Luck plays an important role in our lives, whether it’s winning a game or having a good day. In French, there are different ways to express the idea of “luck” and “lucky.” If you’re learning French, it’s helpful to know how to use these words in different situations. Whether you’re talking about a lucky break, wishing someone good fortune, or explaining something fortunate that happened, knowing how to say “luck” and “lucky” in French will help you communicate better.
In this article, we will explore how to say “luck” and “lucky” in French. You’ll also learn some other ways to use these words and how to respond when someone wishes you good luck. Plus, we will provide some exercises to practice what you’ve learned so that you can use these words confidently in real life. Let’s dive in!
How to say “luck” in French
In French, the word for “luck” is “chance”. It’s a feminine noun, so you’ll use “la” to say “the luck” (la chance). It refers to the concept of fortune or good luck in general. Here are a few different ways to use “chance” and similar words in French:
1. Chance (pronounced: shahns)
- Applicable for: Referring to luck or fortune in general.
- Meaning: Luck, fortune, or chance.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai eu de la chance aujourd’hui.” (I was lucky today.)
- “Il a eu une chance incroyable.” (He had incredible luck.)
2. Bonne chance (pronounced: bun shahns)
- Applicable for: Wishing someone good luck.
- Meaning: Good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton examen !” (Good luck for your exam!)
- “Je te souhaite bonne chance.” (I wish you good luck.)
3. Chanceux (pronounced: shahns-uh)
- Applicable for: Describing someone as lucky (masculine).
- Meaning: Lucky (masculine).
- In a Sentence:
- “Tu es chanceux d’avoir trouvé ce travail.” (You are lucky to have found that job.)
- “Il est vraiment chanceux !” (He is really lucky!)
4. Chanceuse (pronounced: shahns-ooz)
- Applicable for: Describing someone as lucky (feminine).
- Meaning: Lucky (feminine).
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle est chanceuse de partir en vacances.” (She is lucky to go on vacation.)
- “Ma sœur est très chanceuse.” (My sister is very lucky.)
5. Un coup de chance (pronounced: uh koo duh shahns)
- Applicable for: A lucky break or stroke of luck.
- Meaning: A stroke of luck, a lucky break.
- In a Sentence:
- “Gagner à la loterie, c’est un coup de chance.” (Winning the lottery is a stroke of luck.)
- “Ce fut un coup de chance incroyable.” (That was an incredible stroke of luck.)
6. Fortune (pronounced: for-tune)
- Applicable for: Refers to good or bad luck, or wealth in some contexts.
- Meaning: Fortune, luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “La fortune sourit aux audacieux.” (Fortune favors the bold.)
- “Il a eu une grande fortune.” (He had great luck.)
7. Avoir de la chance (pronounced: ah-vwar duh lah shahns)
- Applicable for: Having luck or being lucky.
- Meaning: To be lucky, to have luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Tu as de la chance de partir en vacances !” (You’re lucky to go on vacation!)
- “Il a de la chance d’avoir trouvé un emploi.” (He’s lucky to have found a job.)
8. Un hasard (pronounced: uh ah-zahr)
- Applicable for: Referring to something happening by chance.
- Meaning: A coincidence, chance.
- In a Sentence:
- “C’était un hasard que je t’aie rencontré.” (It was a coincidence that I met you.)
- “Le hasard fait bien les choses.” (Chance does things well.)
9. Un coup de poker (pronounced: uh koo duh poh-ker)
- Applicable for: A risky chance that might pay off.
- Meaning: A gamble or a risky chance.
- In a Sentence:
- “Il a pris un coup de poker avec cette décision.” (He took a gamble with that decision.)
- “C’était un coup de poker, mais ça a payé.” (It was a gamble, but it paid off.)
10. Coup de chance (pronounced: koo duh shahns)
- Applicable for: A stroke of luck.
- Meaning: A stroke of luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai eu un coup de chance en trouvant ce billet.” (I had a stroke of luck finding this ticket.)
- “C’était vraiment un coup de chance.” (That was really a stroke of luck.)
11. Sourire de la chance (pronounced: soo-reer duh lah shahns)
- Applicable for: When luck is on your side.
- Meaning: Smile of luck, luck is with you.
- In a Sentence:
- “Aujourd’hui, la chance m’a souri.” (Today, luck smiled on me.)
- “Elle a eu le sourire de la chance.” (She had luck on her side.)
12. Heureux hasard (pronounced: uh-ru az-ar)
- Applicable for: A fortunate coincidence.
- Meaning: Happy accident, fortunate coincidence.
- In a Sentence:
- “Le rendez-vous avec elle a été un heureux hasard.” (The meeting with her was a happy accident.)
- “C’était un heureux hasard que nous soyons là.” (It was a fortunate coincidence that we were there.)
