In French there is a word "bonjour", which is known to almost every person, regardless of his visit to Paris and personal acquaintance with the country. What does "bonjour" mean, many understand automatically. This is a friendly greeting. In Soviet times, the films "Fantômas" and "Toy" were very popular, where a familiar phrase constantly sounded. A sugary booming greeting flashes through my head, and the face of Louis de Funes or Pierre Richard comes to mind.
Meaningful word in France
Most people know what "bonjour" means in French. Translated into Russian, this word is interpreted as "hello", "good afternoon". In France, "bonjour" is not just a greeting. This word is given great importance.
Every self-respecting Frenchman, leaving the house, "puts on" a pleasant smile and bestows a morning greeting on everyone he meets: "Bonjour!" At this point, he becomes the "cutest person"worthy of respect.
"Bonjour" in France is like morning coffee, a nice little thing that uplifts the mood and charges with positive energy for the whole day. By saying this, a person emphasizes a small but important thing: you were greeted, paid attention to you. This is not a scrupulous "hello" that elderly gossips chirp through their teeth in the yard on a bench following the passing youth, but a sincere, warm "bonjour!"
Favorite language of Russian nobility
In the 19th century, it was very fashionable in Russia to express themselves in French. Aristocratic personalities, meeting each other, enthusiastically and importantly exclaimed "Bonjour!", which means, "Greetings, dear friend!".
Russian "monsieurs" and "madames" spoke the French language with great pleasure and seemed at the same time more refined and noble. Dear offspring were assigned governesses and teachers who were real French, they taught the basics of the French language to children from an early age.
"Bonjour" is a beautiful soft word, but the Russian greeting "Good afternoon" is just as good when said with a warm and sincere smile.
