Learning how to say “good” in French can be fun and helpful. Whether you want to give a compliment, answer a question, or express your feelings, knowing the right words makes conversations easier. French has several ways to say “good,” depending on what you mean.
In this article, you’ll learn how to say “good” in different situations. We’ll cover useful phrases like “I am good,” “Good job,” and “Good luck.” By the end, you’ll be ready to use these words naturally when speaking French. Let’s begin!
Ways to Say “Good” in French
French has many ways to say “good,” depending on the context. Whether you want to describe something nice, express how you feel, or give someone encouragement, there’s a suitable phrase. Let’s explore some common expressions:
1. Bon (bohn)
Meaning: Good, fine, nice
In a Sentence:
- Ce gâteau est bon. (This cake is good.)
- C’est un bon livre. (It’s a good book.)
2. Bien (byan)
Meaning: Well, fine
In a Sentence:
- Je vais bien, merci. (I’m fine, thank you.)
- Tout va bien ici. (Everything is good here.)
3. Génial (zheh-nyahl)
Meaning: Great, awesome
In a Sentence:
- Ce film est génial! (This movie is awesome!)
- Tu as fait un travail génial! (You did a great job!)
4. Super (soo-pehr)
Meaning: Super, fantastic
In a Sentence:
- Le concert était super! (The concert was great!)
- Tu es super gentil! (You are super kind!)
5. Excellent (ehks-say-lahn)
Meaning: Excellent
In a Sentence:
- Ton idée est excellente! (Your idea is excellent!)
- Ils ont fait un travail excellent. (They did an excellent job.)
6. Magnifique (mahn-yee-feek)
Meaning: Magnificent, wonderful
In a Sentence:
- La vue est magnifique! (The view is magnificent!)
- C’était une soirée magnifique. (It was a wonderful evening.)
7. Correct (koh-rekt)
Meaning: Correct, good enough
In a Sentence:
- La réponse est correcte. (The answer is correct.)
- C’est un travail correct. (It’s a good enough job.)
8. Parfait (par-fay)
Meaning: Perfect
In a Sentence:
- C’est un plan parfait. (It’s a perfect plan.)
- Ton travail est parfait! (Your work is perfect!)
9. Agréable (ah-gray-ah-bluh)
Meaning: Pleasant, nice
In a Sentence:
- C’est une journée agréable. (It’s a pleasant day.)
- Le temps est très agréable aujourd’hui. (The weather is very nice today.)
10. Bravo (brah-voh)
Meaning: Well done, good job
In a Sentence:
- Bravo pour ton succès! (Well done on your success!)
- Bravo! Tu as gagné! (Well done! You won!)
11. Formidable (for-mee-dah-bluh)
Meaning: Fantastic, great
In a Sentence:
- C’était un spectacle formidable! (It was a fantastic show!)
- Vous avez fait un travail formidable! (You did a great job!)
12. Merveilleux (mehr-vay-yuh)
Meaning: Wonderful, marvelous
In a Sentence:
- Quel endroit merveilleux! (What a wonderful place!)
- Ton travail est vraiment merveilleux. (Your work is truly marvelous.)
13. Admirable (ad-mee-rah-bluh)
Meaning: Admirable, impressive
In a Sentence:
- Son courage est admirable. (His courage is admirable.)
- C’est un effort admirable. (It’s an impressive effort.)
14. Sympa (sam-pah)
Meaning: Nice, friendly
In a Sentence:
- C’est une personne sympa. (He/she is a nice person.)
- Le film était sympa. (The movie was nice.)
15. Bien joué (byan zhway)
Meaning: Well played, good job
In a Sentence:
- Bien joué à tous! (Well played, everyone!)
- Bien joué pour cette présentation! (Good job on that presentation!)
16. Top (tohp)
Meaning: Top-notch, the best
In a Sentence:
- Le service était top! (The service was top-notch!)
- Elle a fait un travail top! (She did the best work!)