13. Chance exceptionnelle (pronounced: shahns ex-sep-syon-el)
- Applicable for: Describing an extremely rare or good luck.
- Meaning: Exceptional luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Il a eu une chance exceptionnelle de rencontrer son idole.” (He had exceptional luck meeting his idol.)
- “Ce n’est pas de la chance, c’est une chance exceptionnelle.” (This isn’t just luck, it’s exceptional luck.)
14. Un coup de bol (pronounced: uh koo duh bol)
- Applicable for: A lucky break or lucky chance.
- Meaning: A lucky break, a stroke of luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Gagner ce prix était un coup de bol !” (Winning this prize was a lucky break!)
- “C’était vraiment un coup de bol de le rencontrer.” (It was really a stroke of luck meeting him.)
15. De la veine (pronounced: duh lah vehn)
- Applicable for: Describing being lucky or fortunate.
- Meaning: Luck or good fortune.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai eu de la veine de le croiser dans la rue.” (I was lucky to run into him on the street.)
- “Tu as de la veine d’avoir trouvé un endroit aussi génial.” (You’re lucky to have found such a great place.)
16. Porte-bonheur (pronounced: port-bon-heur)
- Applicable for: An object or charm that brings good luck.
- Meaning: Good luck charm.
- In a Sentence:
- “Cette bague est mon porte-bonheur.” (This ring is my good luck charm.)
- “Elle garde un porte-bonheur avec elle tous les jours.” (She keeps a good luck charm with her every day.)
17. Heureux (pronounced: uh-ru)
- Applicable for: Referring to someone who is lucky or happy.
- Meaning: Happy, fortunate (masculine).
- In a Sentence:
- “Tu es un homme heureux de vivre ici.” (You are a lucky man to live here.)
- “Il est heureux d’avoir trouvé cette opportunité.” (He is lucky to have found this opportunity.)
18. Heureuse (pronounced: uh-ruhz)
- Applicable for: Referring to a lucky or happy woman.
- Meaning: Happy, fortunate (feminine).
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle est heureuse de sa chance.” (She is happy with her luck.)
- “Elle se sent chanceuse d’avoir cette chance.” (She feels lucky to have this opportunity.)
19. Chance de folie (pronounced: shahns duh foh-lee)
- Applicable for: Expressing extreme luck.
- Meaning: Crazy luck, unbelievable luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai eu une chance de folie !” (I had crazy luck!)
- “Il a eu une chance de folie en gagnant ce jeu.” (He had unbelievable luck winning that game.)
20. Chance inouïe (pronounced: shahns ee-noo-ee)
- Applicable for: Extremely rare or surprising luck.
- Meaning: Unbelievable luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Ce gagnant a eu une chance inouïe !” (This winner had unbelievable luck!)
- “C’était une chance inouïe de le rencontrer à ce moment-là.” (It was unbelievable luck to meet him at that moment.)
21. Pas de chance (pronounced: pah duh shahns)
- Applicable for: Describing bad luck or misfortune.
- Meaning: Bad luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Aujourd’hui, j’ai vraiment pas de chance.” (Today, I have really bad luck.)
- “Il n’a pas de chance avec les voitures.” (He has bad luck with cars.)
22. Chances de gagner (pronounced: shahns duh gah-nee)
- Applicable for: Referring to the odds of winning.
- Meaning: Chances of winning.
- In a Sentence:
- “Les chances de gagner à la loterie sont minimes.” (The chances of winning the lottery are slim.)
- “Ses chances de gagner sont élevées.” (His chances of winning are high.)
23. Chance de débutant (pronounced: shahns duh day-bew-tah)
- Applicable for: Describing beginner’s luck.
- Meaning: Beginner’s luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “C’était juste de la chance de débutant.” (It was just beginner’s luck.)
- “Il a eu de la chance de débutant au poker.” (He had beginner’s luck in poker.)
24. Chance incroyable (pronounced: shahns ank-roy-ah-bluh)
- Applicable for: Describing unbelievable luck.
- Meaning: Incredible luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle a eu une chance incroyable de trouver ce job.” (She had incredible luck finding that job.)
- “C’était une chance incroyable de le retrouver.” (It was incredible luck to find him again.)
25. Sous un bon étoile (pronounced: soo uh bon eh-twahl)
- Applicable for: Being born lucky or under a good star.
- Meaning: Under a lucky star, born under good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Il est né sous une bonne étoile.” (He was born under a lucky star.)
- “Elle vit sous une bonne étoile.” (She lives under a lucky star.)
