salut, meilleur ami
In French, salut, meilleur ami is the way to say "hi, best friend".
This phrase is an informal greeting used when addressing a person's closest friend. The component salut is a versatile word that can mean both "hi" and "bye" depending on the context of the conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The greeting salut is informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you might hear the term Salut, mon chum to mean "Hi, my buddy". In Paris, you may often hear Salut, mon pote which means "Hey, mate".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on who you are addressing. If the best friend is female, you must use the feminine forms salut, meilleure amie. To address a group of best friends, use the masculine plural form salut, meilleurs amis.
Did you know?
- While salut is used as a casual 'hi' today, it originates from the Latin word for 'health' or 'salvation'.
- In very casual French slang, instead of saying meilleur ami, a person might simply use the word frère to mean 'brother', even if they are not related.
Example conversation
Manon meets Nathan at a cafe.
- ManonSalut, meilleur ami ! Tu as attendu longtemps ?Hi, best friend! Have you been waiting long?
- NathanNon, je viens d'arriver, Manon.No, I just arrived, Manon.
- ManonSuper, on commande quelque chose ?Great, shall we order something?
- NathanOui, je vais prendre un café.Yes, I will have a coffee.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, meilleur, salut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
