Why is "Using tu with a teacher, official or stranger" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: English has only one word for 'you', so learners default to tu for everyone and don't feel the rudeness. How to avoid it: When addressing one adult you don't know, choose vous — it is always polite and never rude. Switch to tu only with peers, children, or when invited. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 3 Speaking, register)

Why is "Using tu for two or more people because they are friends" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: Learners link vous only to politeness and forget its second job — the plural 'you'. How to avoid it: Remember vous has TWO jobs: polite singular AND plural. More than one person = vous, no matter how close you are to them. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 4 Writing)

Why is "Dropping accents and apostrophes (ca va, sil vous plait, desole)" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: English keyboards and habits omit accents; learners don't realise they are graded. How to avoid it: Treat accents as compulsory spelling: ça (cedilla), à (grave), désolé (two é), s'il and m'appelle (apostrophes). In Paper 4 these are accuracy marks. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (accuracy of spelling)

Why is "Opening a formal role-play with salut" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: salut is the first 'hi' many learners meet, so it gets over-used everywhere. How to avoid it: Reserve salut/coucou for friends and peers. In any formal or unfamiliar situation use bonjour (or bonsoir in the evening) plus Madame/Monsieur. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 3 Speaking role-play)

Why is "Saying bienvenue to mean 'you're welcome' after a thank-you" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: It is a direct copy of the English 'you're welcome' / 'welcome'. How to avoid it: In French, bienvenue means 'welcome' (on arrival), not a reply to merci. The correct reply to thanks is de rien or, more formally, je vous en prie. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (lexical accuracy)

Why is "Misspelling appelle (e.g. apele, apelle, je mappelle)" a common mistake in Greetings, introductions and polite forms?

Why it happens: The double consonants and the apostrophe are unusual for English spellers. How to avoid it: Lock in the shape: je m'appelle / tu t'appelles — apostrophe, double-p, double-l every time. Say it letter by letter as a drill. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 4 Writing accuracy)

Language FoundationsCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

Greetings, introductions and polite forms

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Greetings, Introductions and Polite Forms — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

Learn French greetings for beginners the right way: when to say bonjour (hello) or salut (hi), the all-important tu/vous politeness rule, how to introduce yourself with je m'appelle (my name is), and the polite phrases — merci (thank you), s'il vous plaît (please) — examiners reward in every paper.

At a glance

bonjour (hello / good day) is the safe, all-purpose daytime greeting — use it with anyone. Pronounced bon-ZHOOR /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/.
salut (hi / bye) and coucou (hiya) are casual — only for friends, family and people your own age. Pronounced sa-LU /sa.ly/ and koo-KOO /ku.ku/.
bonsoir (good evening) replaces bonjour from roughly 6 p.m. onwards. Pronounced bon-SWAR /bɔ̃.swaʁ/.
The tu/vous distinction is the single most important politeness rule in French: tu (you, informal) for friends and family, vous (you, formal/plural) for strangers, adults and teachers.
Introduce yourself with je m'appelle... (my name is..., literally 'I call myself...') — zhuh ma-PELL /ʒə ma.pɛl/.
Comment ça va? (how's it going?, informal) vs Comment allez-vous? (how are you?, formal) — match the question to tu or vous.
The polite toolkit: s'il vous plaît (please), merci (thank you), de rien (you're welcome), excusez-moi / pardon (excuse me / sorry).
Leave-taking: au revoir (goodbye), à bientôt (see you soon), bonne journée (have a good day).
Almost every accent matters: forgetting them (e.g. writing ca va instead of ça va) can cost you accuracy marks in writing.

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Greet people appropriately according to the time of day and level of formality (bonjour, bonsoir, salut, coucou).
Apply the tu/vous distinction correctly when addressing one person.
Introduce yourself and other people using je m'appelle, je te présente and je vous présente.
Ask and answer how someone is, choosing between Comment ça va? and Comment allez-vous?
Use core polite formulas: s'il te/vous plaît, merci, de rien, excusez-moi and pardon.
Take your leave with au revoir, à bientôt, à plus tard and bonne journée.
Spell all of the above with correct accents and apostrophes for full accuracy marks in writing.

