Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salut | /sa.ly/ | informal |
| coucou | /ku.ku/ | informal |
In French, salut is a versatile greeting used as a casual way to say hello. In informal settings, it can also be used to mean goodbye. If you are greeting someone specifically in the evening, you might use Bonsoir, which translates to 'Good evening'.
Which one should you use?
While both salut and coucou are informal greetings, coucou is a more colloquial and endearing way to say hello, often used to mean 'hey' or 'hi there'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut is an informal greeting. coucou is colloquial. It is frequently used among friends, family or when addressing children.
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.ly/
When do people say it?
coucou is an affectionate greeting commonly used within close circles like friends and family. When greeting someone in the evening, the specific greeting Bonsoir (Good evening) is also used.
Did you know?
- The word salut is a homonym that also means 'salvation' or 'safety' in religious and formal contexts.
- While coucou is a cute way to say 'hi', it is actually the onomatopoeia for the call of the cuckoo bird.
- In French etiquette, the greeting is often accompanied by 'la bise', where friends or family kiss each other on the cheeks rather than just waving.
Examples in context
- Salut à tous !Hello everyone!This sentence uses salut to greet a group.Tatoeba #10625667 by felix63, translation #854117 by piksea
- Salut ma belle !Hello, beautiful!This sentence uses salut to greet a woman affectionately.Tatoeba #594147 by sacredceltic, translation #1265548 by Jefepeters
- Salut mon vieux !Hello, old friend!This sentence uses salut to greet an old friend.Tatoeba #1551225 by sacredceltic, translation #1549913 by miflhanc
- Bonsoir, comment ça va?Good evening, how are you?
- Bonsoir, ça va bien, merci. Et vous?Good evening, I'm fine, thanks. And you?
- Salut! Tu veux aller prendre un café ce soir?Hi! Do you want to go grab a coffee tonight?
- Salut! Oui, je suis partant.Hi! Yes, I'm up for it.
- Coucou! On se voit ce soir?Hey! Are we seeing each other tonight?
- Coucou! Je suis un peu occupé ce soir, mais demain soir ça ira?Hey! I'm a bit busy tonight, but tomorrow night works?
- 66 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel see each other in a park.
- EmmaSalut, Gabriel !Hello, Gabriel!
- GabrielSalut, Emma. Ça va ?Hello, Emma. How are you?
- EmmaÇa va bien, merci.I'm doing well, thanks.
- GabrielMoi aussi, ça va.Me too, I'm fine.
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.