17. Chouette (shweht)
Meaning: Cool, neat
In a Sentence:
- C’est une idée chouette! (That’s a cool idea!)
- La fête était chouette! (The party was neat!)
18. Excellent travail (ehks-say-lahn trah-vah-ee)
Meaning: Excellent work
In a Sentence:
- Félicitations pour votre excellent travail! (Congratulations on your excellent work!)
- C’était un excellent travail d’équipe. (It was excellent teamwork.)
19. Fantastique (fahn-tas-teek)
Meaning: Fantastic
In a Sentence:
- Tu es fantastique! (You’re fantastic!)
- Quel voyage fantastique! (What a fantastic trip!)
20. Très bien (tray byan)
Meaning: Very good
In a Sentence:
- Tu as fait ça très bien. (You did that very well.)
- C’est très bien expliqué. (It’s very well explained.)
21. Remarquable (ruh-mar-kah-bluh)
Meaning: Remarkable, outstanding
In a Sentence:
- Son talent est remarquable. (His talent is remarkable.)
- C’était une performance remarquable. (It was an outstanding performance.)
22. Félicitations (fay-lee-see-tah-syon)
Meaning: Congratulations
In a Sentence:
- Félicitations pour ton diplôme! (Congratulations on your diploma!)
- Félicitations pour ton nouveau travail! (Congratulations on your new job!)
23. Nickel (nee-kel)
Meaning: Perfect, spotless (informal)
In a Sentence:
- Tout est nickel! (Everything is perfect!)
- Sa chambre est toujours nickel. (Her room is always spotless.)
24. Au top (oh tohp)
Meaning: The best, at the top
In a Sentence:
- Il est toujours au top au travail. (He’s always at the top at work.)
- Son niveau de français est au top! (His French level is the best!)
25. Bien fait (byan feh)
Meaning: Well done
In a Sentence:
- Bien fait pour votre projet! (Well done on your project!)
- C’était bien fait du début à la fin. (It was well done from start to finish.)
26. Correctement (koh-rekt-mohn)
Meaning: Properly, correctly
In a Sentence:
- Tu as répondu correctement. (You answered correctly.)
- Il a terminé le travail correctement. (He finished the work properly.)
27. Exceptionnel (ehk-sep-syon-nel)
Meaning: Exceptional, outstanding
In a Sentence:
- Son discours était exceptionnel! (His speech was exceptional!)
- C’est un artiste exceptionnel. (He’s an outstanding artist.)
28. Méritant (meh-ree-tahn)
Meaning: Deserving, worthy
In a Sentence:
- Il est très méritant de ce prix. (He is very deserving of this award.)
- Elle est méritante pour tout son travail. (She’s worthy of all her hard work.)
29. Pas mal (pah mahl)
Meaning: Not bad, pretty good
In a Sentence:
- Ce film est pas mal du tout! (This movie is pretty good!)
- Ton idée n’est pas mal. (Your idea isn’t bad.)
30. Extraordinaire (ehks-tra-or-dee-nair)
Meaning: Extraordinary
In a Sentence:
- Leur voyage a été extraordinaire. (Their trip was extraordinary.)
- Il a fait un effort extraordinaire. (He made an extraordinary effort.)
31. Admirablement (ad-mee-rah-bluh-mahn)
Meaning: Admirably
In a Sentence:
- Elle a géré la situation admirablement. (She handled the situation admirably.)
- Il a travaillé admirablement sur ce projet. (He worked admirably on this project.)
32. Impressionnant (am-preh-syo-nahn)
Meaning: Impressive
In a Sentence:
- La performance était impressionnante! (The performance was impressive!)
- C’est un projet impressionnant. (It’s an impressive project.)
33. Sensationnel (sahn-sah-syon-nel)
Meaning: Sensational, fantastic
In a Sentence:
- Le spectacle était sensationnel! (The show was sensational!)
- C’est une réussite sensationnelle! (It’s a sensational success!)
34. Respectable (res-pehk-tah-bluh)
Meaning: Respectable, decent
In a Sentence:
- Il a un poste respectable dans l’entreprise. (He has a respectable position in the company.)