Which greeting, when? Time of day and register

bonjour is your safe default by day, bonsoir in the evening; salut and coucou are casual only.

bonjour (hello) by day, bonsoir (good evening) from about 6 p.m.; salut (hi) is casual and only for friends.

Welcome — and don't worry if you have never spoken a word of French. We will build everything up from zero, and every French word comes with its English meaning straight after it.

The first thing you say to someone in French is a greeting (a hello). French chooses the greeting based on two things: the time of day and how formal or casual the situation is. That level of formality is called register.

Your safe, all-purpose greeting is bonjour (hello / good day). If you remember only one greeting, make it this one. You can say bonjour to absolutely anyone — a shopkeeper, a teacher, a friend, a stranger — for the whole daytime.

French	Pronunciation	English	Register
bonjour	bon-ZHOOR /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/	hello / good day	neutral — anyone, daytime
bonsoir	bon-SWAR /bɔ̃.swaʁ/	good evening	neutral — anyone, evening (~6 p.m. on)
salut	sa-LU /sa.ly/	hi / bye	casual — friends, family, peers only
coucou	koo-KOO /ku.ku/	hiya	very casual / affectionate — close friends
allô	a-LOH /a.lo/	hello (on the phone only)	answering the telephone

A few beginner-friendly notes:

bonjour literally breaks down as bon (good) + jour (day) = "good day". bonsoir is bon (good) + soir (evening).
The "on" in bon is a nasal sound — air comes partly through your nose, and you do not fully pronounce the "n". Think of the vowel in the English "song" without the hard "g".
salut can mean both "hi" and "bye" among friends — handy, but never use it with a teacher or a stranger.
allô is only for answering the phone. Saying allô to someone face-to-face sounds odd.

Mini-example. You walk into a bakery at 10 a.m. The polite, correct opener is simply: Bonjour ! (Hello!) — and French shopkeepers really do expect it before you ask for anything.

bonjour = safe default for the whole daytime, with anyone.
bonsoir = same idea, but for the evening (~6 p.m. onwards).
salut / coucou = casual only — friends, family and peers.
allô is for the phone only; never face-to-face.

The tu/vous rule — the most important politeness decision in French

tu = one person you know well; vous = formal, or more than one person. Get this right above all else.

When unsure with one person, choose vous (you, formal) — polite is never rude. tu (you, informal) is only for one person you know well.

English has just one word for "you". French has two, and choosing between them is the single most important politeness decision you make in every French conversation.

French	Pronunciation	English	When to use it
tu	too /ty/	you (informal, one person)	a friend, a family member, a child, a pet, someone your own age
vous	voo /vu/	you (formal or plural)	an adult you don't know, a teacher, a shopkeeper, or any group of two or more people

Two jobs of vous. Notice that vous does double duty:

Politeness: addressing one adult/stranger respectfully (this is sometimes called vouvoyer — to use vous with someone).
Plural: addressing two or more people, however well you know them.

So if you are talking to two of your best friends at once, you still use vous, because it is plural.

A simple decision flow. Ask yourself:

Is it more than one person? → vous.
One person — do I know them well and are we equals/peers (or are they a child)? → tu.
One person who is an adult I don't know, or someone in authority (teacher, official, customer/shopkeeper)? → vous.

Why it matters so much. Using tu with a stranger or a teacher can sound disrespectful or over-familiar; using vous with a close friend can sound cold or distant. French speakers are sensitive to this, and Cambridge examiners specifically check that you can pick the right one for the situation in the role-play.

Tip for beginners: if you are unsure, vous is the safer choice with one person — it is polite, never rude. You can always switch to tu once invited (a French person may say on peut se tutoyer — "we can use tu with each other").

Mini-example.

