour ! Police ! Pourrais-je voir vos papiers ?Good day! Police! Can I see your papers?This illustrates using bonjour in a formal or professional context.Tatoeba #6206132 by felix63, translation #6814126 by Eccles17
- Bonjour, comment ça va?Good day, how are you?
- Bonjour à vous, mesdames et messieursGood day to you, ladies and gentlemen
- Bonjour Madame DupontGood day, Mrs. Dupont
- Au revoir! Je vous souhaite une bonne journéeGoodbye! I wish you a good day
- Bonjour tout le monde, comment ça va?Good day, everyone, how are you?
- Salut, ça va bien?Hi, are you doing well?
- Coucou, comment ça va aujourd'hui?Hey, how are you today?
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas pass each other in a quiet street during the afternoon.
- LéaBonjour, Lucas.Good day, Lucas.
- LucasBonjour, Léa. Tu vas bien ?Good day, Léa. Are you doing well?
- LéaOui, merci. Passe une bonne journée !Yes, thank you. Have a good day!
- LucasMerci, toi aussi.Thanks, you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries bonjour, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