- C’est une personne très respectable. (He’s a very respectable person.)
35. Splendide (splon-deed)
Meaning: Splendid, gorgeous
In a Sentence:
- La vue depuis la montagne est splendide. (The view from the mountain is splendid.)
- Leur maison est absolument splendide. (Their house is absolutely gorgeous.)
Other Ways to Say “Good” in French
Here are additional ways to express “good” in French, along with their meanings and example sentences:
Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
C’est chouette | say shweht | It’s nice/cool | C’est chouette de te voir! (It’s cool to see you!) |
C’est sympa | say sam-pah | It’s nice | C’est sympa de m’aider. (It’s nice of you to help me.) |
Pas trop mal | pah troh mahl | Not too bad | Le film était pas trop mal. (The movie wasn’t too bad.) |
C’est agréable | say ah-gray-ah-bluh | It’s pleasant | C’est agréable de marcher ici. (It’s pleasant to walk here.) |
Plutôt bien | ploo-toh byan | Pretty good | J’ai fait un travail plutôt bien. (I did a pretty good job.) |
C’est parfait | say par-fay | It’s perfect | C’est parfait pour moi! (It’s perfect for me!) |
C’est génial | say zheh-nyahl | It’s awesome | Ton idée est géniale! (Your idea is awesome!) |
C’est nickel | say nee-kel | It’s perfect (informal) | Tout est nickel! (Everything is perfect!) |
C’est formidable | say for-mee-dah-bluh | It’s great | Le concert était formidable! (The concert was great!) |
C’est fantastique | say fahn-tas-teek | It’s fantastic | Ce voyage était fantastique! (This trip was fantastic!) |
C’est impeccable | say em-peh-ka-bluh | It’s flawless | Son travail est impeccable. (His work is flawless.) |
Bien fait | byan feh | Well done | Bien fait pour ton projet! (Well done on your project!) |
Bravo | brah-voh | Well done/Congrats | Bravo pour ta réussite! (Well done on your success!) |
C’est correct | say koh-rekt | It’s acceptable | C’est correct, mais peut être mieux. (It’s acceptable but could be better.) |
C’est splendide | say splon-deed | It’s splendid | Le paysage est splendide! (The landscape is splendid!) |
Response to “Good” in French
When someone says something positive or compliments you in French, knowing how to respond politely is essential. Here are some common responses:
1. Merci (mehr-see)
Meaning: Thank you
In a Sentence: Merci pour le compliment! (Thank you for the compliment!)
2. Merci beaucoup (mehr-see boh-koo)
Meaning: Thank you very much
In a Sentence: Merci beaucoup pour ton aide! (Thank you very much for your help!)
3. C’est gentil (say zhahn-tee)
Meaning: That’s kind
In a Sentence: C’est gentil de le dire. (That’s kind of you to say.)
4. Avec plaisir (ah-vek pleh-zeer)
Meaning: With pleasure
In a Sentence: Je le ferai avec plaisir! (I will do it with pleasure!)
5. De rien (duh ryan)
Meaning: You’re welcome
In a Sentence: Merci pour ton aide. — De rien! (Thanks for your help. — You’re welcome!)
6. Pas de problème (pah duh proh-blehm)
Meaning: No problem
In a Sentence: Merci pour ton aide! — Pas de problème! (Thanks for your help! — No problem!)
7. Je t’en prie (zhuh tahn pree)
Meaning: You’re welcome (informal)
In a Sentence: Merci pour le livre. — Je t’en prie! (Thanks for the book. — You’re welcome!)
8. Tout le plaisir est pour moi (too luh pleh-zeer eh poor mwah)
Meaning: The pleasure is mine
In a Sentence: Merci d’être venu! — Tout le plaisir est pour moi. (Thanks for coming! — The pleasure is mine.)
9. Pareillement (pah-ray-yeh-mahn)
Meaning: Likewise
In a Sentence: Bon travail! — Pareillement! (Good job! — Likewise!)
