Beginning1–Lesson1
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com
Basicgreetings(polite)
Inthisfirstlesson,wearegoingtolearnaboutbasicgreetings,andmorepreciselypolite
greetings.
MEETINGSOMEONE
“Bonjour“:itisthemostcommonwaytogreetsomeone.Youcanuseitwhenyoumeet
someoneforthefirsttime,forgreetingsomeonewhilebeingpolite,oranytimeyoumeet
someoneyou’renotcloseto.Itliterallymeans“goodday”(“bon”means“good”and“jour”
means“day”).
“Bonsoir“:ithasthesamemeaningthan“bonjour”exceptthatitisonlyusedduringthe
evening.Itliterallymeans“goodevening”(“soir”means“evening”).
“Enchanté(e)“:itisusedtosay“nicetomeetyou”.Itisconsideredasapoliteexpression.
The“e“isaddedforfemininespeaker.
“Commentallez-vous?“:itisthepolitewaytoask“howareyou?”(notethatthe“t”
soundcarriesovertothenextword,asitstartswithavowel)
Comment=how
“Vousallez“comesfromtheverb“aller“(togo):itmeans“yougo”(seeinfurther
lessons)
“Commentallez-vous?“literallymeans“howareyougoing?”
>>Youcansimplyanswer:
Bien,merci.
Fine,thankyou.
Jevaisbien,merci.
I’mfine,thankyou.
(“Jevais“means“Igo”;seeinnextlessons)
>>Youcanaskabouttheotherpersonwell-beinginreturnbysaying«etvous?»,
whichmeans“andyou?”.
Jevaisbien,etvous?I’mfine,andyou?
“Jesuis+name“isoneeasystructureusedtointroduceyourself.“Jesuis“means“Iam“
andcomesfromtheverb“être“(tobe).
(Onceagain,the“s”soundissilentattheendoftheword“suis“).
JesuisJérémie. I’mJérémie.
MynameisJérémie.
ThislessonisprovidedbyLet’sSpeakFrenchtogether.
Itismadetobeusedalongwiththeaudioavailableon
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com.Feelfreetovisitthewebsite.
Beginning1–Lesson1
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com
Basicgreetings(polite)
SAYINGGOODBYE
“Aurevoir“:itisthecommonandpolitewaytosaygoodbyetosomeone.Itliterally
means“Weseeagain”.
“Bonnejournée“means“Haveagoodday”.
Bon(ne)=good
Journée=day,daytime
“Bonnesoirée“means“Haveagoodevening”
“Soirée»“referstotheevening,sothisexpressionisusedwhensayinggoodbyeattheend
oftheafternoonorduringtheevening.
SAMPLECONVERSATION1:
Twopeoplearemeetingforthefirsttime:
Marie:Bonjour! Julie: Bonjour,jesuisJulie.
Marie:Enchantée,jesuisMarie.
Julie: Enchantée! Hello!
Hello,IamJulie.
Nicetomeetyou,IamMarie.
Nicetomeetyou.
AsbothMarieandJuliearewomen,“Enchantée”iswrittenwithan“e”attheend.The
pronunciationofthewordisthesameanyway.
SAMPLECONVERSATION2:
Twocolleaguesaremeeting:
Timothée: BonjourMarie.
Marie:
Bonjour.Commentallez-vous? Timothée: Bien,merci.Etvous?
Marie:
Jevaisbien. SAMPLECONVERSATION3:
Twocolleaguesareleaving:
Timothée: AurevoirMarie.
Marie:
Aurevoir.
HelloMarie!
Hello.Howareyou?
Fine,thankyou.Andyou?
I’mfine.
GoodbyeMarie.
Goodbye.
ThislessonisprovidedbyLet’sSpeakFrenchtogether.
Itismadetobeusedalongwiththeaudioavailableon
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com.Feelfreetovisitthewebsite.