Introducing yourself and basic small talk
What you'll be able to do
Je m'appelle X. Et vous? — Bonjour, comment ça va? — Ça va, merci.
- Je m'appelle [name] = my name is. Comment vous appelez-vous? = what's your name?
- Ça va? = how's it going? Reply ça va or pas mal.
- Enchanté(e) = nice to meet you (silent e for women, same sound).
To say your name: je m'appelle [name] ("zhuh mah-pell"), literally "I call myself". Or shorter: moi, c'est [name] ("mwah, say"). To ask theirs: comment vous appelez-vous? ("koh-mahn voo zah-play voo", formal) or et toi? ("ay twah", "and you?" — informal).
Two opening pleasantries:
• Comment allez-vous? ("koh-mahn tah-lay voo") — How are you? (formal). Reply: Ça va bien, merci ("sah vah byahn mehr-see", I'm well, thanks).
• Ça va? ("sah vah") — How's it going? (informal). Reply: Ça va (I'm good) or pas mal (not bad).
When asked enchanté(e) ("ahn-shahn-tay", "delighted") — that's the equivalent of "nice to meet you". Women add a silent e (enchantée) — pronunciation identical. Just reply enchanté(e) back.
Key points
- Je m'appelle [name] = my name is. Comment vous appelez-vous? = what's your name?
- Ça va? = how's it going? Reply ça va or pas mal.
- Enchanté(e) = nice to meet you (silent e for women, same sound).
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