10. Félicitations! (fay-lee-see-tah-syon)
Meaning: Congratulations!
In a Sentence: Tu as réussi l’examen! — Félicitations! (You passed the exam! — Congratulations!)
11. Bravo! (brah-voh)
Meaning: Well done!
In a Sentence: Tu as fini ton projet! — Bravo! (You finished your project! — Well done!)
12. C’est parfait! (say par-fay)
Meaning: That’s perfect!
In a Sentence: Tout est prêt pour la fête. — C’est parfait! (Everything is ready for the party. — That’s perfect!)
13. Bien joué! (byan zhway)
Meaning: Well played!
In a Sentence: Tu as gagné le match! — Bien joué! (You won the game! — Well played!)
14. Super! (soo-pehr)
Meaning: Great!
In a Sentence: Nous avons réservé les billets. — Super! (We booked the tickets. — Great!)
15. Magnifique! (mahn-yee-feek)
Meaning: Magnificent!
In a Sentence: Le paysage est incroyable! — Magnifique! (The scenery is amazing! — Magnificent!)
16. Nickel! (nee-kel)
Meaning: Perfect! (informal)
In a Sentence: Tout est prêt pour le voyage! — Nickel! (Everything is ready for the trip! — Perfect!)
17. Formidable! (for-mee-dah-bluh)
Meaning: Fantastic!
In a Sentence: Le concert était incroyable! — Formidable! (The concert was amazing! — Fantastic!)
18. C’est merveilleux! (say mehr-vay-yuh)
Meaning: That’s wonderful!
In a Sentence: Nous avons gagné le concours! — C’est merveilleux! (We won the contest! — That’s wonderful!)
19. Sensationnel! (sahn-sah-syon-nel)
Meaning: Sensational!
In a Sentence: Le film était sensationnel! (The movie was sensational!)
20. Bien sûr! (byan sewer)
Meaning: Of course!
In a Sentence: Peux-tu m’aider avec ce projet? — Bien sûr! (Can you help me with this project? — Of course!)
Exercise to Practice “Good” in French
Complete the following sentences using the correct ways to say “good” in French. Use the provided phrases to fill in the blanks.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- Le gâteau est vraiment __________. (bon, magnifique)
- Tu as fait un travail __________ aujourd’hui! (excellent, formidable)
- La vue de la montagne est __________. (splendide, sensationnelle)
- Cette idée est __________ et utile. (géniale, parfaite)
- Son discours était __________ et inspirant. (remarquable, admirable)
- Merci pour ton aide! C’était vraiment __________. (sympa, correct)
- Ils ont terminé le projet de manière __________. (impeccable, nickel)
- Le concert hier soir était absolument __________! (super, extraordinaire)
- Ton comportement était très __________ pendant la réunion. (respectable, admirable)
- Nous avons passé une journée __________ au parc. (agréable, merveilleuse)
- Ce restaurant offre un service __________ à chaque visite. (excellent, au top)
- Tu as fait un effort __________ pendant la compétition. (méritant, impressionnant)
Answers:
- bon (The cake is really good.)
- excellent (You did an excellent job today!)
- splendide (The view from the mountain is splendid.)
- parfaite (This idea is perfect and helpful.)
- remarquable (His speech was remarkable and inspiring.)
- sympa (Thank you for your help! That was really nice.)
- impeccable (They completed the project perfectly.)
- extraordinaire (The concert last night was absolutely extraordinary!)
- respectable (Your behavior was very respectable during the meeting.)
- agréable (We had a pleasant day at the park.)
- excellent (This restaurant offers excellent service every time.)
- impressionnant (You made an impressive effort during the competition.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “good” in French opens the door to more natural and positive conversations. From giving compliments to responding politely, these phrases help you sound friendly and confident.
Keep practicing the different expressions we covered, like bon, génial, and formidable. The more you use them, the easier it will be to express yourself in French. With time, speaking French will feel as comfortable as chatting in English. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)