What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? is composed of Bonjour (good day), comment (how) and allez-vous (go you).
Which one should you use?
There are several ways to adjust this greeting depending on your relationship with the person. Use Bonjour, comment vas-tu ? instead of the formal version when speaking to a friend, a child or someone you know well. In very casual settings, Salut, ça va ? is a much more common way to say "Hi, how are you?" than the formal version and Salut alone can be used to say "hi" or "hello".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Bonjour, comment allez-vous ? is a common formal way to say "Hello, how are you?" For informal situations, you can use Bonjour, tu vas bien? (Hello, are you doing well?) or Salut, ça va ?
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a standard polite response is Très bien, merci. Et vous ? (Very well, thank you. And you?).
Did you know?
- In France, failing to say bonjour before asking a question or requesting service is often viewed as quite rude. It is not just a greeting but a necessary social 'key' to begin any interaction.
- While bonjour is used to arrive, you should avoid using it when leaving. To say 'good day' as a farewell, the French use bonne journée instead.
- If you want to be very casual, you can shorten the greeting to just Ça va ?, which serves as both the question 'How are you?' and the answer 'I am doing well'.
Example conversation
Chloé greets Gabriel in a professional office setting.
- ChloéBonjour, comment allez-vous ?Good morning, how are you?
- GabrielJe vais très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
- ChloéJe suis ravie de l'entendre.I am delighted to hear that.
- GabrielEt vous, Chloé ?And you, Chloé?
