allô

Meaning (in English)

Allô is an interjection used to get someone’s attention, most commonly:

• “Hello?” (when answering the phone or starting a phone call)
• “Hey?” / “Hello?” (to check if someone is there or listening, sometimes expressing mild surprise or impatience)

It can also be used more figuratively to mean “Wake up!” / “Anyone home?” when someone seems absent-minded.

Parts / Structure

• allô is a fixed interjection (a standalone word).
• It doesn’t break into meaningful French roots in modern usage; it’s essentially the French equivalent of “hello” in telephone contexts.

French synonyms

Depending on context:

• bonjour (more formal/general “hello,” especially in person or at the start of a conversation)
• salut (informal “hi”)
• hé (to call someone’s attention: “hey”)
• allo ? / allô ? (same word, often repeated or with a question mark to indicate checking)

French antonyms

No true antonym as an interjection, but in conversational function you might see opposites like:

• au revoir (“goodbye”)
• adieu (“farewell,” more final/formal)