allô
/a.lo/
The French way to say "hello when answering the phone" is allô.
allô is a greeting used specifically when picking up a telephone call. It is often used as a question, allô ?, to signal that you are listening or to check if the person on the other end of the line is still there.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and is pronounced /a.lo/.
Did you know?
- In Quebec, allô is frequently used as a general, informal greeting for people in person, whereas in France it is almost strictly reserved for the telephone.
- While allô is used for the phone, using it to greet someone in person is a way of suggesting they are daydreaming or not paying attention, similar to saying 'Earth to…' in English.
- The word allô is a linguistic traveler that actually traces its roots back to the English exclamation 'hallo' or 'hello'.
Examples in context
- Allô ?Hello?
- Allô, c'est moi.Hello, it's me.
Example conversation
Lucas receives a phone call from Manon.
- ManonAllô, Lucas ?Hello, Lucas?
- LucasAllô, Manon ! Ça va ?Hello, Manon! How are you?
- ManonÇa va bien, merci.I am doing well, thanks.
- LucasSuper, je t'appelle plus tard.Great, I will call you later.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry allô, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries allô, CC BY-SA 4.0.
