salut
/sa.ly/
In French, salut is an informal greeting used to say hello or goodbye.
salut is a versatile phrase used to greet a friend or to say goodbye. It functions as both a 'hi' and a 'bye'. You can also use the phrase Salut tout le monde to say 'hi, everyone'.
Which one should you use?
While the word bonjour is strictly used as a greeting when you arrive, salut can be used both when arriving and when leaving to say goodbye.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
salut is an informal term. For an even more affectionate greeting similar to the English 'hiya' or 'hey', you might use Coucou. If you want to inquire about someone's well-being casually, you can use Ça va.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /sa.ly/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word salut shares a common ancestor with the English word 'whole', stemming from a root meaning 'healthy' or 'complete'.
- While salut is common in conversation, the word also means 'salvation' or 'safety' in a religious or formal context.
- While salut is a friendly way to say hello, the noun un salut can also refer to a formal military salute or a respectful bow.
Examples in context
- Salut, ça va ?Hi, how are you?
- Salut, à plus tard !Bye, see you later!
- Salut tout le monde.Hi everyone.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan meet briefly on the street.
- EmmaSalut, Nathan !Hi, Nathan!
- NathanSalut Emma, tu vas bien ?Hi Emma, are you doing well?
- EmmaOui, merci. Salut !Yes, thanks. Bye!
- NathanSalut, à bientôt.Bye, see you soon.
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.
