How to Say Good Morning in French (Hint: It's Just Bonjour)
How to say good morning in French: it's simply bonjour - bon matin is a Quebec thing. Learn morning greetings, texts like "morning, my love," and bonne matinée.
Good morning in French is simply bonjour /bohn-ZHOOR/ - France has no separate morning greeting. “Bon matin” sounds off in France, though Quebec uses it.
Quick answer
Good morning in French is simply bonjour - French has no separate morning greeting in France. Bon matin, the literal translation, is used in Quebec but sounds unnatural in France. To wish someone a good morning as you leave, say bonne matinée.
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Bonjour: the only morning greeting France needs
Bonjour literally means “good day,” and it covers morning through late afternoon in one word. It’s also the mandatory politeness word for shops and service interactions - see 10 ways to say hello in French for the full etiquette.
Bon matin: the greeting France doesn’t use (but Quebec does)
The literal translation “bon matin” exists as words but isn’t idiomatic in France - a French person will notice it as slightly off, even if they understand you. In Quebec, however, bon matin is commonly accepted usage, a case where a calque took root regionally. The practical rule: in France, say bonjour; in Montreal, bon matin is fine. For more on how the two varieties diverge, see Quebec French vs France French.
Bonne matinée: the other direction
You’d hear it as you leave a bakery in the morning: merci, bonne matinée !
Morning texts and sweet good mornings
| Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning | Send to |
|---|---|---|---|
| coucou | /koo-KOO/ | hey there | close friends, partner |
| bien dormi ? | /byehn dor-MEE/ | sleep well? | anyone close |
| bonjour mon amour | /bohn-zhoor mohn-nah-MOOR/ | good morning my love | partner |
| passe une bonne journée | /pahs ün bun zhoor-NAY/ | have a great day | anyone |
For the fuller emotional vocabulary that pairs with texts like these, see French terms of endearment.
Morning small talk starters (bonus)
Tu as bien dormi ? (did you sleep well?) and ça va ce matin ? (how’s it going this morning?) are easy, natural openers - both invite a real answer, not just a reflex response.
One phrase, bonjour, does the entire job English splits across “good morning,” “good afternoon” and “hello.” Learn it once, use it all day, and save “bonne matinée” for the moment you walk out the door.
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Questions about this note
Is bon matin correct French?
Common and accepted in Quebec; not idiomatic in France - use bonjour instead.
What's the difference between bonjour and bonne matinée?
Bonjour greets someone; bonne matinée is a wish said when leaving, meaning "have a good morning."
How do you say good morning my love?
Bonjour mon amour, or coucou mon cœur in a text.
How do you ask "did you sleep well"?
Tu as bien dormi ? informally, or Vous avez bien dormi ? formally.
Until what time can you say bonjour?
All day, until roughly 6pm, when it switches to bonsoir.