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Greetings - La bise

A common greeting in many francophone countries is the bise, or a kiss on the cheeks. While this is the standard greeting among many, the rules change depending on where you are and who you are greeting. For example, in Marseille in the south of France, you would exchange DEUX bises, one on each cheek. You might faire la bise with people you are meeting for the first time in an informal setting like a party. Girls will faire la bise with each other and with guys. Sometimes guys also faire la bise with each other, but again, it depends on the habits specific to that region or country. Handshakes are more common unless the guys are close friends or family. French people faire deux bises, but in some regions like Languedoc-Roussillon, they faire trois bises. In some places, people may even exchange quatre bises !

faire = to do
la bise = the kiss

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