How to Introduce Yourself in French (Names, Tu, La Bise)
How to introduce yourself in French: bonjour, je m'appelle, enchanté — with audio, when to use tu or vous, and how la bise works.
Linguino · Sep 23, 2026 · 8 min read
To introduce yourself in French, say “Bonjour, je m’appelle Alex. Enchanté.” That means “Hello, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you.” In the evening, start with bonsoir instead of bonjour. These three short lines work with a new colleague, a neighbor, or a friend of a friend at a party.
The rest is about the setting: whether to say tu or vous, whether to shake hands or give la bise (the cheek kiss), and what to ask after names. You can learn the three lines today and let the other person show you the rest.
How to introduce yourself in French in three lines
| Line | Say | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greet | Bonsoir. | bohn-SWAHR | Good evening. |
| Give your name | Je m’appelle Alex. | zhuh mah-PELL ah-LEKS | My name is Alex. |
| Close | Enchanté. | ahn-shahn-TAY | Nice to meet you. |
Together:
Bonsoir, je m’appelle Alex. Enchanté.
Say it in three calm beats. A short pause after bonsoir is natural, and it gives the other person a moment to smile and turn toward you. The pronunciation guides are approximations; play the clips to hear how the words join.
Bonjour or bonsoir?
Bonjour is the default greeting for most of the day. Bonsoir takes over in the evening. There is no exact hour; many people switch in the late afternoon or once it gets dark. At an evening party or an apéro (drinks before dinner), bonsoir is the natural choice.
In France the greeting is not optional. People say bonjour when they walk into a shop, a waiting room, or an office, and skipping it can sound cold. The same habit helps at a café counter, as the guide to ordering coffee in French shows. Your introduction starts with this word, even if you are nervous and want to get straight to your name.
With people your own age in a relaxed setting, you will also hear salut (“hi”). You can answer with salut back, but you do not need to lead with it.
What does “enchanté” mean?
Enchanté literally means “delighted.” In an introduction it works like “nice to meet you.” Say it once, when you meet someone for the first time. You do not repeat it the next time you see them.
A woman writes enchantée with an extra e. The two forms sound exactly the same, so in speech you only need one word. The other person will often answer with enchanté or enchantée too. Hearing your own word back is not a new question; it is their reply, and you do not need to answer it.
In a more formal setting you may hear the longer Enchanté de faire votre connaissance (“Pleased to make your acquaintance”). Recognize it, but you do not need to say it. The short form is polite everywhere.
Can you say “moi, c’est” instead of “je m’appelle”?
Yes. Je m’appelle Alex is correct in every setting. Among friends and at parties, many people say Moi, c’est Claire (“I’m Claire”), especially right after someone else has said their name. You will hear it often, so learn to recognize it early.
A third option is Je suis Alex, which is useful when you add who you are: Je suis Alex, un ami de Julie (“I’m Alex, a friend of Julie’s”; a woman says une amie de Julie). At a party, that small detail answers the question everyone has: how do you know the host?
At informal events, French speakers usually give only their first name. At work, people often add a family name: Bonjour, je suis Alex Martin.
Tu or vous: how formal should you be?
French has two words for “you.” Vous is polite and also the plural. Tu is for friends, family, children, and many people your own age. Using tu with someone is called tutoyer; using vous is vouvoyer. Moving from vous to tu is a real social step, and French speakers often ask before they do it.
A shop, an office, or someone older
Use vous. Greet with Bonjour, Madame or Bonjour, Monsieur, without the family name. That greeting sounds respectful, not stiff. Ask questions with vous: Vous venez d’où ? (“Where are you from?”).
A new colleague
It depends on the workplace. Some offices use tu from the first day; others keep vous for a long time, especially with managers. Start with vous and listen to how your colleagues speak to each other.
A party, an apéro, a friend of a friend
Between adults of similar age in a relaxed setting, tu often arrives quickly. The other person may simply start using it, or ask On se tutoie ? (“Shall we say tu?”). Answer Oui, avec plaisir (“Yes, gladly”) and switch.