To a classmate: Comment tu t'appelles ? (What's your name? — informal)
To a teacher: Comment vous appelez-vous ? (What is your name? — formal)

tu = one person you know well (friend, family, child, peer).
vous = one adult/stranger (polite) OR any group of 2+ (plural).
When unsure with one person, choose vous — polite is never rude.
Examiners check tu/vous choice in the Speaking role-play.

Introducing yourself and others

je m'appelle... gives your name; je te/vous présente... introduces a third person.

Once you have greeted someone, you often introduce yourself — give your name — and sometimes introduce a third person.

Saying your own name. The standard phrase is je m'appelle... (my name is..., literally "I call myself..."):

French	Pronunciation	English
Je m'appelle Léa.	zhuh ma-PELL lay-AH /ʒə ma.pɛl le.a/	My name is Léa.
Je m'appelle Tom.	zhuh ma-PELL TOM /ʒə ma.pɛl tɔm/	My name is Tom.

That little m' is me (myself) with its "e" knocked out before a vowel — this dropping is called elision, and the apostrophe is compulsory. Writing je me appelle is wrong; it must be je m'appelle.

A simpler alternative also works and is very common in speech:

Moi, c'est Léa. (I'm Léa, literally "Me, it's Léa.") — mwah say lay-AH.

Introducing someone else. Use présenter (to introduce). The phrase changes with tu/vous:

French	English	Register
Je te présente Marie.	This is Marie. (I introduce Marie to you.)	informal (tu)
Je vous présente Madame Dubois.	May I introduce Madame Dubois.	formal (vous)
Voici mon ami Karim.	This is my friend Karim.	neutral

Note te (informal "to you") vs vous (formal "to you") — the tu/vous rule from the last section follows you everywhere.

Replying to an introduction. A warm, very useful reply is:

Enchanté ! (Pleased to meet you! — said by a male speaker) — on-shon-TAY /ɑ̃.ʃɑ̃.te/
Enchantée ! (Pleased to meet you! — said by a female speaker)

It literally means "enchanted/delighted". The extra -e is added when a female speaker says it, because the adjective agrees with the speaker — your first taste of French adjective agreement. The two spellings sound identical.

Mini-dialogue.

— Bonjour, je m'appelle Sophie. (Hello, my name is Sophie.)
— Enchanté ! Moi, c'est Hugo. (Pleased to meet you! I'm Hugo.)

je m'appelle... = my name is... (apostrophe compulsory).
Moi, c'est... = a simpler 'I'm...' alternative.
je te présente... (informal) / je vous présente... (formal) = this is...
Reply Enchanté (male) / Enchantée (female) — adjective agreement.

Asking how someone is — ça va vs allez-vous

Comment ça va? is informal; Comment allez-vous? is formal. Have a reply ready.

After greeting, French speakers usually ask how you are. Once again, the question splits by register.

French	Pronunciation	English	Register
Ça va ?	sa VA /sa va/	You OK? / How's it going?	very informal, super common
Comment ça va ?	ko-mon sa VA /kɔ.mɑ̃ sa va/	How's it going?	informal
Comment vas-tu ?	ko-mon va-TU /kɔ.mɑ̃ va ty/	How are you?	informal, slightly fuller
Comment allez-vous ?	ko-mon ta-lay VOO /kɔ.mɑ̃.ta.le vu/	How are you?	formal / polite

Notice the pattern: questions with tu (vas-tu, ça va) are informal; the vous question (allez-vous) is formal. The same tu/vous decision as before.

The clever thing about ça va. The exact same words answer the question:

— Ça va ? (You OK?) — — Ça va ! (I'm fine!)

So ça va is both the question and a reply. Here are fuller replies you can give to either question:

French	Pronunciation	English
Ça va bien, merci.	sa va bee-AN mair-SEE	I'm well, thank you.
Très bien, merci. Et toi ?	tray bee-AN ... ay TWAH	Very well, thanks. And you? (informal)
Très bien, merci. Et vous ?	tray bee-AN ... ay VOO	Very well, thanks. And you? (formal)
Ça va, et toi ?	sa va ay TWAH	OK, and you? (informal)
Pas mal.	pah MAL	Not bad.
Comme ci, comme ça.	kom SEE kom SA	So-so.

