How to greet people in different French regions
In different French regions, greetings can vary slightly due to local dialects and customs, especially regarding the cheek-kiss greeting called “la bise.” Here are some regional variations of greetings in France:
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In general French usage, “Bonjour” is the standard polite greeting during the day, and “Bonsoir” is used in the evening. “Salut” is casual and used among friends and family. “Coucou” is playful and affectionate, often for close friends or children.
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In Normandy, the cheek kiss greeting is referred to as “se boujouter,” derived from the local greeting “boujou,” meaning “to hello each other.” It’s a regional verb form related to greeting rather than a direct cheek reference.
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In the regions bordering Germany, the term used for cheek kissing is “se faire un schmoutz,” derived from Old German. Despite the modern meaning of “schmutz” as dirt in German, here it means giving a kiss.
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In French-speaking Swiss regions (Romandy) and some parts of Canada, cheek kissing is called “se faire le bec,” from the Swiss-French word “becquer,” meaning “to peck” or “kiss.” Another related term used is “se bécoter.”
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The side on which one starts the cheek kisses can differ: in southern France, people typically start with the left cheek while in northern France, starting with the right cheek is more common.
These regional greetings reflect local linguistic influences and cultural habits beyond the country’s widely recognized French greetings. 1, 2, 3
Standard French greetings include:
- Bonjour (Hello/Good morning/Good afternoon)
- Bonsoir (Good evening)
- Salut (Hi, informal)
- Coucou (Hey, very informal/playful)
Regional and localized terms enrich the social texture of greetings across France.