Bonjour madame ! Madame bonjour !

I love how they say this in France. And they say it in a sing-song sort of way at times.

When I walk into a bakery, stride into H&M at the mall, or go to the market in town to buy cheese, I hear the same thing. They greet me in either of these ways.

In France, it’s polite to say hello bonjour when you enter a store or see someone in your apartment building. You would not, however, say bonjour to just anyone on the street. You have to know them in that case.

It’s considered rude if you don’t say bonjour when you first arrive at a restaurant or a store. So even if you’re just visiting France and touring around, you need to say it. The French will appreciate this so much! If you can’t utter another word in French, bonjour is essential, only second in importance to merci. 😁

The salesgirl was on her phone when I walked into a shoe store one day. After a minute or two, I was so into the shoes I didn’t notice that she had started talking to me after hanging up the phone. She was jabbering away and I had no clue that it was directed at me; I didn’t even hear her!

My daughter who was sitting near me patiently waiting to leave was appalled. “Mom, she was talking to you! Why didn’t you answer?!” I laughed and told Victoria I had absolutely no idea the lady was speaking to me because she didn’t start off with, “Bonjour madame!”

You gotta say it. It’s critical. You especially have to say it to me when I’m ogling some shoes and because I don’t speak French very well yet…

Otherwise, how in the world am I supposed to know you’re talking to me? :)