The course has taught you how to arrive, not how to leave
You already know bonjour and salut. This lesson is the other half of every conversation: the words for ending one.
Choosing by the time of day
French picks its greeting and its farewell by the clock, and the words are not interchangeable.
| formula | when you use it |
|---|---|
| bonjour | arriving, any time before evening |
| bonsoir | arriving or leaving, from roughly 18:00 |
| bonne journée | leaving, wishing someone a good day ahead |
| bonne soirée | leaving, wishing someone a good evening ahead |
| bonne nuit | only to someone going to bed |
The trap is bonsoir versus bonne soirée. Bonsoir is a greeting — you say it when you walk in. Bonne soirée is a wish — you say it when you walk out. And bonne nuit is never a greeting at all: it belongs at the bedroom door.
| Good evening, madam! The coffee is hot. | Bonsoir, Madame ! Le café est chaud. |
Leaving
Au revoir is the neutral goodbye and works with everyone. Literally it is until the re-seeing — which is why the more precise farewells are built the same way, with à plus the moment you expect:
- à bientôt — see you soon, no date attached
- à demain — see you tomorrow
| Goodbye and see you soon, sir! | Au revoir et à bientôt, Monsieur ! |
Register
Salut does double duty: it is both hi and bye, and it is informal. Au revoir is safe everywhere. Pair a farewell with Monsieur or Madame and it becomes polite without becoming stiff — this is the single most useful habit in spoken French.
| Goodbye, madam. Have a good day! | Au revoir, Madame. Bonne journée ! |
