salut
/sa.ly/informal
In French, hello can be expressed as salut. Wiktionary also lists coucou.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salut | /sa.ly/ | informal |
| coucou | /ku.ku/ | informal |
These terms are used as greetings to say hello or hi. salut can be used at any time of the day. Note that salut is versatile and can also be used to say goodbye in informal settings.
Which one should you use?
While salut is a standard informal way to say hello or hi, coucou is a more colloquial and even cuter version, typically used among close friends, family or when speaking to children.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut is an informal greeting. For a more formal or polite approach, especially at night, you might use Bonsoir (Good evening) or the phrase Bonsoir, comment allez-vous? (Good evening, how are you?). coucou is highly informal and colloquial.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, Canada, speakers often use the informal salut to say hello.
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.ly/
Did you know?
- The word coucou is an onomatopoeia based on the call of the cuckoo bird.
- The gesture of 'la bise' often accompanies salut among friends, where people lean in to kiss each cheek, though the lips rarely actually touch the skin.
- The term salut shares the same root as the English word 'salute' and the word 'salvation'.
Examples in context
- Salut à tous !Hello everyone!This sentence shows how to use salut to greet a group.Tatoeba #10625667 by felix63, translation #854117 by piksea
- Salut ma belle !Hello, beautiful!This sentence demonstrates using salut when addressing someone affectionately.Tatoeba #594147 by sacredceltic, translation #1265548 by Jefepeters
- Salut mon vieux !Hello, old friend!This sentence shows salut being used with an old friend.Tatoeba #1551225 by sacredceltic, translation #1549913 by miflhanc
- Salut les amis!Hi, friends!
- Ça va?How's it going?
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan meet at a local park.
- ManonSalut Nathan !Hi Nathan!
- NathanSalut Manon, ça va ?Hi Manon, how are you?
- ManonÇa va bien, merci.I'm doing well, thanks.
- NathanSuper, je suis content.Great, I'm happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries salut, coucou, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coucou, salut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
