Learning how to say “bon” in French can open the door to understanding many common French expressions. French is a language rich in culture and tradition, and “bon” plays a big role in its phrases. Whether you’re traveling to France or simply curious about the language, knowing how to use “bon” in different contexts is a great start.
This article will explore the meaning of “bon,” how to pronounce it, and ways to use it in sentences. You’ll also learn about phrases like “bonsoir,” “bon appétit,” “bonjour,” and “bon voyage.” These expressions are not just words—they carry feelings, politeness, and a bit of French charm. Let’s get in to explore “bon” and its related terms!
Ways to Say “Bon” in French
The word “bon” is widely used in French and translates to “good” in English. It is a versatile word that appears in many phrases, ranging from greetings to well-wishes. Below are various ways to use “bon” in French, including their pronunciation, meaning, and examples.
1. Bon
Pronunciation: bohn
Meaning: Good
In a Sentence:
- Ce gâteau est vraiment bon. (This cake is really good.)
- Tu as fait un bon travail aujourd’hui. (You did a good job today.)
2. Bonsoir
Pronunciation: bohn-swah
Meaning: Good evening
In a Sentence:
- Bonsoir, comment ça va ? (Good evening, how are you?)
- Bonsoir, bienvenue chez nous. (Good evening, welcome to our home.)
3. Bon appétit
Pronunciation: bohn ah-pay-tee
Meaning: Enjoy your meal
In a Sentence:
- Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
- Avant de manger, il a dit “bon appétit.” (Before eating, he said, “Enjoy your meal.”)
4. Bonjour
Pronunciation: bohn-zhoor
Meaning: Good morning; Hello
In a Sentence:
- Bonjour, Madame Dupont. (Good morning, Mrs. Dupont.)
- Bonjour, je m’appelle Pierre. (Hello, my name is Pierre.)
5. Bon voyage
Pronunciation: bohn vwuh-yahzh
Meaning: Have a good trip
In a Sentence:
- Bon voyage et amuse-toi bien. (Have a good trip and have fun.)
- Ils nous ont souhaité bon voyage avant notre départ. (They wished us a good trip before we left.)
6. Bon anniversaire
Pronunciation: bohn ah-nee-ver-sair
Meaning: Happy birthday
In a Sentence:
- Bon anniversaire, Julie ! (Happy birthday, Julie!)
- Nous avons chanté “bon anniversaire” pour lui. (We sang “happy birthday” for him.)
7. Bon courage
Pronunciation: bohn koo-rahzh
Meaning: Stay strong; Good luck
In a Sentence:
- Bon courage pour ton examen ! (Good luck with your exam!)
- Bon courage à tous ceux qui travaillent dur. (Stay strong to everyone working hard.)
8. Bon début
Pronunciation: bohn day-boo
Meaning: A good start
In a Sentence:
- C’est un bon début pour notre projet. (This is a good start for our project.)
- Ton travail montre un bon début. (Your work shows a good start.)
9. Bon après-midi
Pronunciation: bohn ah-pray-mee-dee
Meaning: Good afternoon
In a Sentence:
- Bon après-midi, à tout à l’heure. (Good afternoon, see you later.)
- Il nous a dit “bon après-midi” avant de partir. (He told us “good afternoon” before leaving.)
10. Bonne chance
Pronunciation: bohn shahnss
Meaning: Good luck
In a Sentence:
- Bonne chance pour ton entretien. (Good luck with your interview.)
- Ils m’ont souhaité bonne chance avant la course. (They wished me good luck before the race.)
11. Bon travail
Pronunciation: bohn trah-vah-ee
Meaning: Good job
In a Sentence:
- Bon travail sur ce projet ! (Good job on this project!)
- Vous avez fait du bon travail. (You did a good job.)
12. Bon début de journée
Pronunciation: bohn day-boo duh zhoor-nay
Meaning: Have a good start to your day
In a Sentence:
- Bon début de journée à toi ! (Have a good start to your day!)
