What does it mean word for word?
The part tout le monde literally translates to 'all the world'.
Which one should you use?
While Bonjour tout le monde is standard, Bonjour à tous serves as a slightly more formal alternative when addressing a group.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal setting, the most common way to say hello to everyone is Bonjour à tous. In informal situations, you can use Salut tout le monde! for a friendly 'Hi, everybody!' or Coucou tout le monde! which means 'hey, everyone!' Using Salut instead of Bonjour makes the greeting more informal. If you are a speaker or presenter addressing a specific group, you might use Mesdames, Messieurs (Ladies and gentlemen).
How does it change in a sentence?
Despite referring to a group of people, tout le monde is grammatically singular and takes singular verbs.
Did you know?
- The greeting Coucou tout le monde! uses a term coucou that is also the French name for the cuckoo bird.
- The word monde was specifically shaped by speakers in the 12th century to avoid confusion with the word mont, which means 'mountain'.
- When using Bonjour à tous, French speakers often use a masculine plural form even if the group consists entirely of women.
Examples in context
- Bonjour tout le monde !Hello everybody!This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting Bonjour tout le monde.Tatoeba #466762 by mamat, translation #1181558 by nonymus1
- Salut, bonjour tout le monde.Hi, hello everybody.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo walks into a room where Manon and her friends are sitting.
- HugoBonjour tout le monde !Hello everybody!
- ManonSalut Hugo !Hi Hugo!
- HugoÇa va ?How are you?
- ManonOui, ça va bien.Yes, it's going well.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bonjour, bonjour, le, monde, tout, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