Other Ways to Say “Luck” and “Lucky” in French
Here are some more ways to express “luck” and “lucky” in French, presented in a table format for easy reference. Each expression comes with its pronunciation, meaning, and an example sentence to help you use them naturally in everyday conversations.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Chance incroyable | shahns ank-roy-ah-bluh | Incredible luck | “Elle a eu une chance incroyable de rencontrer son acteur préféré.” (She had incredible luck meeting her favorite actor.) |
| Coup de bol | koo duh bol | A lucky break, stroke of luck | “Gagner ce concours était un vrai coup de bol.” (Winning that contest was a real stroke of luck.) |
| De la chance | duh lah shahns | Luck | “Tu as de la chance d’avoir trouvé ce travail.” (You’re lucky to have found this job.) |
| Heureux hasard | uh-ru az-ar | Happy accident, fortunate coincidence | “C’était un heureux hasard que nous nous soyons rencontrés.” (It was a fortunate coincidence that we met.) |
| Chanceuse | shahns-ooz | Lucky (feminine) | “Elle est chanceuse d’avoir trouvé un super appartement.” (She’s lucky to have found a great apartment.) |
| Chanceux | shahns-uh | Lucky (masculine) | “Il est chanceux d’avoir un si bon emploi.” (He’s lucky to have such a good job.) |
| Heureux | uh-ru | Lucky, fortunate (masculine) | “Tu es un homme heureux d’avoir une telle famille.” (You are a lucky man to have such a family.) |
| Un coup de chance | uh koo duh shahns | A stroke of luck | “Gagner ce billet était un coup de chance.” (Winning that ticket was a stroke of luck.) |
| Porte-bonheur | port-bon-heur | Good luck charm | “Il garde son porte-bonheur dans sa poche.” (He keeps his good luck charm in his pocket.) |
| Chance de folie | shahns duh foh-lee | Crazy luck | “C’était un coup de chance de folie qu’il ait gagné.” (It was crazy luck that he won.) |
| Sous une bonne étoile | soo uh bon eh-twahl | Under a lucky star | “Elle vit sous une bonne étoile.” (She lives under a lucky star.) |
| Chance inouïe | shahns ee-noo-ee | Unbelievable luck | “Il a eu une chance inouïe de trouver cette clé.” (He had unbelievable luck finding this key.) |
| Chance de débutant | shahns duh day-bew-tah | Beginner’s luck | “C’était de la chance de débutant qu’il ait gagné à la loterie.” (It was beginner’s luck that he won the lottery.) |
| Avoir de la veine | ah-vwar duh lah vehn | To be lucky, to have luck | “Il a de la veine d’avoir eu ce job.” (He’s lucky to have had this job.) |
| Chance de folie | shahns duh foh-lee | Crazy luck, unbelievable luck | “Gagner à ce jeu était de la chance de folie.” (Winning that game was crazy luck.) |
| Chance exceptionnelle | shahns ex-sep-syon-el | Exceptional luck | “Elle a eu une chance exceptionnelle en trouvant ce job.” (She had exceptional luck finding that job.) |
| Un hasard heureux | uh ah-zahr uh-ru | A lucky coincidence | “C’était un hasard heureux que nous soyons là ensemble.” (It was a lucky coincidence that we were together there.) |
| Une chance de malade | oon shahns duh mah-lahd | Amazing luck | “C’était une chance de malade que je sois tombé sur ce billet.” (It was amazing luck that I found this ticket.) |
| Veine incroyable | vehn ank-roy-ah-bluh | Incredible luck | “Il a une veine incroyable !” (He has incredible luck!) |
| Chance de malade | shahns duh mah-lahd | Luck that’s almost unbelievable | “Elle a une chance de malade d’avoir gagné ce prix.” (She has crazy luck winning that prize.) |
Response to “Luck” in French
When someone wishes you “good luck” or talks about luck, there are several ways you can respond in French. Here are some common responses to “luck” or “lucky” phrases that you might hear in a conversation:
1. Merci ! (pronounced: mehr-see)
- Meaning: Thank you!
- Use: A simple and polite response when someone wishes you good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton entretien !”
- “Merci ! Je vais en avoir besoin.” (Thank you! I will need it.)
2. Je croise les doigts ! (pronounced: zhuh kwahz lay dwah)
- Meaning: I’m crossing my fingers! (A way of wishing for good luck.)
- Use: A common response when you’re hoping for good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton examen demain !”
- “Je croise les doigts !” (I’m crossing my fingers!)
3. J’espère que ça va bien se passer. (pronounced: zheh-spehr kuh sah vah byan suh pah-say)
- Meaning: I hope it goes well.
- Use: A way to express optimism when someone wishes you good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton interview !”
- “J’espère que ça va bien se passer.” (I hope it goes well.)
4. On verra bien ! (pronounced: ohn veh-rah byan)
- Meaning: We’ll see how it goes!
- Use: A casual response showing you’re hopeful but not certain.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ta présentation !”
- “On verra bien !” (We’ll see how it goes!)