- Il a souhaité un bon début de journée à son équipe. (He wished his team a good start to their day.)
13. Bon rétablissement
Pronunciation: bohn ray-tah-blees-mahn
Meaning: Get well soon
In a Sentence:
- Je te souhaite un bon rétablissement. (I wish you a quick recovery.)
- Après l’opération, tout le monde lui a dit “bon rétablissement.” (After the surgery, everyone said “get well soon” to him.)
14. Bonne nuit
Pronunciation: bohn nwee
Meaning: Good night
In a Sentence:
- Bonne nuit, à demain ! (Good night, see you tomorrow!)
- Il a dit “bonne nuit” avant d’éteindre la lumière. (He said “good night” before turning off the light.)
15. Bon début de semaine
Pronunciation: bohn day-boo duh suh-men
Meaning: Have a good start to the week
In a Sentence:
- Bon début de semaine à tous ! (Have a good start to the week, everyone!)
- Je leur ai souhaité un bon début de semaine. (I wished them a good start to the week.)
16. Bon weekend
Pronunciation: bohn wee-kend
Meaning: Have a good weekend
In a Sentence:
- Bon weekend et à lundi ! (Have a good weekend and see you Monday!)
- Bon weekend avec ta famille. (Have a good weekend with your family.)
17. Bon moment
Pronunciation: bohn moh-mahn
Meaning: A good time
In a Sentence:
- J’ai passé un bon moment avec toi. (I had a good time with you.)
- C’était un bon moment à la fête. (It was a good time at the party.)
18. Bon chemin
Pronunciation: bohn shuh-mahn
Meaning: Have a safe journey
In a Sentence:
- Bon chemin pour ton retour ! (Have a safe journey back!)
- Ils nous ont souhaité “bon chemin” avant de partir. (They wished us a safe journey before we left.)
19. Bon appui
Pronunciation: bohn ah-pwee
Meaning: Good support
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour ton bon appui pendant cette période. (Thank you for your good support during this time.)
- Ton bon appui nous aide beaucoup. (Your good support helps us a lot.)
20. Bon esprit
Pronunciation: bohn eh-spree
Meaning: Good spirit
In a Sentence:
- Garde un bon esprit pour le match. (Keep a good spirit for the game.)
- C’est important d’avoir un bon esprit d’équipe. (It’s important to have good team spirit.)
21. Bon accueil
Pronunciation: bohn ah-koy
Meaning: Warm welcome
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour votre bon accueil. (Thank you for your warm welcome.)
- Le bon accueil de cette famille est remarquable. (This family’s warm welcome is remarkable.)
22. Bon retour
Pronunciation: bohn ruh-toor
Meaning: Have a safe return
In a Sentence:
- Bon retour chez vous ! (Have a safe return home!)
- Ils lui ont souhaité un bon retour après ses vacances. (They wished him a safe return after his vacation.)
23. Bon début d’année
Pronunciation: bohn day-boo dah-nay
Meaning: Have a good start to the year
In a Sentence:
- Bon début d’année à vous tous ! (Have a good start to the year, everyone!)
- Nous avons fêté un bon début d’année ensemble. (We celebrated a good start to the year together.)
24. Bon souvenir
Pronunciation: bohn soo-vuh-neer
Meaning: Good memory
In a Sentence:
- Ce voyage restera un bon souvenir. (This trip will remain a good memory.)
- J’ai un bon souvenir de cette journée. (I have a good memory of that day.)
25. Bon divertissement
Pronunciation: bohn dee-vehr-tees-mahn
Meaning: Good entertainment
In a Sentence:
- Ce film offre un bon divertissement. (This movie provides good entertainment.)
- Nous avons eu un bon divertissement au spectacle. (We had good entertainment at the show.)
26. Bon partenaire
Pronunciation: bohn par-tuh-nehr
Meaning: Good partner
In a Sentence:
- C’est un bon partenaire pour le projet. (He is a good partner for the project.)
