Basic greetings and introductions — the charming little French social dance

Bonjour, salut, and all the tiny words that decide whether you get croissants with friends or awkward nods at the boulangerie.

You already met the alphabet, nasal vowels, and the magic tricks of liaison and elision. Now we’re putting those phonetic powers to work so you can greet people, introduce yourself, and not accidentally call someone a duck (true story — don’t say "Je suis chaud" unless you mean heat, not cool).

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Why this matters (quickly)

• Greetings are the social keycard: open the right phrase, and conversations unlock.
• Introductions show basic grammar in action: subject + verb + complement, plus that delicious tu vs vous politeness fork.
• Pronunciation now matters: liaison, elision, and nasal vowels from previous lessons will make you sound natural instead of like a textbook robot.

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The basics: formal vs informal

Situation	Informal (friends/family)	Formal (strangers/older/official)
Hello	salut	bonjour (or bonsoir)
How are you?	ça va ? / tu vas bien ?	comment allez-vous ?
Nice to meet you	ravi(e) / enchanté(e)	enchanté(e) (with handshake)

Key notes

• Use tu with friends, kids, and people who asked you to use tu. Use vous to show respect or with people you don't know.
• Bonsoir = good evening; use it when it’s evening.

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Core phrases to memorize (with pronunciation hints)

• Salut — hi /sa.ly/ (very casual)
• Bonjour — good morning/hello /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/ (note the nasal ɔ̃ — remember nasal vowels!)
• Bonsoir — good evening /bɔ̃.swaʁ/
• Ça va ? — How’s it going? /sa va/ (informal)
• Comment allez-vous ? — How are you? (formal) /kɔ.mɑ̃ ta.le vu/ (liaison alert: the -t- often links in speech: comment-t-allez-vous)
• Je m’appelle ... — My name is ... /ʒə mapɛl/ (elision: je + appelle -> je m’appelle)
• Moi, c’est ... — Me, it’s ... (very natural, casual)
• Enchanté(e) — Pleased to meet you /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/ (pronounce the nasal ɑ̃)
• D’où viens-tu ? /D'où venez-vous ? — Where are you from?
• Je viens de ... — I come from ...
• J’ai ... ans — I am ... years old (literally: I have ... years)

Block of sample pronunciations (use your ear here):

Je m'appelle Léa. -> /ʒə mapɛl le.a/
Comment allez-vous ? -> /kɔ.mɑ̃.t‿a.le vu/  (listen for liaison t)
Bonjour ! -> /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/

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Little grammatical traps and how pronunciation helps avoid them

• Don’t say je suis 20 ans — French uses avoir for age: j’ai 20 ans.
• Elision: je + vowel -> j’ (j’aime, j’ai, j’habite). If you forget, it’ll sound clunky.
• Liaison: in comment allez-vous, the final consonant of comment (t) often links to allez — you’ll hear a faint t: comment-t-allez-vous? This is the linking sound you practiced earlier. In contrast, in salut + enchanté, you usually don’t link.
• Nasal vowels: bonjour and comment both contain nasals you studied — nasalization is part of sounding French, so don’t nasalize arbitrarily, but do practice /ɔ̃/ and /ɑ̃/.

Expert take: Pronunciation rules are social moves. A good liaison at the right moment says, ‘I listen to French rhythm,’ and people relax.

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Mini dialogues to steal and use

1. Casual (students, same age):

• A: Salut ! Ça va ?
• B: Ça va, et toi ?
• A: Tranquille. Je m’appelle Marc.
• B: Moi, c’est Sophie. Enchantée !

2. Formal (at a shop / meeting):

• A: Bonjour. Comment allez-vous ?
• B: Bonjour. Très bien, merci. Et vous ?
• A: Très bien, merci. Je m’appelle Claire. Enchanté.

3. Travel-style (asks origin):

• A: D’où venez-vous ?
• B: Je viens du Canada. Et vous ?
• A: Je viens de Lyon.

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Pronunciation practice exercises (5 minutes each)

1. Shadowing: listen to a short audio of a native saying Bonjour, je m’appelle... Comment allez-vous? and repeat immediately, copying rhythm and liaison.
2. Record + compare: record Je m’appelle ... Enchanté(e). Check for correct elision (j’ not je + pause) and nasal vowels.
3. Spell your name: practice "Ça s’écrit..." then spell using the alphabet you learned (great for letter sounds and linking).
4. Roleplay: 2-minute dialogue where you switch between tu and vous — the dramatic switch sharpens awareness.

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Common faux-pas (and how to not be That Person)

• Saying vous when friends expect tu — can sound stiff. If unsure, start with vous and allow them to propose tu.
• Literal translations: messy. I am hungry -> j’ai faim (not je suis faim).
• Over-nasalizing: not every vowel is nasal. Use the nasal vowels from your previous lesson only where spelled with an n/m as taught.

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Quick cultural note

• In France, a polite handshake or a kiss on the cheek (la bise) varies by region and relationship. When in doubt, start with a simple handshake or a warm verbal greeting and follow cues.

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Wrap-up: your 5-sentence starter kit (memorize these)

1. Bonjour — hello
2. Je m’appelle [Name]. — My name is [Name].
3. Enchanté(e). — Nice to meet you.
4. Comment allez-vous ? / Ça va ? — How are you?
5. Je viens de [country/city]. — I’m from [place].

Final tiny truth: practice these aloud until your mouth remembers them before your brain does. Language is muscle memory in fabric-softener mode.

Practice challenge (today):

• Use at least two of those sentences out loud to a friend, a classmate, or your mirror. Record it. Listen once. Improve one tiny thing (liaison, elision, nasal) and repeat.

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Version note: this lesson builds on your alphabet, nasal vowels and liaison/elision lessons — use those phonetic tricks as your secret handshake in real conversations.

Good luck, have fun, and may your "bonjour" be as smooth as a well-brewed café au lait. Salut !