French word

salut

Pronunciation

IPA/saly/

Meaning

  • interjectionhi

Example

Salut ! Comment tu vas ?

Hi! How are you?

Illustration for salut (hi)

More examples

Salut, ça fait longtemps !

Hi, it's been a long time!

Core concept

A brief friendly call that opens or closes contact with someone familiar.

Common phrases

  • salut, ça va ?

    Hi, how are you?

  • salut à tous

    Hi everyone

Similar words

bonjour: A standard, polite greeting used from morning through afternoon.
allô: A greeting used to begin a telephone conversation.
coucou: A cheerful, affectionate greeting for close friends and family.
hé: A brief call used to attract attention or stop someone.

Definition in French

Utilisé dans un registre informel entre amis ou collègues proches pour saluer ou dire au revoir.

Word origin

French salut comes through Old French from Latin salutare, meaning to greet or wish someone well.

Usage tips

  • Salut works for both hello and goodbye in informal speech, while bonjour or bonsoir suits formal situations better.

Other meanings

  • goodbyeinterjection
  • greetingnoun

Opposites

  • au revoirgoodbyeinterjection

Related words

Word lists with this word