- Nous avons trouvé un bon partenaire d’affaires. (We found a good business partner.)
27. Bon emplacement
Pronunciation: bohn ahn-plahs-mahn
Meaning: Good location
In a Sentence:
- Cet hôtel a un bon emplacement. (This hotel has a good location.)
- Merci de choisir un bon emplacement pour la réunion. (Thank you for choosing a good location for the meeting.)
28. Bon résultat
Pronunciation: bohn ray-zoo-tah
Meaning: Good result
In a Sentence:
- Tu as obtenu un bon résultat à l’examen. (You got a good result on the test.)
- Nous espérons un bon résultat après tout ce travail. (We hope for a good result after all this work.)
29. Bon goût
Pronunciation: bohn goo
Meaning: Good taste
In a Sentence:
- Cette recette a un bon goût. (This recipe has a good taste.)
- Tu as toujours un bon goût en vêtements. (You always have good taste in clothes.)
30. Bon comportement
Pronunciation: bohn kom-port-mahn
Meaning: Good behavior
In a Sentence:
- Les élèves ont montré un bon comportement en classe. (The students showed good behavior in class.)
- Merci pour ton bon comportement lors de la cérémonie. (Thank you for your good behavior during the ceremony.)
31. Bon investissement
Pronunciation: bohn ahn-vehs-tees-mahn
Meaning: Good investment
In a Sentence:
- C’est un bon investissement pour l’avenir. (This is a good investment for the future.)
- Nous avons fait un bon investissement dans ce projet. (We made a good investment in this project.)
32. Bon niveau
Pronunciation: bohn nee-voh
Meaning: Good level
In a Sentence:
- Tu as un bon niveau en mathématiques. (You have a good level in mathematics.)
- Ils ont atteint un bon niveau dans leur entraînement. (They have reached a good level in their training.)
33. Bon esprit d’équipe
Pronunciation: bohn eh-spree day-keep
Meaning: Good team spirit
In a Sentence:
- Ils ont montré un bon esprit d’équipe pendant le match. (They showed good team spirit during the game.)
- Un bon esprit d’équipe est essentiel pour réussir. (Good team spirit is essential for success.)
34. Bon équilibre
Pronunciation: bohn ay-kee-leebruh
Meaning: Good balance
In a Sentence:
- Ce plan offre un bon équilibre entre travail et loisirs. (This plan offers a good balance between work and leisure.)
- Ils cherchent un bon équilibre dans leur vie. (They are looking for a good balance in their life.)
35. Bon exemple
Pronunciation: bohn eg-zahmpl
Meaning: Good example
In a Sentence:
- Ce projet est un bon exemple de collaboration. (This project is a good example of collaboration.)
- Merci d’être un bon exemple pour les autres. (Thank you for being a good example for others.)
36. Bon choix
Pronunciation: bohn shwah
Meaning: Good choice
In a Sentence:
- C’est un bon choix pour le dîner. (That’s a good choice for dinner.)
- Merci d’avoir fait un bon choix pour le cadeau. (Thank you for making a good choice for the gift.)
37. Bon timing
Pronunciation: bohn tee-meeng
Meaning: Good timing
In a Sentence:
- Ton arrivée a été un bon timing. (Your arrival had good timing.)
- Ce projet a été lancé avec un bon timing. (This project was launched with good timing.)
38. Bon apprentissage
Pronunciation: bohn ah-pren-tee-sahzh
Meaning: Good learning
In a Sentence:
- Ce cours offre un bon apprentissage. (This course provides good learning.)
- Les élèves ont montré un bon apprentissage cette année. (The students demonstrated good learning this year.)
39. Bon début de carrière
Pronunciation: bohn day-boo duh kah-ree-ehr
Meaning: Good start to a career
In a Sentence:
- Félicitations pour ce bon début de carrière ! (Congratulations on this good start to your career!)
- Elle a eu un bon début de carrière après ses études. (She had a good start to her career after her studies.)
