Introducing yourself in French
Last updated 28 October 2026
The first conversation you have in French will almost certainly be a greeting and an introduction. The phrases are short and they repeat, so a few minutes of practice is enough to get through them. This page covers greetings, names, origins, work and the polite phrases that finish a first meeting.
Greetings
French greetings depend on the time of day and on how well you know the person.
- Bonjour. Hello, good morning, good afternoon.
- Bonsoir. Good evening.
- Salut ! Hi! (informal, also used for goodbye)
- Au revoir. Goodbye.
- À bientôt. See you soon.
- Bonne nuit. Good night.
Bonjour is the safe choice, and French people expect it. Entering a shop or a lift without saying bonjour is seen as rude, and it is the first word to learn. After about six in the evening, switch to bonsoir. Salut is for friends and people your own age.
Saying your name
- Je m'appelle Anna. My name is Anna.
- Comment vous appelez-vous ? What is your name? (polite)
- Comment tu t'appelles ? What is your name? (informal)
- Enchanté. Pleased to meet you. (said by a man)
- Enchantée. Pleased to meet you. (said by a woman)
- Je vous présente mon ami Paul. Let me introduce my friend Paul.
Je m'appelle literally means "I call myself". Enchanté and enchantée sound the same in speech but are spelled differently. If you are unsure whether to say tu or vous, read tu vs vous first.
Where you are from and where you live
- Je viens de Finlande. I come from Finland.
- Je suis finlandais. I am Finnish. (a man)
- Je suis finlandaise. I am Finnish. (a woman)
- J'habite à Helsinki. I live in Helsinki.
- D'où venez-vous ? Where are you from? (polite)
- Tu habites où ? Where do you live? (informal)
Nationalities are adjectives in French and they do not take a capital letter: je suis américain, elle est canadienne. The feminine form usually adds an -e. For the country, je viens de is followed by de or du, depending on the country: je viens de France, du Canada, des États-Unis.
Work and study
- Je suis étudiant. I am a student. (a man)
- Je suis étudiante. I am a student. (a woman)
- Je travaille dans une banque. I work in a bank.
- Qu'est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ? What do you do for a living?
- Je suis professeur d'anglais. I am an English teacher.
- Je suis en vacances. I am on holiday.
French does not use an article after être with a profession: say je suis médecin, not je suis un médecin. If you add an adjective, the article returns: c'est un bon médecin.
Small talk and polite phrases
- Comment allez-vous ? How are you? (polite)
- Ça va ? How are you? (informal)
- Ça va bien, merci. Et vous ? I am fine, thank you. And you?
- Je parle un peu français. I speak a little French.
- Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? Can you repeat that, please?
- Parlez plus lentement, s'il vous plaît. Speak more slowly, please.
The question Ça va ? is both a question and its own answer. A common reply is Ça va, et toi ? If you say je parle un peu français people will usually slow down for you. French people tend to appreciate the effort, even when your French is basic.
A short dialogue
Meeting at a language café
Camille
Bonjour ! Je m'appelle Camille. Et toi ?
Hello! My name is Camille. And you?
Thomas
Salut, moi c'est Thomas. Enchanté.
Hi, I'm Thomas. Pleased to meet you.
Camille
Tu viens d'où ?
Where are you from?
Thomas
Je viens de Montréal, mais j'habite à Lyon depuis deux ans.
I come from Montreal, but I have lived in Lyon for two years.
Camille
Ah, super ! Et tu travailles ici ?
Oh, great! And do you work here?
Thomas
Oui, je suis ingénieur. Et toi ?
Yes, I am an engineer. And you?
Moi, c'est Thomas is a very common, relaxed way to give your name. It literally means "me, it is Thomas".
France and Quebec
French as spoken in Quebec shares the same grammar, but some everyday words differ. Quebec speakers say Bonjour and Salut in the same way, but they often greet each other with Allô and say Bienvenue for "you are welcome", where France says De rien or Je vous en prie. Both varieties are fully understood across the French-speaking world.
Practice
You meet your friend's father for the first time. What do you say?
Next, learn how to ask for directions.
More in Phrases and vocabulary
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