Always bounce the question back. Adding et toi ? (and you? — informal) or et vous ? (and you? — formal) keeps the conversation going and shows good manners. Examiners love a candidate who asks back.

Mini-dialogue (informal).

— Salut ! Ça va ? (Hi! You OK?)
— Ça va bien, merci. Et toi ? (I'm good, thanks. And you?)
— Pas mal ! (Not bad!)

Comment ça va? = informal; Comment allez-vous? = formal.
ça va is both a question and an answer.
Bounce it back: et toi? (informal) / et vous? (formal).
Stock replies: ça va bien, très bien, pas mal, comme ci comme ça.

The polite toolkit — please, thank you, sorry

merci, s'il te/vous plaît, de rien, excusez-moi and pardon — small words, big marks.

These tiny phrases are the oil that makes French conversation polite. They appear constantly in the Listening and Reading papers and are expected in your own speaking and writing.

French	Pronunciation	English	Notes
s'il te plaît	seel tuh PLAY /sil tə plɛ/	please	informal (tu)
s'il vous plaît	seel voo PLAY /sil vu plɛ/	please	formal/plural (vous); often written SVP
merci	mair-SEE /mɛʁ.si/	thank you	the basic one
merci beaucoup	mair-SEE bo-KOO /mɛʁ.si bo.ku/	thank you very much	beaucoup = a lot
de rien	duh ree-AN /də ʁjɛ̃/	you're welcome	literally "of nothing"
je vous en prie	zhuh voo zon PREE	you're welcome	more formal "you're welcome"
excusez-moi	eks-ku-zay MWAH	excuse me	formal — getting attention/apologising
excuse-moi	eks-KUZ MWAH	excuse me	informal (tu)
pardon	par-DON /paʁ.dɔ̃/	sorry / excuse me	quick, works either register
je suis désolé(e)	zhuh swee day-zo-LAY	I'm sorry	add -e if a female speaker

Things to lock in:

s'il te/vous plaît carries the tu/vous distinction inside it: te for friends, vous for everyone formal or plural. The apostrophe (s'il = si + il, "if it") is compulsory.
de rien is the everyday "you're welcome"; je vous en prie is its more formal cousin.
excusez-moi (formal) vs excuse-moi (informal) again ride on tu/vous. pardon is a quick all-purpose option when you bump into someone or need to interrupt.
désolé gains an extra -e → désolée when a female speaker says it (adjective agreement again). The accents on désolé matter — both are é (e-acute), pronounced "ay".

Mini-example (asking politely).

Un café, s'il vous plaît. (A coffee, please.) — to a waiter (formal).
— Merci beaucoup ! — De rien. (— Thanks a lot! — You're welcome.)

s'il te plaît (informal) / s'il vous plaît (formal) — apostrophe required.
merci → merci beaucoup; reply with de rien or je vous en prie.
excuse-moi (informal) / excusez-moi (formal); pardon works either way.
désolé → désolée when a female speaker says it.

Saying goodbye — leave-taking phrases

au revoir is the safe goodbye; add à bientôt / bonne journée for warmth.

Closing a conversation politely matters just as much as opening it. Your safe, all-purpose goodbye is au revoir (goodbye).