40. Bon voisinage
Pronunciation: bohn vwuh-zee-nahzh
Meaning: Good neighborhood relations
In a Sentence:
- Un bon voisinage rend la vie plus agréable. (Good neighborhood relations make life more enjoyable.)
- Nous entretenons un bon voisinage avec nos voisins. (We maintain good neighborhood relations with our neighbors.)
Other Ways to Say “Bon” in French
Here is a list of other ways to express “bon” in French. These alternatives have different nuances but can convey similar meanings depending on the context.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Bien | bee-ehn | Well; good | Il joue bien au tennis. (He plays tennis well.) |
| Excellent | ek-say-lahnt | Excellent | C’est un film excellent. (It’s an excellent movie.) |
| Formidable | for-mee-dah-bl | Great; wonderful | Ce concert était formidable. (This concert was wonderful.) |
| Correct | koh-rekt | Correct; proper | C’est une réponse correcte. (That’s a correct answer.) |
| Agréable | ah-gray-ah-bluh | Pleasant | Cet endroit est très agréable. (This place is very pleasant.) |
| Utile | ew-teel | Useful | C’est un conseil utile. (That’s a useful piece of advice.) |
| Positif | poh-zee-teef | Positive | Elle a toujours une attitude positive. (She always has a positive attitude.) |
| Délicieux | day-lee-syuh | Delicious | Ce gâteau est délicieux. (This cake is delicious.) |
| Remarquable | ruh-mar-kah-bluh | Remarkable | Ton travail est remarquable. (Your work is remarkable.) |
| Aimable | eh-mah-bluh | Kind; friendly | Elle est toujours aimable avec ses collègues. (She is always friendly with her colleagues.) |
| Sympa | sam-pah | Nice; kind | C’est une personne sympa. (She’s a nice person.) |
| Juste | zhuhst | Fair; just | C’est une décision juste. (That’s a fair decision.) |
| Valable | vah-lah-bluh | Valid | Ce billet est valable pour deux jours. (This ticket is valid for two days.) |
| Génial | zhay-nyahl | Awesome; great | Ce spectacle était génial ! (That show was awesome!) |
| Propre | pro-pruh | Clean; proper | C’est un endroit propre. (It’s a clean place.) |
| Doux | doo | Sweet; gentle | Elle a un sourire doux. (She has a gentle smile.) |
| Méritant | may-ree-tahn | Worthy | Il est méritant de cette récompense. (He is worthy of this award.) |
| Sage | sahzh | Wise; good | Sois sage et écoute. (Be good and listen.) |
| Admirable | ahd-mee-rah-bluh | Admirable | Son courage est admirable. (Her courage is admirable.) |
| Noble | noh-bluh | Noble | Il a des intentions nobles. (He has noble intentions.) |
Responses to “Bon” in French
When someone uses “bon” or a related phrase in conversation, it’s polite and natural to respond appropriately. Here are several common responses you can use, along with their meanings and examples to help you apply them.
1. Merci
Pronunciation: mehr-see
Meaning: Thank you
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
Person 2: Merci. (Thank you.) - Person 1: Bon voyage ! (Have a good trip!)
Person 2: Merci. (Thank you.)
2. Toi aussi
Pronunciation: twah oh-see
Meaning: You too
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon weekend ! (Have a good weekend!)
Person 2: Toi aussi ! (You too!) - Person 1: Bonne nuit ! (Good night!)
Person 2: Toi aussi ! (You too!)
3. Pareillement
Pronunciation: pah-ray-yeh-mahn
Meaning: Likewise
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon après-midi ! (Good afternoon!)
Person 2: Pareillement. (Likewise.) - Person 1: Bon courage pour ton examen. (Good luck with your exam.)
Person 2: Pareillement. (Likewise.)
4. Avec plaisir
Pronunciation: ah-vek pleh-zeer
Meaning: With pleasure
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon retour ! (Have a safe return!)
Person 2: Avec plaisir. (With pleasure.) - Person 1: Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
Person 2: Avec plaisir. (With pleasure.)
