Bonjou
daytime, polite
This page covers Haitian Creole. The standard way to say hello is Bonjou, used from morning until the afternoon. After dark people say Bonswa, and Alo is common on the phone.
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Creole | Note |
|---|---|
| Bonjou | daytime, polite |
| Bonswa | evening |
| Alo | phone, casual |
Bonjou fits shops, offices and meetings with strangers. Haitians usually greet first and then start the conversation, so skipping the greeting can sound rude.
Which one should you use?
Bonjou is the daytime greeting and Bonswa takes over in the evening. Alo is the casual one, heard when answering a call.
How do you pronounce it?
In Bonjou the j sounds like the s in "measure", so it comes out close to "bon-ZHOO".
Did you know?
- Haitian Creole and French are both official languages of Haiti, and bonjou comes from the French bonjour.
Examples in context
- Bonjou, kijan ou ye?Hello, how are you?
- Bonswa, madam.Good evening, ma'am.
- Alo, se Mari.Hello, it's Mari.
Example conversation
Jean greets his neighbor Madan Louis in the morning in Port-au-Prince.
- JeanBonjou, Madan Louis.Hello, Madam Louis.
- Madan LouisBonjou, Jean. Kijan ou ye?Hello, Jean. How are you?
- JeanMwen byen, mèsi.I am well, thanks.
