bon après-midi
/bɔ.n‿a.pʁɛ.mi.di/
The English phrase "good afternoon" can be translated into French using bon après-midi or bonjour.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| bon après-midi | /bɔ.n‿a.pʁɛ.mi.di/ |
| bonjour | /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ |
In French, bon après-midi is most frequently used as a wish when saying goodbye (meaning "have a good afternoon") rather than as a greeting when arriving. Bonjour can be used as a formal greeting meaning "good day" until the evening.
Which one should you use?
While bon après-midi specifically refers to the afternoon, bonjour is the much more common way to say "good afternoon" or "hello" during daylight hours.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bon après-midi can be used as either masculine or feminine, though the masculine form is more common.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ.n‿a.pʁɛ.mi.di/
Did you know?
- In France, it is considered impolite to enter a shop or bakery without saying bonjour to the staff, regardless of how brief the visit is.
- The word bon comes from the Latin 'bonus', which evolved from the Proto-Italic '*dwenos'.
- While bonjour is used throughout the day, switching to bonsoir (good evening) usually happens around 6 PM, though this varies by region and social context.
Examples in context
- Bonjour.Good afternoon.This sentence uses bonjour to greet someone.Tatoeba #3557547 by fleur74, translation #499689 by CK
- Bonjour !Good afternoon!This sentence uses bonjour as an enthusiastic greeting.Tatoeba #373345 by Aiji, translation #3552554 by Meruert
- Bonjour. Vous êtes notre nouveau voisin, si je ne me trompe ?Good afternoon. You are our new neighbor, if I'm not mistaken?This sentence uses bonjour to begin a conversation with a neighbor.Tatoeba #1403786 by manuchko, translation #871529 by CM
- Bon après-midi, madame.Good afternoon, madam.
- Bonne après-midi, mon ami !Good afternoon, my friend!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel meet at a cafe in the afternoon.
- EmmaBon après-midi, Gabriel !Good afternoon, Gabriel!
- GabrielMerci, bon après-midi à toi aussi, Emma.Thanks, good afternoon to you too, Emma.
- EmmaComment vas-tu aujourd'hui ?How are you doing today?
- GabrielJe vais très bien, merci.I am doing very well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries bon après-midi, bonjour, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries après-midi, bon, bonjour, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
