Greeting customs and a first conversation

Most of France greets friends with two kisses on the cheek, but in Finistère one is common and in parts of the west four.

Words are only half of a greeting. In French-speaking countries the gestures that go with bonjour matter as much as the words, and they differ from Korea, from the English-speaking world and from one French region to another. This last unit covers handshakes and la bise, the cheek kiss, how greetings work in shops and offices, a word on the wider French-speaking world, and then puts everything from the course together in one complete first conversation.

Handshake and la bise

A handshake (une poignée de main, or se serrer la main) is the standard greeting in professional settings and between people who are meeting for the first time. It is short and firm, and in an office it is common to shake hands with each colleague on arrival. La bise, faire la bise, is a light touch of cheeks with a kissing sound. The eCampusOntario textbook describes it as common among female friends, with men and mixed pairs kissing or shaking hands depending on how well they know each other. Within families and among close friends, men also often exchange la bise, especially in the south of France.

How many kisses? There is no national rule. A survey by the linguist Mathieu Avanzi for the project Le français de nos régions mapped the answers across France, Belgium and Switzerland. Two is the usual number in most of France. In Finistère, in Brittany, and in Deux-Sèvres, about half of respondents give just one. Three is found in parts of the south-east, and four in some areas of the west. Even the French get it wrong when they travel, so the simplest approach is to follow the other person’s lead. If you are not comfortable with la bise, a smile and an offered hand are always acceptable.

In shops and offices

Unit 1 showed that bonjour opens every exchange in a shop. The full pattern has three parts: bonjour as you come in, often with Madame or Monsieur; merci when you pay; and au revoir, often with bonne journée, as you leave. People also say a general bonjour when they enter a small waiting room, and in a lift. In an office, greeting each colleague in the morning, rather than walking straight to your desk, is expected.

A first conversation

Here is a complete exchange between two people meeting at a language café in Lyon, using vous at first and then switching to tu. Listen to each line, repeat it, then try the dictation and memorize blocks below. Notice how each part of the course appears: bonjour, names with je m’appelle, enchanté, nationality and city, the offer to switch to tu, thanks with merci, and a goodbye with a wish.