French	Pronunciation	English	Register
au revoir	oh ruh-VWAR /o ʁə.vwaʁ/	goodbye	neutral — anyone
salut	sa-LU /sa.ly/	bye	casual (yes — same word as "hi")
à bientôt	a bee-an-TOH /a bjɛ̃.to/	see you soon	friendly
à tout à l'heure	a too ta LUR /a tu ta lœʁ/	see you later (same day)	friendly
à plus tard	a plu TAR /a ply taʁ/	see you later	casual (texted as à plus / A+)
à demain	a duh-MAN /a də.mɛ̃/	see you tomorrow	neutral
bonne journée	bon zhoor-NAY /bɔn ʒuʁ.ne/	have a good day	warm, polite
bonne soirée	bon swah-RAY /bɔn swa.ʁe/	have a good evening	warm, polite
bonne nuit	bon NWEE /bɔn nɥi/	good night (going to bed)	bedtime only

Helpful distinctions for beginners:

au revoir literally means "until the re-seeing" — au (until the) + revoir (seeing again). It is your default; you can say it to anyone.
The à... phrases all mean "until / see you...": à bientôt (soon), à demain (tomorrow), à tout à l'heure (later today). The à has a grave accent (à) and must not be written as plain a, which means "has".
bonne nuit (good night) is only for when someone is going to sleep — not a general evening goodbye. For leaving in the evening, say bonne soirée (have a good evening).
bonne journée / bonne soirée use bonne (the feminine form of bon, "good") because journée (day) and soirée (evening) are feminine nouns — a first glimpse of gender agreement.

Mini-example (formal close).

Au revoir, Madame. Bonne journée ! (Goodbye, madam. Have a good day!)

au revoir = safe goodbye for anyone.
à bientôt / à demain / à tout à l'heure = 'see you (soon/tomorrow/later)'.
bonne journée / bonne soirée = have a good day/evening; bonne nuit = bedtime only.
à carries a grave accent — never write plain 'a' (which means 'has').

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

bonjour (hello / good day) — bon-ZHOOR — safe daytime greeting for anyone.
bonsoir (good evening) — bon-SWAR — evening greeting for anyone.
salut (hi / bye) — sa-LU — casual, friends and peers only.
tu (you, informal, one person) vs vous (you, formal or plural).
je m'appelle... (my name is...) — apostrophe + double-p double-l in appelle.
je te présente... / je vous présente... (this is... — informal / formal).
Enchanté (m.) / Enchantée (f.) (pleased to meet you).
Comment ça va ? (how's it going? — informal) / Comment allez-vous ? (how are you? — formal).
s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît (please — informal / formal).
merci (thank you), merci beaucoup (thank you very much), de rien (you're welcome).
excuse-moi / excusez-moi (excuse me — informal / formal), pardon (sorry / excuse me).
au revoir (goodbye), à bientôt (see you soon), bonne journée (have a good day).

How it’s examined

Greetings, register and polite forms run through all four papers of Cambridge IGCSE French 0520.

Paper 1 (Listening): short exchanges where you must catch a greeting, a name (je m'appelle...), or a polite phrase — and sometimes infer the relationship between speakers from their use of tu or vous.
Paper 2 (Reading): notices, messages and emails that open with bonjour/bonsoir and close with au revoir/bonne journée; questions can hinge on whether a message is formal or informal.
Paper 3 (Speaking): the role-play routinely sets a formal scenario (asking a shopkeeper or official) where examiners check you greet appropriately, use vous, and say merci/s'il vous plaît. Opening with salut or slipping into tu in a formal role-play loses marks for register.
Paper 4 (Writing): informal messages/emails to a friend expect tu, salut and à bientôt, while formal ones expect vous, bonjour/Madame and au revoir. Accents and apostrophes (ça, à, s'il, m'appelle, désolé) are marked under accuracy.

Examiner reports repeatedly note that candidates who mismatch register — wrong greeting, wrong tu/vous, missing polite formulas — cap themselves below the top bands even when their other French is sound.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 3 Speaking specimen (role-play, 2025-2027); Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (register and accuracy). Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Greetings, introductions and polite forms

