Which one should you use?
The forms differ mainly in their level of formality and how they name the person. salut, je suis Dora uses the informal greeting salut and the direct translation of "I am". In contrast, Salut, c'est Dora is an informal way to say "Hi, it's Dora" or "Hey, I'm Dora". For a formal introduction, you would use Bonjour, je m'appelle Dora, which uses the standard formal greeting Bonjour and je m'appelle.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut, je suis Dora is informal because it uses salut, which is an informal greeting used with friends or peers. For formal situations, use Bonjour, je m'appelle Dora. In such settings, Bonjour is the standard formal greeting and je m'appelle is a very common and natural way to introduce oneself in French.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase je suis uses the first-person singular present tense of the verb être (to be).
When do people say it?
When introducing yourself, you might follow up with Enchanté(e), which means "nice to meet you". If you are greeting someone in the evening, you would use Bonsoir (good evening) instead of bonjour. To ask how someone is doing, you can say Comment ça va? (how are you?). Useful polite terms include Merci (thank you) and S'il vous plaît (please).
Did you know?
- The word salut descends from the Latin salūtem, which is the same root used in the English word 'salvation'.
- The word salut is a double-edged greeting that can mean both 'hi' and 'bye'.
- When responding to an introduction with Enchanté, French speakers often accompany the word with a slight nod or a handshake, but never a hug unless they are very close friends.
Examples in context
- Salut, je suis Dora, enchantée.Hi, I'm Dora, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Two students meeting for the first time at university.
- HugoSalut ! Je m'appelle Hugo.Hi! My name is Hugo.
- EmmaSalut, je suis Dora. Enchantée !Hi, I'm Dora. Pleased to meet you!
- HugoEnchanté, Dora. Tu es nouvelle ici ?Pleased to meet you, Dora. Are you new here?
- EmmaOui, c'est mon premier jour.Yes, it's my first day.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, salut, suis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
