French conversation typically opens with a time-appropriate greeting. During the day, Bonjour serves as the universal "Hello" or "Good day," while Bonsoir takes over in the evening, usually after around 6 PM. Bonne nuit has a different function: it is used only when parting at night or going to bed, never as a greeting. When leaving, Au revoir — literally "until we see each other again" — is the standard "Goodbye." To get attention or apologize for a small interruption, you would say Excusez-moi (formal) or simply Pardon, which works in situations like bumping into someone or asking them to repeat themselves.
Politeness is woven into everyday French exchanges. S'il vous plaît, meaning "please," uses the formal vous; with friends or family you switch to s'il te plaît. The response to thanks is De rien ("you're welcome," literally "of nothing"), though the more formal je vous en prie is also common. Merci alone expresses thanks, while merci beaucoup intensifies it to "thank you very much." When someone asks how you are, the standard response is Je vais bien ("I am doing well"), or you can use the more casual Ça va bien, merci.
Introductions follow predictable patterns. To ask someone's name, you say Comment vous appelez-vous? (formal) or Comment tu t'appelles? (informal), both of which employ the reflexive verb s'appeler. You answer with Je m'appelle followed by your name — literally "I call myself." After the exchange, Enchanté (masculine) or Enchantée (feminine) — "Nice to meet you," or more poetically "enchanted" — closes the introduction. The question Comment allez-vous? asks "How are you?" formally; informally you would say Comment vas-tu? or the breezy Ça va?. For simple affirmation and negation, French uses oui ("yes") and non ("no"), with a special twist: si means "yes" when contradicting a negative statement, so if someone says "You didn't eat," you reply "Si, I did."