salut, je m'appelle
The French phrase for "hey, my name is" is salut, je m'appelle.
This phrase is a casual greeting used when introducing yourself to someone for the first time.
What does it mean word for word?
The part je m'appelle literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
Using salut, je m'appelle makes the introduction casual. For a more formal introduction, you should use Bonjour, je m'appelle [Your Name]. Another informal variation is Coucou, c'est [Your Name], which means "Hey, it's [Your Name].".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The greeting salut is informal and is used with peers, friends or people younger than you. For formal situations, use Bonjour, je m'appelle [Your Name].
Did you know?
- The variation Coucou is an onomatopoeia mimicking the sound of a cuckoo bird and is used primarily with children or very close friends.
- The greeting salut shares its ancient roots with the English word 'whole', as both stem from the concept of being 'unharmed' or 'complete'.
- While salut is used as 'hey' when arriving, it is also used as 'bye' when leaving.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Sophie. Enchanté(e) de faire votre connaissance.Hello, my name is Sophie. Nice to meet you.
- Salut, je m'appelle Thomas. Enchanté(e) de te rencontrer.Hi, my name is Thomas. Nice to meet you.
- Salut, je m'appelle Marc.Hey, my name is Marc.
- Salut, je m'appelle Marc, enchanté.Hey, my name is Marc, nice to meet you.
- Salut, je m'appelle Sophie et j'étudie ici.Hey, my name is Sophie and I study here.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel meet at a student party.
- EmmaSalut, je m'appelle Emma.Hey, my name is Emma.
- GabrielEnchanté Emma, moi c'est Gabriel.Nice to meet you Emma, I'm Gabriel.
- EmmaTu es nouveau ici ?Are you new here?
- GabrielOui, je viens d'arriver.Yes, I just arrived.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, salut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