5. C’est gentil, merci
Pronunciation: say zhahn-tee, mehr-see
Meaning: That’s kind, thank you
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon courage ! (Stay strong!)
Person 2: C’est gentil, merci. (That’s kind, thank you.) - Person 1: Bon anniversaire ! (Happy birthday!)
Person 2: C’est gentil, merci. (That’s kind, thank you.)
6. À toi aussi
Pronunciation: ah twah oh-see
Meaning: To you too
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bonne chance ! (Good luck!)
Person 2: À toi aussi ! (To you too!) - Person 1: Bon début de semaine ! (Have a good start to the week!)
Person 2: À toi aussi ! (To you too!)
7. Je l’espère
Pronunciation: zhuh leh-spehr
Meaning: I hope so
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon voyage et amuse-toi bien ! (Have a good trip and have fun!)
Person 2: Je l’espère. (I hope so.) - Person 1: Bon début pour le projet ! (A good start for the project!)
Person 2: Je l’espère. (I hope so.)
8. Amuse-toi bien
Pronunciation: ah-mewz twah bee-ehn
Meaning: Have fun
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon weekend ! (Have a good weekend!)
Person 2: Amuse-toi bien. (Have fun.) - Person 1: Bon voyage ! (Have a good trip!)
Person 2: Amuse-toi bien ! (Have fun!)
9. D’accord
Pronunciation: dah-kohr
Meaning: Alright; okay
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
Person 2: D’accord. (Alright.) - Person 1: Bon travail aujourd’hui. (Good job today.)
Person 2: D’accord, merci. (Alright, thank you.)
10. Bonne idée
Pronunciation: bohn ee-day
Meaning: Good idea
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon chemin pour rentrer chez toi. (Safe journey home.)
Person 2: Bonne idée, merci. (Good idea, thank you.) - Person 1: Bon courage avec ce projet ! (Good luck with this project!)
Person 2: Bonne idée, merci. (Good idea, thank you.)
11. Ça marche
Pronunciation: sah marsh
Meaning: That works
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon weekend ! (Have a good weekend!)
Person 2: Ça marche. (That works.) - Person 1: Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
Person 2: Ça marche, merci. (That works, thank you.)
12. Moi aussi
Pronunciation: mwah oh-see
Meaning: Me too
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bonne nuit ! (Good night!)
Person 2: Moi aussi. (Me too.) - Person 1: Bon début de semaine ! (Have a good start to the week!)
Person 2: Moi aussi, merci. (Me too, thank you.)
13. J’y compte bien
Pronunciation: zhee kohnt bee-ehn
Meaning: I’m counting on it
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon voyage ! (Have a good trip!)
Person 2: J’y compte bien. (I’m counting on it.) - Person 1: Bon courage pour ton examen. (Good luck with your exam.)
Person 2: J’y compte bien. (I’m counting on it.)
14. Ce serait super
Pronunciation: suh seh-ray syoo-pehr
Meaning: That would be great
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon retour à la maison ! (Have a safe return home!)
Person 2: Ce serait super. (That would be great.) - Person 1: Bon début d’année ! (Have a good start to the year!)
Person 2: Ce serait super. (That would be great.)
15. Merci beaucoup
Pronunciation: mehr-see boh-koo
Meaning: Thank you very much
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bonne chance avec ton projet ! (Good luck with your project!)
Person 2: Merci beaucoup. (Thank you very much.) - Person 1: Bon anniversaire ! (Happy birthday!)
Person 2: Merci beaucoup ! (Thank you very much!)
16. Je ferai de mon mieux
Pronunciation: zhuh feh-ray duh mohn myeuh
Meaning: I’ll do my best
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon courage ! (Stay strong!)
Person 2: Je ferai de mon mieux. (I’ll do my best.) - Person 1: Bonne chance pour ton entretien ! (Good luck with your interview!)
Person 2: Je ferai de mon mieux. (I’ll do my best.)
