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 salut is the equivalent of saying 'hi' or 'hey' in English and is used among friends and acquaintances. You can also use the phrase Salut ça va? as an informal greeting between friends in France. While these forms are common for greetings, salut is unique because it can be used both for 'hello' and 'bye' in informal settings. For the safest and most common way to say hello in French, you should use Bonjour.
Which one should you use?
salut is an informal way to say 'hello' or 'hi', whereas coucou is a more colloquial, cute or affectionate version of 'hey' or 'hi there'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut is an informal term. coucou is even more informal and is considered colloquial, often used with children or close friends.
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.ly/
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking cultures, a verbal greeting like Bonjour or Salut is considered a mandatory social 'key' to even begin a transaction in a shop.
- Coucou is often used when someone pops their head around a corner or surprises a friend, similar to saying 'peek-a-boo'.
- The word salut shares its ancient roots with the English word 'whole', stemming from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to be healthy or whole'.
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 shows how to use salut when addressing a woman affectionately.Tatoeba #594147 by sacredceltic, translation #1265548 by Jefepeters
- Salut mon vieux !Hello, old friend!This sentence shows how to use salut when addressing a male friend affectionately.Tatoeba #1551225 by sacredceltic, translation #1549913 by miflhanc
- Salut ça va?hi, how are you?
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel meet at a cafe.
- EmmaSalut Gabriel !Hello Gabriel!
- GabrielSalut Emma, ça va ?Hello Emma, how are you?
- EmmaÇa va très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
- GabrielMoi aussi, je suis content de te voir.Me too, 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.