5. Merci, je suis chanceux/chanceuse ! (pronounced: mehr-see, zhuh swee shahns-uh/shahns-ooz)
- Meaning: Thank you, I’m lucky!
- Use: A fun response when you feel confident about your luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton projet !”
- “Merci, je suis chanceux !” (Thank you, I’m lucky!)
6. Tout ira bien, je suis confiant(e). (pronounced: too-tee-rah byan, zhuh swee koh-fee-ahn(t))
- Meaning: Everything will be fine, I’m confident.
- Use: A positive, self-assured response to show you feel ready.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton examen !”
- “Tout ira bien, je suis confiante.” (Everything will be fine, I’m confident.)
7. C’est gentil, merci ! (pronounced: say zhon-tee, mehr-see)
- Meaning: That’s kind, thank you!
- Use: A polite response when someone wishes you good luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ta présentation !”
- “C’est gentil, merci !” (That’s kind, thank you!)
8. J’espère que la chance sera avec moi ! (pronounced: zheh-spehr kuh lah shahns suh-rah ah-vek mwah)
- Meaning: I hope luck will be with me!
- Use: A hopeful way of saying you’re counting on luck.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour le concours !”
- “J’espère que la chance sera avec moi !” (I hope luck will be with me!)
9. C’est la vie ! (pronounced: say lah vee)
- Meaning: That’s life!
- Use: A casual way to show you’re accepting of the situation, good or bad.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ta présentation !”
- “C’est la vie !” (That’s life!)
10. Merci, je suis prêt(e) ! (pronounced: mehr-see, zhuh swee preh)
- Meaning: Thank you, I’m ready!
- Use: A confident response when you’re prepared for what’s ahead.
- In a Sentence:
- “Bonne chance pour ton entretien !”
- “Merci, je suis prêt !” (Thank you, I’m ready!)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Luck” and “Lucky” in French
Here is a list of 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using the different ways to say “luck” and “lucky” in French. The sentences are designed to help you practice and understand how these phrases are used in real-life situations. After the exercises, I’ll provide the answers with translations for each sentence to help you learn better.
Fill in the blanks:
- J’ai eu ________ de gagner ce prix !
- __________ ! Tu vas réussir ton examen, je suis sûr(e) !
- Elle est vraiment ________ d’avoir trouvé un si bel appartement.
- Il a eu ________ en trouvant ce billet de concert.
- Je crois que je vais avoir ________ pour ce projet.
- __________, tout ira bien pendant ton entretien.
- C’était ________ que je sois arrivé à temps.
- __________ de toi, tu as gagné le concours !
- __________ de partir en vacances cette année !
- J’espère que la ________ me sourira aujourd’hui.
- On verra bien, peut-être que j’aurai ________ ce soir !
- Je croise les ________ pour ta réussite !
Answers:
- de la chance
J’ai eu de la chance de gagner ce prix !
(I was lucky to win this prize!) - Bonne chance
Bonne chance ! Tu vas réussir ton examen, je suis sûr(e) !
(Good luck! You’ll do great on your exam, I’m sure!) - chanceuse
Elle est vraiment chanceuse d’avoir trouvé un si bel appartement.
(She’s really lucky to have found such a beautiful apartment.) - un coup de chance
Il a eu un coup de chance en trouvant ce billet de concert.
(He had a stroke of luck finding that concert ticket.) - de la chance
Je crois que je vais avoir de la chance pour ce projet.
(I think I’m going to have luck with this project.) - Tout ira bien
Tout ira bien, tout va bien se passer pendant ton entretien.
(Everything will go fine during your interview.) - un heureux hasard
C’était un heureux hasard que je sois arrivé à temps.
(It was a fortunate coincidence that I arrived on time.) - Tu es chanceux/chanceuse
Tu es chanceux/chanceuse de partir en vacances cette année !
(You’re lucky to go on vacation this year!) - Chance
J’espère que la chance me sourira aujourd’hui.
(I hope luck will smile on me today.) - chance
On verra bien, peut-être que j’aurai de la chance ce soir !
(We’ll see, maybe I’ll have some luck tonight!) - doigts
Je croise les doigts pour ta réussite !
(I’m crossing my fingers for your success!)
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve learned several ways to say “luck” and “lucky” in French, along with various responses you can use when someone wishes you good fortune. Understanding these phrases will help you sound more natural when talking about luck in French, whether you’re describing your own good fortune, wishing someone else luck, or responding to good wishes.
From expressions like “de la chance” (luck) to more specific phrases like “un coup de chance” (a stroke of luck), you’ll be ready to talk about luck in a variety of situations. Plus, the exercises we covered will help you practice and remember these phrases so you can use them with confidence.
By expanding your vocabulary with these different expressions, you’ll not only improve your French but also feel more comfortable speaking about one of life’s most exciting topics—luck! Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to use these phrases smoothly in conversations.