School gate chit chat: Greeting a familiar face
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Key Phrases
Ça va ?
How are you?
Il fait un peu frais aujourd'hui.
It's a bit chilly today.
Ta famille va bien ?
Is your family doing well?
Skills You'll Learn
Greeting someone and asking how they are
Saluer quelqu'un et demander comment il va
Talking about the weather
Parler du temps qu'il fait
Asking about someone's family and ending a conversation politely
Demander des nouvelles de la famille et terminer une conversation poliment
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you’re outside a school in France on a cool morning, chatting casually with another parent while waiting for the children to arrive.
Salut ! Ça va ce matin ?
Hi! How are you this morning?
Bonjour Emily ! Oui, ça va bien, merci.
Good morning, Emily! Yes, I'm doing well, thank you.
Tu attends les enfants aussi ?
Are you waiting for the kids too?
Oui, comme tous les jours.
Yes, like every day.
Il fait un peu frais aujourd'hui.
It's a bit chilly today.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Salut !
sa-loo
Hi!
🇫🇷 [Salut !] is casual. At the school gate it's fine with parents you already know a bit, but [Bonjour !] is the safer default with someone less familiar.
See breakdown →Bonjour !
bon-zhoor
Good morning!
🇫🇷 [Bonjour !] is the standard polite greeting in France, even for quick school-gate contact. It often sounds more natural than jumping straight into the conversation.
See breakdown →Ça
sa
It / that
Va
va
Goes / is going
Ça va ?
sa va
How are you?
💬 [Ça va ?] asks and answers. Reply [Ça va] and you are done.
🇫🇷 At the school gate this is a passing hello, not a real question. A long answer reads as odd.
See breakdown →Ce
suh
This
💬 In time phrases, French often uses [ce] where English uses "this": [ce matin], [ce soir], [ce week-end]. So [ce] is not only about pointing at an object.
See breakdown →Matin
ma-tan
Morning
Ce matin
suh ma-tan
This morning
Oui
wee
Yes
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