salut
/sa.ly/
The French phrase for 'hi casually' is salut.
salut is a versatile, informal greeting used to mean 'hi' or 'hey'. It is appropriate for use with friends or people you know well.
Which one should you use?
Unlike many other greetings, salut can be used both as a greeting to say hello and as a farewell to say goodbye among friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, salut is more commonly used than bonjour in casual situations.
How do you pronounce it?
/sa.ly/
Did you know?
- The word salut also means 'salvation' or 'safety' in a religious or formal context, such as in the phrase le salut de l'âme meaning 'the salvation of the soul'.
- The word salut is the root of the English word 'salute'. While 'salute' is now a formal military gesture, the original French term was simply a friendly greeting.
- The word salut shares its roots with the English word 'health' and the Latin 'salus', which refers to well-being or safety.
Examples in context
- Salut, comment ça va ?Hi, how is it going?
- Salut tout le monde !Hi everyone!
- Salut, tu viens avec nous ?Hi, are you coming with us?
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma meet at a local park.
- HugoSalut, Emma !Hi, Emma!
- EmmaSalut, Hugo ! Ça va ?Hi, Hugo! How are you?
- HugoÇa va très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thanks.
- EmmaSuper, on y va ?Great, shall we go?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry salut, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