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on greetings, introductions and polite forms, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Choose the right greeting for each situation
Getting started• greetings, register
Question
Pick the best greeting for: (a) entering a bakery at 9 a.m., (b) messaging your best friend, (c) meeting your friend's mother at 8 p.m.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  (a) Bakery, 9 a.m., a stranger, daytime. Stranger = be polite; morning = daytime. The safe, correct choice is bonjour (hello / good day). You would never say salut to a shopkeeper.
2. Step 2
  (b) Best friend, casual. A friend your own age = casual register. Use salut (hi) or the very affectionate coucou (hiya). bonjour would not be wrong, but salut sounds natural between friends.
3. Step 3
  (c) Friend's mother, 8 p.m. An adult you don't know well = be polite; 8 p.m. = evening. Use bonsoir (good evening), and address her with vous, e.g. Bonsoir, Madame. (Good evening, madam.)
Answer
(a) Bonjour. (b) Salut (or Coucou). (c) Bonsoir, Madame. — match the time of day AND how well you know the person.
Examiner tip
Register is tested directly in the Paper 3 role-play. Choosing salut in a formal scene, or bonjour late in the evening, signals weak control of register and caps the response below the top band.
2tu or vous? Make the politeness decision
Building confidence• tu-vous, register
Question
Decide whether to use tu or vous when speaking to: (a) one classmate, (b) one teacher, (c) two close friends at once, (d) a shopkeeper you don't know.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Recall the rule. tu (you, informal) = one person you know well or a peer/child. vous (you) = one adult/stranger you address politely, or any group of two or more people.
2. Step 2
  (a) One classmate — a peer your own age → tu.
3. Step 3
  (b) One teacher — an adult in authority → vous (politeness).
4. Step 4
  (c) Two close friends at once — you know them well, BUT it is more than one person → vous (plural). This is the trap: even with friends, two people = vous.
5. Step 5
  (d) A shopkeeper you don't know — one adult stranger → vous (politeness).
Answer
(a) tu, (b) vous, (c) vous (plural!), (d) vous. Remember vous does double duty: polite singular AND plural.
Examiner tip
The plural job of vous (case c) is the most common slip. Anglophone candidates default to tu for anyone friendly, forgetting that two or more people always takes vous regardless of closeness.
3Introduce yourself and ask a name back
Getting started• introductions
Question
Write what you would say to introduce yourself (your name is Alex) to a new classmate, then ask their name.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Give your name. Use je m'appelle... (my name is..., literally 'I call myself...'). The apostrophe in m' is compulsory, and appelle has double-p and double-l: Je m'appelle Alex. (My name is Alex.)
2. Step 2
  Choose register for the question. A classmate is a peer → use tu. The informal 'what's your name?' is Comment tu t'appelles ? (What's your name?) — note t'appelles keeps the same double letters.
3. Step 3
  Optional warm reply. When they answer, you can say Enchanté ! (m.) or Enchantée ! (f.) — 'Pleased to meet you!' — adding the extra -e if you are female.
Answer
Bonjour, je m'appelle Alex. Comment tu t'appelles ? (Hello, my name is Alex. What's your name?) — and reply Enchanté(e) when they answer.
Examiner tip
Spelling je m'appelle with the apostrophe and double letters is an accuracy point in Paper 4. The follow-up question shows interaction, which Speaking and Writing mark schemes both reward.
4Greet an official politely in a role-play
Building confidence• register, polite-forms, speaking
Question
Role-play: you arrive at a tourist office at 10 a.m. to ask for a map. Open the exchange politely and ask for the map.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Greet for the situation. Stranger + daytime → Bonjour, Madame. / Bonjour, Monsieur. (Hello, madam/sir.) Never salut here.
2. Step 2
  Use vous and a polite request. One adult official → vous, and end the request with s'il vous plaît (please, formal): Je voudrais un plan, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a map, please.) un plan = a (street) map.
3. Step 3
  Close politely. Thank them and leave well: Merci beaucoup. Au revoir ! (Thank you very much. Goodbye!) You could add Bonne journée ! (Have a good day!).
Answer
Bonjour, Madame. Je voudrais un plan, s'il vous plaît. Merci beaucoup. Au revoir, bonne journée ! — formal greeting, vous, s'il vous plaît, and a polite close.
Examiner tip
This mirrors the standard Paper 3 formal role-play. Examiners award marks for an appropriate greeting, consistent vous, the polite formula s'il vous plaît, and a courteous close — a full, in-register exchange.
5Work out a polite reply using cognates
Stretch• reading, cognates
Question
Read this reply and work out its meaning using words that look like English: 'Pardon, je suis désolé, je ne comprends pas. Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Spot the cognates (words that resemble English). Pardon ≈ 'pardon' = sorry/excuse me. désolé ≈ 'desolate' but here = sorry. comprends ≈ 'comprehend' = understand. répéter ≈ 'repeat'.
2. Step 2
  Handle the negative. ne... pas wraps around the verb to make it negative: je ne comprends pas = 'I do not understand'.
3. Step 3
  Read the polite request. Pouvez-vous...? = 'Can you...?' (formal, vous). Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? = 'Can you repeat, please?'
Answer
'Sorry, I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you repeat, please?' — a polite, formal way to ask for clarification.
Examiner tip
Cambridge deliberately includes cognates so beginners can decode meaning without knowing every word. Knowing this clarification formula is also a lifeline in the Speaking exam if you mishear the examiner.

