Au sommaire IMAGYNA :
- Coucou est une façon informelle et chaleureuse de dire bonjour en français, souvent utilisée avec la famille et les amis proches.
- Il est plus courant d’utiliser « salut » comme une autre façon informelle de dire bonjour en français, similaire à « hey » ou « hi ».
- Coucou est une addition récente au dictionnaire français, principalement utilisée par les jeunes et plus souvent par les femmes.
- Le sens le plus précis de coucou en anglais est « hey there » ou « hi there », et c’est une façon informelle et affectueuse de dire bonjour à quelqu’un que l’on connaît.
- Coucou est souvent utilisé de manière ludique avec les enfants, mais son utilisation s’est étendue pour inclure un salut informel entre adultes, en particulier parmi les femmes.
- En français, « salut » peut également être utilisé pour dire au revoir, mais uniquement dans des situations informelles.
When to use coucou in French
Alternatively, coucou is more informal than bonjour, and is often seen as being a warmer and friendlier greeting. When you may use bonjour with more distant family or with friends that you’re not as close with, coucou can be used with your closest friends and family as a more casual and endearing way of saying hello.
Other informal ways to say hello in French
Salut is another informal way of saying hello in French, and is the most common way of informally greeting someone. Like coucou, it commonly translates as “hey” or “hi”.
Bonjour vs Coucou
Now to be clear, Coucou is a rather recent addition to the French dictionary. It is mostly used by young people, and more often by women rather than men. Two men will more likely greet each other with a Bonjour, or Salut, rather than Coucou. It is most often used when speaking informally to children or a loved one. Close friends, especially Parisienne women, never hesitate to use Coucou in speech or in email. So next time instead of saying the very long “hello my dear, how are you”, etc, etc, just let the Coucou(s) fly. I know, I know, I couldn’t resist 😉
Coucou meaning in English
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What does coucou mean in French? To get right into it, the most accurate coucou meaning is “hey there” or “hi there.” It’s an informal hello or hey. Coucou is an affectionate and easygoing way to say hey to someone you know. People of all ages say coucou in French and it’s not just something kids say or something you say to a kid. That said, you tend to hear this slang word more often among women. It’s kind of cutesy and soft. When it’s said to little kids, it is quite playful and can mean peek-a-boo and this was the original coucou meaning and usage, but it’s evolved over time.
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French Farewells
Regardless of the time of day, there are two simple ways to say goodbye to someone. You already know the first word: salut. In fact, you can also use salut to say goodbye. However, be careful, it should only be used for informal situations. In formal contexts or if you are not sure, you should say au revoir.
