Salut vs bonjour: formal and informal hello in French

Bonjour is the polite, all-purpose “hello” — you can say it to anyone, in any situation, and never sound wrong. Salut is the casual “hi” you use only with people you are close to: friends, family, classmates, and people your own age. With a stranger, an older person, shop or restaurant staff, or in any formal setting, choose bonjour. One more thing English speakers often miss: salut also means “bye” among friends, while bonjour is only a greeting.

The word list below gives you these greetings with their pronunciation. The two free ones, coucou and ciao, are extra-casual options you will hear among friends.

Bonjour: safe with everyone

Bonjour is the greeting you can never get wrong. Use it the first time you see someone during the day, and especially with anyone you do not know well. In France it is basic courtesy to open with bonjour before you ask for anything — when you walk into a bakery or approach a stranger, you greet first, then speak.

Bonjour, madame. Je voudrais une baguette, s’il vous plaît.
Hello, madam. I’d like a baguette, please.

If you are unsure how close you are to someone, bonjour is always the respectful default — the same instinct as choosing vous over tu.

Salut: friends only, hello and goodbye

Salut is warm and relaxed, but it signals familiarity, so keep it for people you would say tu to. It works at any time of day, and it does double duty as both “hi” and “bye”.

Salut, ça va ? (arriving)
Hi, how’s it going?

Salut, à demain ! (leaving)
Bye, see you tomorrow!

Said to a stranger or a boss, salut can come across as too familiar — that is the main risk for learners.

Coucou, ciao and other casual options

Among close friends and family you will hear even softer greetings. Coucou is an affectionate “hi” (think of how English uses “hey there”), common with children and people you are fond of. Ciao, borrowed from Italian, is a breezy “bye”. Both are informal — save them for the same people you would salut.

Bonjour is not “goodbye”

A common beginner slip is using bonjour when leaving. Bonjour only ever means hello. To say goodbye, use au revoir (polite, for anyone) or salut (casual, for friends).

Au revoir, bonne journée !
Goodbye, have a good day!

Common mistakes

Saying salut to a stranger or someone senior

With people you do not know, or anyone you would address as vous, use bonjour.

Salut ! (to a shopkeeper you’ve just met) → Bonjour !
Hello!

Using bonjour to say goodbye

Bonjour is hello only. When you leave, say au revoir or salut.

Bonjour ! (walking out the door) → Au revoir ! / Salut !
Goodbye!

Reaching for “bon matin”

Although it looks logical, bon matin is not standard in France — people simply say bonjour in the morning. (You will hear bon matin in Quebec, but not in France.)

Whether to greet with salut or bonjour is the same register choice you make with tu or vous, and it sits next to knowing bonjour or bonsoir for the time of day. In Fluera you practise these greetings by ear, in short everyday scenes — arriving, greeting, leaving — with the pronunciation right there. Pick them up when you practice French and the formal-versus-casual choice stops being a guess.

Practice