Model Answers — Greetings, introductions and polite forms

High-scoring sample answers for greetings, introductions and polite forms on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Introduce yourself politely to an adult you have just met (formal register).
Model answer
Bonjour, Madame. Je m'appelle Camille. Enchantée de faire votre connaissance. (Hello, madam. My name is Camille. Pleased to meet you.)

Comment allez-vous ? (How are you? — formal)
Why this scores
Why it scores: the greeting (bonjour, Madame) fits a formal first meeting; je m'appelle is spelt correctly with the apostrophe; the closing question uses the formal Comment allez-vous? (not the informal ça va?), keeping register consistent throughout. The feminine Enchantée shows correct adjective agreement.
Question 2
Write a short, friendly text-message opening to your best friend (informal register).
Model answer
Coucou ! Ça va ? Moi, ça va super bien. (Hiya! You OK? Me, I'm doing really well.)

Et toi, comment tu vas ? (And you, how are you?)
Why this scores
Why it scores: register is consistently informal — coucou, ça va, the tu form (tu vas) and bouncing back with et toi? show natural, idiomatic interaction. The mark scheme rewards register that matches an informal task to a friend.
Question 3
You did not understand something in the Speaking exam. Ask the examiner to repeat it, politely.
Model answer
Pardon, je n'ai pas compris. Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ? (Sorry, I didn't understand. Could you repeat that, please?)
Why this scores
Why it scores: this is a polished, formal clarification using vous (Pouvez-vous) and s'il vous plaît. Far from losing marks, asking for repetition politely keeps the conversation flowing and demonstrates good communication strategy — examiners view it positively.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Greetings, introductions and polite forms

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for greetings, introductions and polite forms answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

Register (formal vs informal)
Examiner keyword
How formal or casual your language is. French changes greetings, the word for 'you' (tu/vous), and polite phrases depending on register.
Example
Salut (informal) vs Bonjour, Madame (formal) for 'hello'.
tu
Examiner keyword
'You' for ONE person you know well — a friend, family member, child or peer (informal singular).
Example
Comment tu t'appelles ? (What's your name? — to a friend.)
Related: vous
vous
Examiner keyword
'You' used (1) for one adult/stranger addressed politely, OR (2) for any group of two or more people (formal singular and all plurals).
Example
Comment allez-vous ? (How are you? — to a teacher or a group.)
Related: tu
je m'appelle
Examiner keyword
'My name is...', literally 'I call myself...'. The apostrophe (m' = me) and the double letters in appelle are compulsory.
Example
Je m'appelle Léa. (My name is Léa.)
je te / vous présente
'This is... / let me introduce...' — used to introduce a third person; te is informal, vous is formal/plural.
Example
Je vous présente Madame Dubois. (May I introduce Madame Dubois.)
Enchanté(e)
Examiner keyword
'Pleased to meet you', literally 'enchanted'. A female speaker adds an -e (Enchantée) — adjective agreement.
Example
— Je m'appelle Hugo. — Enchantée ! (said by a woman)
Comment ça va ? / Comment allez-vous ?
Examiner keyword
'How's it going?' (informal) vs 'How are you?' (formal). ça va also works alone as both question and answer.
Example
— Ça va ? — Ça va bien, merci. Et toi ?
s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît
Examiner keyword
'Please' — s'il te plaît is informal (tu), s'il vous plaît is formal or plural (vous). Often abbreviated SVP.
Example
Un café, s'il vous plaît. (A coffee, please.)
merci / de rien
merci = 'thank you' (merci beaucoup = thank you very much); de rien = 'you're welcome' (literally 'of nothing').
Example
— Merci beaucoup ! — De rien !
au revoir / à bientôt
au revoir = 'goodbye' (safe for anyone); à bientôt = 'see you soon'. Pair with bonne journée (have a good day) to close warmly.
Example
Au revoir, Monsieur. Bonne journée !

