bonjour, je m'appelle Olivia
The English phrase "hello, my name is olivia" is translated into French as bonjour, je m'appelle Olivia.
The phrase is used as a greeting when introducing yourself to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The part je m'appelle literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While bonjour is the standard and polite way to say hello, you can use salut, je m'appelle Olivia for a more casual "hi, my name is Olivia" among peers or friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb appeler in je m'appelle is a reflexive verb, which is why the reflexive pronoun me (contracted to m') is used.
Did you know?
- In France, it is considered impolite to begin any interaction, even a simple introduction, without first saying bonjour.
- The word salut is a linguistic double agent, as it is used both as a casual 'hi' when introducing yourself and as a casual 'bye' when leaving.
- While bonjour is the universal greeting, in some regions of France it is common to add enchanté after stating your name to signify that you are 'enchanted' or honored to meet the person.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Olivia.Hello, my name is Olivia.
- Enchanté(e), je suis Olivia.Pleased to meet you, I am Olivia.
- Salut, je m'appelle Olivia.Hi, my name is Olivia.
- Coucou, moi c'est Olivia.Hey there, I'm Olivia.
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Olivia, et vous ?Hello, my name is Olivia, and you?
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Olivia, enchantée.Hello, my name is Olivia, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Olivia introduces herself to a new classmate.
- LucasBonjour, je m'appelle Olivia.Hello, my name is Olivia.
- EmmaSalut Olivia, moi c'est Emma.Hi Olivia, I'm Emma.
- LucasEnchantée, Emma !Nice to meet you, Emma!
- EmmaMoi aussi, bienvenue !Me too, welcome!
