bonjour, au revoir et merci
Hello, goodbye and thank you in French are bonjour, au revoir et merci.
bonjour works in formal and informal settings during the day. au revoir is the everyday goodbye and merci the everyday thanks.
What does it mean word for word?
bonjour combines bon, good and jour, day. au revoir literally means until the seeing again. et means and.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
With friends salut can replace both bonjour and au revoir, since it means hi and bye. Je vous remercie is a more formal thank you, and Adieu is a formal farewell with a sense of finality.
When do people say it?
In France it is polite to say bonjour when entering a shop and to say merci and au revoir when leaving.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Merci beaucoup!Thank you very much!
- Je vous remercie de votre aide.I thank you for your help.
- Merci bien pour votre gentillesse.Thank you so much for your kindness.
- Je dis bonjour, au revoir et merci.I say hello, goodbye, and thank you.
- Il faut dire bonjour, au revoir et merci.One must say hello, goodbye, and thank you.
- Elle a appris bonjour, au revoir et merci.She learned hello, goodbye, and thank you.
Example conversation
Gabriel is teaching Léa basic French etiquette.
- GabrielLéa, répète après moi : bonjour, au revoir et merci.Léa, repeat after me: hello, goodbye, and thank you.
- LéaBonjour, au revoir et merci !Hello, goodbye, and thank you!
- GabrielC'est parfait, Gabriel est fier de toi.That's perfect, Gabriel is proud of you.
- LéaMerci beaucoup, Gabriel !Thank you very much, Gabriel!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, et, merci, revoir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
