salut
/sa.ly/informal
Hello in French can be said as salut. Wiktionary also lists coucou.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salut | /sa.ly/ | informal |
| coucou | /ku.ku/ | informal |
The phrase can be translated as 'Hi' or 'Hey'. You can also use the phrase Salut ça va? to mean 'Hi, how are you?'
Which one should you use?
While salut is used for both 'hello' and 'bye' in informal settings, coucou is an informal greeting similar to 'Hi there' or 'Hey you'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut is an informal greeting. coucou is a colloquial and very casual way to say hello, often used in a cute or affectionate way among close friends, family or when addressing children.
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.ly/
Did you know?
- The word coucou is an onomatopoeia that mimics the repetitive sound made by the cuckoo bird.
- In France, the physical gesture that often accompanies a casual salut is la bise, which involves kissing people on the cheeks.
- Using coucou can be a way to 'surprise' someone, such as popping your head around a door or appearing in a chat window.
Examples in context
- Salut à tous !Hello everyone!This sentence is useful for using salut to greet a group.Tatoeba #10625667 by felix63, translation #854117 by piksea
- Salut ma belle !Hello, beautiful!This sentence is useful for using salut to greet a woman.Tatoeba #594147 by sacredceltic, translation #1265548 by Jefepeters
- Salut mon vieux !Hello, old friend!This sentence is useful for using salut to greet an old friend.Tatoeba #1551225 by sacredceltic, translation #1549913 by miflhanc
- Bonjour, comment ça va?Hello, how are you?
- Salut, ça va bien?Hi, how's it going?
- Bonsoir, j'espère que vous passez une bonne soirée.Good evening, I hope you're having a pleasant night.
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan meet at a local cafe.
- ChloéSalut Nathan !Hello, Nathan!
- NathanSalut Chloé, ça va ?Hello Chloé, how are you?
- ChloéÇa va très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
- NathanSuper, je suis content de te voir.Great, I am happy to see you.
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.
