French word: Bonjour
French word: Bonjour
Pronunciation: bon-zhoor
English translation: Good morning.
Perhaps the most popular basic French term, bonjour is pronounced bon-zhoor – and it literally means ‘Good morning’. This is actually a formal greeting that you would perhaps accord the staff of the hotel where you’re staying.
However, there is a less formal way of saying your greetings. When you say ‘Salut’ in French, that translates to a casual “Hi!” in English. The French term for hi is pronounced saw-loo.
Finally, the opposite of bonjour is ‘Bon soir’ which means good evening or goodnight. The pronunciation of the term is bon-swar.
Anne has studied and spoken French for over a decade and has lived in both France and Francophone Cameroon. She strives to write lessons that reflect her real experiences and represent the way people really speak.
