Saying Good morning to French people (particularly when entering shops) can make a huge difference to how you are perceived. French people love it when you speak French and are polite as well!
You can test your pronunciation with our free voice recognition software! Just listen to the audio and follow the pronunciation of the good morning expressions in French.
Resources for further reading:
How to say Good morning in French
The French word that is used to say Hello, Bonjour, is also used to say Good morning, and does not include a reference to matin, morning in French.
Friends use Salut a lot, the equivalent of Hi.
When French people actually say Bonne matinée, literally Good morning, it is when leaving to wish a good morning, and never to greet people.
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French people are famous for kissing each other in the morning, which can be surprising to some foreigners! It is true that friends will often kiss each other, faire la bise, even men. It is less common to kiss colleagues, and men will often just shake hands, serrer la main.
La bise follows a very strict code! In most French regions it's two kisses, one on each cheek, but in some parts of France it's only one (in Britanny for example), three (in the south) or even four (in Normandy)!
That’s it for today’s lesson. I hope you enjoyed it, that you learned new expressions, bettered your pronunciation, and that you're now ready to greet French speakers in the morning!
If you want to learn how to say Goodbye in French or other French salutations then check these lessons out!
À bientôt !
Marie-Claire Rivière and the Rocket French Team