bonjour, je m'appelle Nick
The English phrase "hello, my name is nick" is translated into French as bonjour, je m'appelle Nick.
This phrase is the standard way to introduce yourself in neutral or formal settings. The component je m'appelle means "I am called" or "I call myself."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je m'appelle literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While bonjour is the standard greeting, you can use salut instead of bonjour to achieve a more informal "hi" or "hello" among peers, resulting in the phrase Salut, je m'appelle Nick.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb appeler in je m'appelle is a reflexive verb, which is why the reflexive pronoun m’ is used.
What mistakes should you avoid?
While je suis Nick (I am Nick) is grammatically correct, it is less common than je m'appelle Nick for a formal introduction.
Did you know?
- In France, a formal introduction often requires a la bise, which involves lightly touching cheeks and kissing the air. The number of kisses varies by region and can range from two to four.
- When using Salut, je m'appelle Nick, you are using a word that also means 'bye'.
- The 'je' in 'je m'appelle' shares a common ancestor with the Latin 'ego', which is the root of the English word 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Nick.Hello, my name is Nick.
- Salut, je m'appelle Nick.Hi, my name is Nick.
- Hé, je suis Nick. Enchanté(e) !Hey, I'm Nick. Nice to meet you!
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Nick et je suis nouveau ici.Hello, my name is Nick and I am new here.
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Nick, enchanté.Hello, my name is Nick, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Nick introduces himself to a colleague at work.
- EmmaBonjour, je m'appelle Nick.Hello, my name is Nick.
- GabrielBonjour Nick, je suis Gabriel.Hello Nick, I am Gabriel.
- EmmaEnchanté de vous rencontrer, Gabriel.Nice to meet you, Gabriel.
- GabrielEnchanté également.Nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonjour, je, CC BY-SA 4.0.
