In France, saying bonjourFrom French bonjour (“hello/good day/good morning”).https://en.wiktionary.org › wiki › bonjour
French people tend not to visit unannounced or uninvited. To do so is considered rude. When invited to a dinner, it is common for guests to ask their hosts if they are required to bring something on the day.
This difference might seem a little trivial like the difference between saying “hello” and “hello again,” but it's considered rude to say bonjour instead of rebonjour if you've already seen them once that day. This is because when you say bonjour you're implying that this is the first time you've seen them that day.
In the UK, US, Australia, Canada… when you meet a person for the second time during the day you just say , “hi” or “hello”. But in France, saying bonjour several times is super rude. Maybe you didn't know and you're thinking « Oh no!
A formal, polite greeting goes a long way
Many French people will put you out of your misery and switch to English right away. Err on the formal side, as well; always greet people with a polite “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur” (or “Bonsoir” in the evening).
Try and arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes late
While in many countries this is considered rude, in France it's an unspoken rule. Guests will always arrive a little late – lest they surprise their host in the middle of the preparations.
Pronouncing “Bonjour”
There are several consonants in French that are silent when out at the end of the word. N in “bon” is thus not pronounced - and as “bonjour” is originally a combination of two words - “good” and “day” - n will also be silent here.
The most common greeting in French is the very useful “bonjour”, and “bonsoir”. The first can be used throughout the day, and the second in the evening. “Salut” is also widely used in a more informal setting.
The most important French greetings include bonjour (hello), enchanté(e) (nice to meet you), bonsoir (good evening/hello), salut (hi), coucou (hey), Ça fait longtemps, dis donc (long time no see), Âllo (hello), Ça va? (how are you?), tu vas bien? (have you been well?), quoi de neuf? (what's up?), au revoir!
"Bonjour"—The Most Common Greeting
Saying bonjour is the most common way to greet someone in French. It's a flexible, all-purpose term: You use it to greet people in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Bonjour is always polite, and it works in any situation.
What is the proper response to bonjour? It's more than sufficient to simply say bonjour back in response to those who greet you, but if you want to go a step beyond, you can respond with comment allez-vous, which is the French equivalent of asking how it's going.
It's not a sign of unfriendliness but simply a different way of conducting interactions. French people aren't unhappy or rude, they simply smile a little bit less than Americans tend to expect. In fact, Americans value smiles a lot more than many cultures.
Embrace the French je ne sais quoi when it comes to apparel. Skip the baseball caps, white socks, sneakers, large colorful backpacks, and fanny packs. Instead, opt for dark skinny jeans, plain shirts without logos, and leather shoes.
Draguer – to flirt. If you fancy trying your hand at the French dating scene, draguer is the perfect word, it means flirting with or hitting on someone. You can decide to be upfront about it and say it directly to the person you fancy. Oui je te drague – Yes, I'm hitting on you.
Answer and Explanation: The French word for girlfriend is petite copine, which literally means 'little girl friend.
Salut pronunciation
The -t is completely silent.
Surprisingly, Moët is pronounced with a hard 't' and not a silent 't' as is typical for most of the French language. You could pronounce Moët as mo-wet or even moh-et, but it's definitely not moh-way.
For Parisians eye contact is a personal matter, much like your choice of wine, or infidelity in relationships. As a general rule, you have to avoid looking strangers in the eye; it's slightly offensive.
Bread mistake
It's fitting that France has a superstition based on bread. Apparently, putting the nation's treasured baguette (or any loaf of bread, for that matter) upside down on a table will bring bad luck.
According to this rule, a 28-year-old would date no one younger than 21 (half of 28, plus 7) and a 50-year-old would date no one younger than 32 (half of 50, plus 7). Although the provenance of the rule is unclear, it is sometimes said to have originated in France.