Think about the last phone call you ended in English. Did you say just one word and hang up? Or did it go on a bit: bye, talk later, love you, bye again?
French goodbyes often work the same way. One word is fine, but a short follow-on phrase makes you sound more natural.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use eight French goodbye phrases
- Add a natural follow-on so a goodbye feels finished
- Compare how people say goodbye in France and in Ireland
Today's eight goodbyes come in two short clusters on the flashcards. For each card, listen to the French first, then repeat with the class.
Listen carefully for two sounds as you go: the soft zh in Bonne journée (like the s in treasure) and the nasal ending in À demain.
After both clusters, practise a finished goodbye together: one phrase starts, and the class answers with a different follow-on from the board.
You each have a printed bingo card and a pencil. Listen carefully as each goodbye is called, and mark it when you hear it. First full line calls out!
Write your own two-line goodbye from the partner work you just did: one line for what you say, one for what your partner says back. Choose both lines from the list below, and copy the accents carefully.
- Au revoir (goodbye)
- À bientôt (see you soon)
- À demain (see you tomorrow)
- À plus tard (see you later)
- Salut (bye (informal))
- Bonne nuit (good night)
- Bonne journée (have a nice day)
- À tout à l'heure (see you in a bit)
Work with a partner on a two-line goodbye in a real situation. Pick one scenario from the board, then speak:
- Leaving school with a friend
- Ending a phone call
- Leaving the classroom at home time
Starter pairs stay on the board for the whole activity. Use at least one starter pair first, then try a second goodbye with a different follow-on.
Partner A starts, Partner B answers, then swap roles so each of you begins an exchange.
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