bon après-midi

Meaning

bon après-midi is a polite French greeting used to say 'good afternoon'.

Usage and formality

This phrase is suitable for most social and professional situations when addressing someone in the afternoon. It is considered polite and standard, not overly formal or casual.

Pronunciation

Pronounced bon ah preh mee dee. Note the nasal vowel sound in 'bon' and the silent 'n' at the end of 'bon'. The 's' in 'après' is silent.

Grammar

This is a set phrase and does not require complex grammatical analysis for basic use. 'Bon' means 'good' and 'après-midi' means 'afternoon'.

Interesting facts

While 'après-midi' technically refers to the period from noon until evening, 'bon après-midi' is typically used from around noon or 1 PM until about 5 or 6 PM, after which 'bonsoir' (good evening) becomes more appropriate.

Word by word

• bon: "good"; masculine form agreeing with après-midi
• après: "after"
• midi: "noon"; après-midi is literally the time after noon

Notes

bon après-midi: Polite French greeting for 'good afternoon'. Pronounced 'bon ah preh mee dee'.