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Greetings, introductions and polite forms

The traps other students keep falling into on greetings, introductions and polite forms questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Using tu with a teacher, official or stranger
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 3 Speaking, register)
Why it happens
English has only one word for 'you', so learners default to tu for everyone and don't feel the rudeness.
How to avoid it
When addressing one adult you don't know, choose vous — it is always polite and never rude. Switch to tu only with peers, children, or when invited.
✕Using tu for two or more people because they are friends
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 4 Writing)
Why it happens
Learners link vous only to politeness and forget its second job — the plural 'you'.
How to avoid it
Remember vous has TWO jobs: polite singular AND plural. More than one person = vous, no matter how close you are to them.
✕Dropping accents and apostrophes (ca va, sil vous plait, desole)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (accuracy of spelling)
Why it happens
English keyboards and habits omit accents; learners don't realise they are graded.
How to avoid it
Treat accents as compulsory spelling: ça (cedilla), à (grave), désolé (two é), s'il and m'appelle (apostrophes). In Paper 4 these are accuracy marks.
✕Opening a formal role-play with salut
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 3 Speaking role-play)
Why it happens
salut is the first 'hi' many learners meet, so it gets over-used everywhere.
How to avoid it
Reserve salut/coucou for friends and peers. In any formal or unfamiliar situation use bonjour (or bonsoir in the evening) plus Madame/Monsieur.
✕Saying bienvenue to mean 'you're welcome' after a thank-you
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (lexical accuracy)
Why it happens
It is a direct copy of the English 'you're welcome' / 'welcome'.
How to avoid it
In French, bienvenue means 'welcome' (on arrival), not a reply to merci. The correct reply to thanks is de rien or, more formally, je vous en prie.
✕Misspelling appelle (e.g. apele, apelle, je mappelle)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports (Paper 4 Writing accuracy)
Why it happens
The double consonants and the apostrophe are unusual for English spellers.
How to avoid it
Lock in the shape: je m'appelle / tu t'appelles — apostrophe, double-p, double-l every time. Say it letter by letter as a drill.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

Greetings, introductions and polite forms

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Choose the right greeting for each situation

2tu or vous? Make the politeness decision

3Introduce yourself and ask a name back

4Greet an official politely in a role-play

5Work out a polite reply using cognates

Register (formal vs informal)

tu

vous

je m'appelle

je te / vous présente

Enchanté(e)

Comment ça va ? / Comment allez-vous ?

s'il te plaît / s'il vous plaît

merci / de rien

au revoir / à bientôt

✕Using tu with a teacher, official or stranger

✕Using tu for two or more people because they are friends

✕Dropping accents and apostrophes (ca va, sil vous plait, desole)

✕Opening a formal role-play with salut

✕Saying bienvenue to mean 'you're welcome' after a thank-you

✕Misspelling appelle (e.g. apele, apelle, je mappelle)

Past paper style quiz