Writing Exercise-French Greetings

Exercise:

Directions: Choose the best French expression that you would use in each particular social setting.

1. Greeting the owner of a boutique on the Champs-Élysées. _________________________
2. Telling your colleague to have a good weekend. ________________________
3. Asking your new business partner their name. ________________________
4. Answering the telephone. __________________
5. Telling your family that you’re doing well when they ask. ________________________
6. Greeting your close friend in Lyon. ________________________
7. Asking the parents of your significant other how they’re doing. ____________________

Answers:

1. Bonjour ! – Bonjour is an appropriate way to greet a stranger or business owner at any time of day.
2. Bon week-end ! – Bon week-end can be used in a formal or informal context to tell someone to have a good weekend.
3. Comment vous appelez-vous ? – Using “vous” in this expression would be the most appropriate way to ask someone their name in a formal context.
4. Allô ? – A greeting specifically used on the phone to see if someone is on the other end.
5. Ça va bien. – Used in a variety of social contexts to say that you’re doing well. Can be interchanged with Je vais bien.
6. Salut !– Salut is less formal than Bonjour, but both would be appropriate to greet a friend.
7. Comment allez-vous ? – This expression is used for either formal/polite contexts or when you’re asking more than one person, thus being the most appropriate expression for this example.