If you are not sure, start with vous. Too much politeness at a first meeting is rarely a problem; if the other person offers tu, accept it. Using tu too early with an older stranger is the mistake people notice.
Do French people kiss or shake hands when they meet?
It depends on the setting, and following the other person’s lead is always correct.
A handshake is standard at work, in formal meetings, and with people you meet in an official role. Keep it brief and firm, and look at the person as you say bonjour.
La bise is the light cheek kiss used among friends, family, and often friends of friends at informal events. Your cheeks touch or almost touch, and you make a small kiss sound in the air. Usually your lips do not touch the other person’s face. In Paris, two kisses is the usual count. In some other regions people give three, and in a few places four. The side you start on also varies.
You do not need to know the local number. Let the other person lead, and stop when they stop. If you hesitate, a smile and an offered hand are fine; some people also prefer a wave or a handshake with new acquaintances.
Keep the conversation going with one or two questions
After names, one question is enough to start a real conversation. The simplest one comes straight from the scene:
Tu viens d’où ?
Where are you from? (sounds like: tew vyeh(n) DOO)
With vous, it becomes Vous venez d’où ? . A likely answer is a city plus a question back: De Bordeaux, et toi ? (“From Bordeaux, and you?”). Answer with Je viens de plus your city: Je viens de Londres (“I’m from London”).
A second question that French speakers ask often is Tu fais quoi dans la vie ? (“What do you do?”). When you answer, leave out the article before your job: Je suis infirmier, not je suis un infirmier. A woman says Je suis infirmière.
At a party, you can also ask Et comment tu connais Julie ? (“And how do you know Julie?”), using the host’s name. It gives both of you an easy story to tell.
What not to worry about yet
- You do not need perfect nasal vowels in enchanté or bonsoir. People will understand you. If the spelling confuses you, how to read French explains how letters like an and on map to sound.
- You do not need to know the bise count for every region.
- You do not need to decide on tu or vous alone. Start with vous and let the other person offer tu.
- You do need to recognize the reply: a name, often with moi, c’est, and enchanté(e) coming back to you.
The reply is often the hard part. French speakers join words together, so moi, c’est Claire can sound like one long word. The guide to understanding spoken French shows how to listen for these joined phrases.
Rehearse one realistic first meeting
Use your real name, not “Alex,” and run this sequence aloud:
- Say bonsoir and je m’appelle with your name.
- Close with enchanté or enchantée.
- Listen for the other person’s name after moi, c’est.
- If they ask On se tutoie ?, answer Oui, avec plaisir.
- Ask Tu viens d’où ? and answer the same question back.
Hear the whole first meeting, with Claire playing your friend Julie’s colleague:
A first meeting at an apéro in Lyon
Bonsoir, je m'appelle Alex. Enchanté.
Good evening, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you.
Enchantée, moi c'est Claire. On se tutoie ?
Nice to meet you, I'm Claire. Shall we say tu?
Oui, avec plaisir. Tu viens d'où ?
Yes, gladly. Where are you from?
De Bordeaux, et toi ?
From Bordeaux, and you?
Je viens de Londres. Et comment tu connais Julie ?
I'm from London. And how do you know Julie?
On travaille ensemble.
We work together.
Ah, d'accord !
Oh, I see!
If your mind goes blank even when you know the lines, read why you freeze when speaking a language for a short routine that lowers the pressure. For a wider view of what you can do in live conversation at each stage, see CEFR levels explained in plain English.
Linguino’s “Meet someone new” scene puts you at an apéro in Lyon, where your friend introduces you to a colleague who prefers to speak French. Your AI teacher plays that person, answers what you actually say, and can move the conversation from bonsoir to tu viens d’où ?. If you get stuck, a phrase card gives you the line and its meaning, and you can replay and translate the teacher’s lines. Afterwards, a quiz, scored speaking cards, coach feedback, and your Phrasebook help you keep the phrases you used. The scene is one of 52 in each of seven language paths, and you can start with free three-minute sessions after email sign-in, no card required.
You are ready when you can greet, say your name, close with enchanté, and ask one real question. That is enough to start the first conversation.