bonjour, mon bon ami
The English phrase "hello, my good friend" is translated into French as bonjour, mon bon ami.
This phrase is a warm greeting used to welcome a close friend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canadian French, the phrase Bonjour, mon brave can be used to mean "my good fellow."
Did you know?
- In France, calling someone mon ami can sometimes sound overly formal or even slightly condescending if the two people are not actually very close.
- Depending on the region, a French speaker might replace bon ami with pote, a very common slang term for a 'buddy' or 'pal'.
- The word mon was likely influenced by the Gaulish word mon, which existed before the Latin influence on the French language.
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel meet at a café.
- LéaBonjour, mon bon ami !Hello, my good friend!
- GabrielSalut Léa, je suis ravi de te voir.Hi Lea, I am delighted to see you.
- LéaMoi aussi, Gabriel. Tu vas bien ?Me too, Gabriel. Are you doing well?
- GabrielOui, tout va très bien, merci.Yes, everything is going very well, thanks.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, bon, bonjour, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
