Dialogue
Bonjour or bonne journée: start and end a daytime conversation
Follow a short French conversation from bonjour to bonne journée. Practise your lines, return the wish and check the spelling with three questions.
- A1
- 7 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the A1 notebook →
In short
Say Bonjour ! when you meet someone during the day. Say Bonne journée ! to wish them a good day as you finish the exchange. A useful reply is Merci, à vous aussi ! — “Thanks, you too!”
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
| Moment | French | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| You arrive | Bonjour ! | Opens the conversation. |
| You have finished | Au revoir, bonne journée ! | Says goodbye and wishes a good day. |
| They return the wish | Merci, à vous aussi ! | Wishes you the same. |
Ask about a French class
You arrive at an association’s reception during the day. You want the time of a French class. In practice mode, use the English cues to say your lines, then reveal the French. Notice how the greeting leads straight into the question.
- Reception
Bonjour !
English
Hello!
- You
Bonjour, à quelle heure commence le cours de français ?
Say hello and ask what time the French class starts.
English
Hello, what time does the French class start?
- Reception
À dix heures. Vous êtes déjà inscrit ?
English
At ten. Have you already registered?
- You
Oui, je m’appelle Paul Martin.
Say yes and give your name: Paul Martin.
English
Yes, my name is Paul Martin.
- Reception
Très bien. Le cours dure une heure.
English
Very good. The class lasts an hour.
- You
Merci beaucoup. Au revoir, bonne journée !
Thank the receptionist, say goodbye and wish them a good day.
English
Thank you very much. Goodbye, have a good day!
- Reception
Merci, à vous aussi !
English
Thanks, you too!
How do you reply to bonne journée?
— Bonne journée ! — Merci, vous aussi !
“Have a good day!” “Thanks, you too!”
— Bonne journée, Léa ! — Merci, à toi aussi !
“Have a good day, Léa!” “Thanks, you too!”
À toi aussi fits one person you call tu. À vous aussi fits one person you call vous, or several people. You can also repeat the wish: Merci, bonne journée ! All three replies keep the conversation’s warm closing.
One word, then two
- Bon jour, madame.Bonjour, madame.
The everyday greeting is written as one word: bonjour.
- Bon journée !Bonne journée !
Journée is feminine. Write bonne, then journée with é.
Bonjour works in the morning and during the day; “hello” is often its clearest English translation. Bonne journée wishes someone well for the day ahead or the time left in it. For an evening meeting, use the evening pair on the related page: bonsoir and bonne soirée.