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French Phrase

Salut, je m'appelle Daniel. Et toi ?

/sa.ly ʒə ma.pɛl da.njɛl e twa/
Meaning"Hi, my name is Daniel. And you?"
💡

Meaning

This is a friendly self‑introduction. You greet the listener, state your name, and then invite them to share theirs. It’s informal and perfect for meeting peers, classmates, or new acquaintances in a relaxed setting.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you meet someone for the first time in a casual environment—like a school, a language exchange, or a social gathering. It’s too informal for a formal business meeting, where you’d say “Bonjour, je m’appelle Daniel. Et vous ?”.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Salut,jem'appelleDaniel.Ettoi?

1

Salut

An informal greeting equivalent to “Hi” or “Hey”. Use with friends, peers, or in casual settings.

2

je m'appelle

Literally “I call myself”, the standard way to introduce your name. It uses the reflexive verb s’appeler.

3

Et toi ?

A short way to ask “And you?” after giving your own name. “Et” means “and”, “toi” is the stressed pronoun for “you”.

4

Punctuation

In French, a space is placed before punctuation marks like ‘:’, ‘;’, ‘!’, ‘?’. The comma after “Salut” is optional but common in spoken style.

🗨In Conversation

A

Salut, je m'appelle Daniel. Et toi ?

Hi, my name is Daniel. And you?

Salut Daniel, je suis Marie.

Hi Daniel, I’m Marie.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Salut, je suis Daniel. Et toi ?

    While understandable, native speakers prefer “je m’appelle Daniel” for introductions.

  • Salut, je m'appelle Daniel. Et vous ?

    Using the formal “vous” after an informal “Salut” creates a mixed register. Keep both informal or both formal.

  • Salut je m'appelle Daniel Et toi

    Missing punctuation and spaces before punctuation are incorrect in written French.

↔Alternatives

  • Bonjour, je m'appelle Daniel. Et vous ?

    Hello, my name is Daniel. And you? (formal)

  • Salut, moi c’est Daniel. Et toi ?

    Hey, I’m Daniel. And you?

  • Salut, je suis Daniel. Et toi ?

    Hi, I’m Daniel. And you?

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Cultural Tip

In France, the level of formality matters. “Salut” is reserved for people you already know or peers of the same age. When meeting someone older or in a professional context, switch to “Bonjour” and use the polite pronoun “vous”. Also, French speakers often follow the introduction with a handshake or a light cheek kiss (la bise) depending on the region.