Strive Extra Than Bonjour for ‘Good Afternoon’ in French
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It’s previous midday, and also you wish to want a pleasant “good afternoon” in French to these you greet within the later a part of the day. Make no mistake, the acquainted bonjour (good day) remains to be the usual greeting of alternative for nearly any scenario (even when it’s previous 12 p.m.).
As an English speaker (or should you’ve studied easy methods to say “good day” in different languages), you is perhaps looking for an equal of “good afternoon” within the French language, just like the Spanish buenas tardes. This information will clarify why you gained’t use the literal translation of bon après-midi and what you’ll say as a substitute.
How do you say ‘good afternoon’ in French?
When you’re in search of a greeting to open your interplay with somebody, the perfect reply remains to be what you stated within the morning: bonjour. French audio system sometimes follow bonjour till they swap to bonsoir (good night), which is the usual greeting after 6 or 7 p.m.
So what does bon après-midi imply? You’ll definitely hear bon après-midi within the afternoon, but it surely’s used as a goodbye in French or a technique to shut an interplay. Bon après-midi is extra equal to “have a very good afternoon” than “good afternoon” in French. It’s an excellent expression to have in your repertoire as a dialog nearer much like goodbye.
- À demain, Michel ! = See you tomorrow, Michel.
- Oui, bon après-midi ! = Sure, have a pleasant afternoon!
Happily, there are a couple of alternate options you need to use to say “good afternoon” in French when greeting somebody.
| French | English | When To Use |
| Bonne journée ! | Have an excellent day! | Morning till midday |
| Bon après-midi !/Bonne après-midi ! | Have a very good afternoon! | Midday till night (6-7 p.m.) |
| Bonne soirée ! | Have a very good night! | Night (after 6-7 p.m.) |
| Bonne nuit ! | Sleep nicely! | Solely when the particular person goes to sleep for the evening. |
Is it bon or bonne après-midi?
In writing, you might also see bonne après-midi, utilizing the female type with an ending of -ne. That is an unusual exception in French, as there aren’t many nouns like après-midi (afternoon) that use both grammatical gender. The Académie Française, the linguistic authority on such issues, acknowledges après-midi as invariable, however prefers the masculine use.
In talking, the French pronunciation of bon (good, masculine) and bonne (good, female) are fairly completely different until they’re in entrance of a vowel like within the phrase bon/bonne après-midi, so you’ll not discover the distinction until you’re studying French books, emails, or texts.
Alternate options for bonjour to say ‘good afternoon’ within the French language
Whereas bonjour will likely be protected irrespective of who you’re greeting, it’s possible you’ll want to broaden your informal French greetings if you’re with shut buddies, household—or should you’re attempting out some regional French dialects. These largely overlap with different greetings equivalent to “good day” in French, and aren’t tied to the precise time of day between midday and night.
With slang, it’s finest to be a very good observer of the context round what you hear so that you gained’t be thought-about impolite for utilizing these phrases at inappropriate occasions. Realizing the French slang it’s possible you’ll encounter is an effective complement to figuring out fundamental French phrases for journey.
| French | English | When To Use |
| Allô ! | Howdy | To reply the telephone/slang greeting that is perhaps thought-about sarcastic |
| Coucou ! | Hey there! | Very informal and “cute”/when enjoying “peekaboo.” |
| Jourbon ! | Howdy ! | Slang referred to as verlan during which syllables are reversed |
| Quoi de neuf ? | What’s new?/What’s up? | Casual settings, much like ça va? |
| Rebonjour ! | Howdy once more! | When you’ve already greeted somebody that day with bonjour and also you see them for a second time. |
| Salut ! | Hello!/Hey! | Informal greeting amongst buddies. May imply “bye.” |
Achieve cultural understanding whereas studying French greetings
Sure, the Académie Française is the governing physique of the French language, and French audio system are taught the suitable time on the clock to change from bonjour to bonsoir (and there may be even some disagreement there). Nonetheless, each area and era of French will deviate from the “official guidelines” in French slang and extra casual speech. This variation may be very culturally particular, and it may be useful to have a local speaker to elucidate these unwritten guidelines.
Trusted dialog companions can assist interpret your observations. You can even carry your inquiries to knowledgeable lecturers and tutors with Rosetta Stone’s reside classes and tutoring. Unlocking key cultural understanding not solely enhances your French, however can assist you keep away from any surprising reactions as you check out new phrases.
