Salut, comment tu t'appelles ?
Salut, comment tu t'appelles ? is the French way to say "hi, what is your name".
This phrase is an informal greeting used to ask someone for their name. The greeting Salut can mean both "hi" and "bye".
What does it mean word for word?
The part comment tu t'appelles literally translates to "how do you call yourself".
Which one should you use?
Use Comment vous appelez-vous ? instead of Salut, comment tu t'appelles ? when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people to maintain politeness.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Salut, comment tu t'appelles ? is an informal way to greet someone and ask for their name. For more formal situations, you can use Bonjour, comment vous appelez-vous? to politely greet someone and ask for their name or the extra polite Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous me dire votre nom? to ask, "Excuse me, could you tell me your name?"
When do people say it?
A natural response to this question is to say Je m'appelle… followed by your name.
Did you know?
- The word salut shares its ancient root with the English word 'whole'. It originally expressed a wish for the other person to be healthy and complete.
- Using tu instead of vous when asking someone's name can be seen as a social boundary cross called 'tutoiement'. In some professional settings, this transition is a significant social milestone.
- In French, the verb used for naming oneself, appeler, is the same verb used for shouting or calling out to someone.
Examples in context
- Salut, comment tu t'appelles ? – Je m'appelle Marc.Hi, what is your name? – My name is Marc.
Example conversation
Two young people meet at a party.
- HugoSalut, comment tu t'appelles ?Hi, what is your name?
- ManonJe m'appelle Manon. Et toi ?My name is Manon. And you?
- HugoMoi, c'est Hugo. Enchanté !Me, it's Hugo. Nice to meet you!
- ManonEnchantée, Hugo.Nice to meet you, Hugo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comment, salut, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
