Greetings & Politeness
"Bonjour" is the most important word in France. It's not just a greeting — it's a social contract. Forgetting it means you've already lost.
Basic Greeting
| German | French | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Good day | Bonjour | bõ-schur |
| Good evening | Bonsoir | bõ-swar |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | o-rö-wwar |
| Bye (informal) | Salut | sa-lü |
| Good night | Bonne nuit | bon-nüi |
| How are you? | Comment allez-vous ? | ko-mã-ta-le-wu |
| Good, thank you | Bien, merci | bjä̃, mär-ssi |
| And you? | Et vous ? | e wu |
Politeness
| German | French | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Please | S'il vous plaît | ssil-wu-plä |
| Thank you | Merci | mär-ssi |
| Thank you very much | Merci beaucoup | mär-ssi bo-ku |
| You're welcome (as a response) | De rien / Je vous en prie | dö-rjä̃ / schö-wu-sã-pri |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moi / Pardon | äk-skü-se-mwa / par-dõ |
| I'm sorry | Je suis désolé(e) | schö-süi-de-so-le |
| Mr. / Mrs. | Monsieur / Madame | mö-sjö / ma-dam |
| Yes / No | Oui / Non | wi / nõ |
Golden Rule: Start EVERY conversation with "Bonjour, Monsieur/Madame". In the shop, in the restaurant, at the doctor's, in the hotel, in the taxi — always. Those who jump straight to their request are perceived as rude and receive correspondingly poorer service.
Achtung
The most common mistake made by German-speaking tourists: Entering a shop and immediately asking "Do you have...?" or "How much does... cost?" — without a prior Bonjour. This is a real faux pas in France. Greet first, then speak.