17. Merci, à bientôt
Pronunciation: mehr-see, ah byehn-toh
Meaning: Thank you, see you soon
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon weekend ! (Have a good weekend!)
Person 2: Merci, à bientôt. (Thank you, see you soon.) - Person 1: Bon appétit ! (Enjoy your meal!)
Person 2: Merci, à bientôt. (Thank you, see you soon.)
18. J’espère que oui
Pronunciation: zheh-spehr kuh wee
Meaning: I hope so
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon voyage ! (Have a good trip!)
Person 2: J’espère que oui. (I hope so.) - Person 1: Bonne chance avec ce projet ! (Good luck with this project!)
Person 2: J’espère que oui. (I hope so.)
19. On se revoit bientôt
Pronunciation: ohn suh ruh-vwah byehn-toh
Meaning: See you soon
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon retour ! (Have a safe return!)
Person 2: On se revoit bientôt. (See you soon.) - Person 1: Bon début de semaine ! (Have a good start to the week!)
Person 2: On se revoit bientôt. (See you soon.)
20. Je te souhaite pareil
Pronunciation: zhuh tuh sweht pah-ray
Meaning: I wish you the same
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Bon anniversaire ! (Happy birthday!)
Person 2: Je te souhaite pareil. (I wish you the same.) - Person 1: Bon courage ! (Stay strong!)
Person 2: Je te souhaite pareil. (I wish you the same.)
Exercise to Practice Success with “Bon”
Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences using the different ways to say “bon” in French. Try completing each sentence with the correct phrase from the previous sections. Each sentence is written in French, and the meaning of the sentence is provided in parentheses to help you understand the context.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- Avant de manger, nous disons toujours « ________ ». (Before eating, we always say “enjoy your meal.”)
- Je te souhaite « ________ » pour ton entretien d’embauche. (I wish you “good luck” for your job interview.)
- Pendant le repas, il m’a dit « ________ » pour mon plat délicieux. (During the meal, he said “good job” for my delicious dish.)
- Avant de partir en voyage, mes amis m’ont souhaité « ________ ». (Before leaving on a trip, my friends wished me “have a good trip.”)
- Nous avons eu un ________ en jouant au parc. (We had a “good time” playing in the park.)
- Je te souhaite un « ________ » avec ta nouvelle entreprise. (I wish you “a good start” with your new company.)
- Chaque soir avant de dormir, nous disons « ________ ». (Every night before sleeping, we say “good night.”)
- Après l’examen, le professeur a dit : « ________, vous avez tous bien travaillé. » (After the test, the teacher said, “good result, you all worked well.”)
- Avant de commencer la journée, il m’a souhaité un « ________ ». (Before starting the day, he wished me “a good start.”)
- Les voisins nous ont offert un « ________ » chaleureux. (The neighbors gave us a “warm welcome.”)
- Après une longue maladie, elle m’a écrit pour me dire « ________ ». (After a long illness, she wrote to tell me “get well soon.”)
- Pour ton anniversaire, je te dis « ________ ». (For your birthday, I say “happy birthday.”)
Answers:
- Bon appétit
- Bonne chance
- Bon travail
- Bon voyage
- Bon moment
- Bon début
- Bonne nuit
- Bon résultat
- Bon début de journée
- Bon accueil
- Bon rétablissement
- Bon anniversaire
Conclusion
Learning how to use “bon” in French can enhance your communication and understanding of the language. The word “bon” is versatile, appearing in greetings, well-wishes, and even compliments. It helps express positivity and politeness in everyday interactions.
By practicing the many ways to say “bon,” such as “bon appétit,” “bon anniversaire,” and “bon voyage,” you can navigate various conversations with confidence. These phrases also add a touch of cultural authenticity to your speech, making your interactions more meaningful and enjoyable.
Keep practicing the responses and exercises provided, and soon you’ll find it natural to use “bon” in the right contexts. With these tools, you’ll be well on your way to sounding more fluent and making lasting connections in French!