Bonne soirée is not used.

[u/Select-Marsupial-341]

The Institut Français in my city and films I've watched all use bon soir in place of bonne soirée. Is this just colloquial usage? I am sure I'm hearing it right. Do you use bon soir instead of bonne soirée when you didn't greet with bon soir first?on soir

[u/Prestigious-Gold6759]

Bonsoir is hello (in the evening) and bonne soirée is "have a nice evening" when you say goodbye.

Same difference as between bonjour and bonne journée.

[u/regular_hammock → u/Prestigious-Gold6759]

This is oversimplified, you can also say bonsoir to say goodbye. Bonne soirée has warmer overtones (with the right tone you can say « allez, bonsoir » to mean ‘get off my lawn’, whereas « allez, bonne soirée » would be more of a ‘welp…’ or ‘gotta get going’ but it would be hard to make it sound really harsh)

[u/Prestigious-Gold6759 → u/regular_hammock]

For sure. But you can't use bonne journée or bonne soirée to say hello, which is what I was trying to say.

[u/regular_hammock → u/Prestigious-Gold6759]

Oh yeah, absolutely.

[u/Melodic_Risk6633]

bonsoir is a greeting you say when you arrive somewhere 

Bonne soirée is when you leave the place.

[u/that0neBl1p]

I use “bonsoir” in place of “bonjour” as a greeting in the evening (or if someone uses it first), and “bonne soirée” in place of “bonne journée” as a goodbye after the bonsoir establishes it.

[u/SEA_griffondeur]

Bonsoir and Bonne soirée don't mean the same thing.

Bonsoir is a general greeting/farewell you use in the evening. Bonne soirée is a more genuine farewell wishing you to have a good evening/party

[u/Mattheiuw]

"Bonsoir" is for "hello" and "good bye" in the evening. "Bonne soirée" is only "good bye" in the evening.

[u/NumerousSwordfish622]

I was in Paris 2 weeks ago. The initial evening greeting (upon meeting) was always bonsoir and parting greeting was bonne soirée +/- au revoir.

Same logic is in English: good evening upon meeting, have a good evening on parting

[u/WestEst101 → u/NumerousSwordfish622]

Yup :). It’s used the same way as this in Canada too. Interestingly, in Canada, we’ll often also say « passer une bonne soirée », to also mean have a good evening (as well as just saying bonne soirée).

Occasionally in Canada you’ll also hear « Passer une belle soirée » (have a nice/great evening, a bit different from passer bonne soirée which is have a good evening). But this is very colloquial.

[u/NumerousSwordfish622 → u/WestEst101]

Cool! Thanks for sharing. I’m only just starting to learn French and my only exposure is from my recent visit to France. I’ve heard québécois is quite different in some ways from the French they speak in France, so I’m curious to go there now

[u/Roadkill_Buffet]

"Bonsoir" instead of "Bonne soirée" as a goodbye is outdated and more chic. It's used in movies yes but it sounds weird IRL

[u/MonsieurDrole]

Bonjour = ok when arriving, not OK when leaving

Bonne journée = not OK when arriving, ok when leaving

Bonsoir = OK when arriving or leaving

Bonne soirée = not OK when arriving, ok when leaving

Salut = OK when arriving or leaving

Coucou = OK when arriving, not OK when leaving

Adieu = OK when arriving in some southern regions, not ok otherwise, ok for leaving

All of them are used.

EDIT : damn, I forgot "au revoir". No need to precise I guess

[u/thetoerubber → u/MonsieurDrole]

Since it’s not specified here, I’m gonna say au revoir to people when I arrive.

[u/MonsieurDrole → u/thetoerubber]

Tell them it's my fault

[u/Arctic_H00ligan7]

Bon soir is a greeting, Bonne Soirée is a goodbye.

[u/mdwd → u/Arctic_H00ligan7]

This.

[u/Professional-Cow3854]

« Bonsoir » is the greeting used when meeting or leaving someone.

« Bonne soirée » will be used to whish a good experience when someone has something to do; having a meal at a restaurant, going to see a play…

It's the equivalent of saying « have a good time ».

[u/Master_Farm_445]

I’ve always understood bonne soirée as “have fun with your evening event”, if the person were going out with friends, going to a concert, having a people over…

[u/Fit-Entrance3702]

Brother…