salut, je m'appelle
The English phrase "hi, my name is" is translated into French as 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 component je m'appelle literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
The choice of greeting changes the tone: using salut, je m'appelle is informal and casual, whereas replacing salut with bonjour shifts the introduction to a more formal or polite register.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb appeler in je m'appelle is a pronominal verb, which means the reflexive pronoun m' (me) is required to indicate that the action is being performed on oneself.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes say je suis [name] (I am [name]). While this is understandable, je m'appelle is the more natural way to introduce yourself in French.
Did you know?
- The word salut is versatile and can be used both to say 'hi' when arriving and 'bye' when leaving.
- In some French-speaking regions, salut is often accompanied by a light kiss on both cheeks, known as la bise, depending on the relationship.
- The word salut shares the same ancient root as the English word 'salute', as both descend from a concept of being 'whole' or 'healthy'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Sophie. Enchantée de faire votre connaissance.Hello, my name is Sophie. Nice to meet you.
- Salut, je m'appelle Marie. Content(e) de te rencontrer.Hi, my name is Marie. Nice to meet you.
- Salut, je m'appelle Clara.Hi, my name is Clara.
- Salut, je m'appelle Thomas et je suis nouveau ici.Hi, my name is Thomas and I am new here.
- Salut, je m'appelle Julie, enchantée !Hi, my name is Julie, nice to meet you!
Example conversation
Two people meet at a birthday party.
- ManonSalut, je m'appelle Manon.Hi, my name is Manon.
- HugoSalut Manon, moi c'est Hugo.Hi Manon, I'm Hugo.
- ManonTu es un ami de l'organisateur ?Are you a friend of the host?
- HugoOui, on est collègues de travail.Yes, we are work colleagues.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, salut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
