bonjour mon frère
The English phrase 'hello my brother' is translated into French as bonjour mon frère.
This phrase is a friendly greeting used when speaking to a male sibling or a very close male friend. While mon frère can refer to a biological sibling, it is also used colloquially to address a very close male friend, similar to how one might use 'bro' in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bonjour (good day/hello), mon (my) and frère (brother).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard way to say this is bonjour mon frère. For a more casual and common approach among close friends, you can use salut mon frère. An even more affectionate and informal way to say 'Hello, my brother' is Salut, frérot!
Did you know?
- In some French-speaking cultures, mon frère can be used to address a stranger as a sign of solidarity or shared identity, moving beyond biological or established friendships.
- The word mon may have been influenced by the Gaulish word mon, which existed in the region before Latin became the dominant language.
- The greeting salut is unique because it can be used both when arriving to say 'hello' and when leaving to say 'bye'.
Example conversation
Léa sees Gabriel entering the living room.
- LéaBonjour mon frère ! Tu es enfin là.Hello my brother! You are finally here.
- GabrielSalut Léa, j'ai eu un problème de bus.Hi Léa, I had a bus problem.
- LéaCe n'est pas grave, on peut commencer.It's not a problem, we can start.
- GabrielD'accord, je suis prêt.Okay, I am ready.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, frère, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
