Salut !
casual, friends
To a friend the natural greeting is Salut ! It is friendly and informal, and it also serves as a goodbye. It is also called Bonjour ! and Coucou !
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| Salut ! | casual, friends |
| Bonjour ! | neutral |
| Coucou ! | very casual |
Follow it with Ça va ? to ask how your friend is. Close friends may greet with Coucou ! or Hey !
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Bonjour is polite and always safe, but between friends it can sound a bit stiff. Switch to Salut when you use tu.
When do people say it?
French friends often greet with a kiss on the cheek, called la bise, so the spoken Salut comes with it.
Did you know?
- The word salut comes from Latin salus, meaning "health", which is why it can mean both hello and goodbye.
Examples in context
- Salut, ça va ?Hi, how are you?
- Coucou, c'est moi !Hello, it is me!
- Salut, à plus tard !Bye, see you later!
Example conversation
Chloé arrives at a picnic in Paris and greets her friend Nicolas.
- ChloéSalut, Nicolas !Hi, Nicolas!
- NicolasSalut, Chloé. Ça va ?Hi, Chloé. How are you?
- ChloéÇa va bien, merci.I am fine, thanks.
- NicolasViens, on est là-bas.Come, we are over there.
