béni
/be.ni/
The English word "blessed" can be translated into French as béni or bienheureux.
Meaning: having divine aid, or protection, or other blessing (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| béni | /be.ni/ |
| bienheureux | /bjɛ̃.n‿œ.ʁø/ /bjɛ̃.n‿ø.ʁø/ |
béni is used to describe something or someone that has received divine grace, protection or a religious blessing. bienheureux is used to describe a state of supreme happiness, bliss or a more poetic, secular sense of contentment.
Which one should you use?
Use béni when you are referring specifically to a religious or divine context. Use bienheureux to describe an emotional state of being, such as being blissful or feeling a deep sense of peace and happiness.
How does it change in a sentence?
béni functions both as an adjective and as the past participle of the verb bénir (to bless). As an adjective, it must agree with the noun it describes: it becomes bénie for a feminine singular noun and bénis for a masculine or mixed plural group.
How do you pronounce it?
/be.ni/
Did you know?
- In Catholicism, the term bienheureux is the official title for someone who has been beatified but not yet canonized as a saint.
- The adjective béni can be used ironically in French to describe a 'blessing' that is actually a burden, such as a bénie maladiction.
- The word béni is the root of the French word for a 'benediction' bénédiction, which shares the same Latin origin as the English word 'benefit'.
Examples in context
- Je me sens bénit.I feel blessed.The first sentence illustrates the use of béni to express a personal feeling of being blessed.Tatoeba #4681926 by sacredceltic, translation #3374199 by CK
- Le prêtre a béni les fidèles.The priest blessed the congregation.The second sentence shows béni used as a past participle in a religious context.Tatoeba #10779658 by lbdx, translation #245507 by Zifre
- Ils ont fait bénir la maison.They had the house blessed.The third sentence demonstrates the use of the verb form related to béni in a causative construction.Tatoeba #10925455 by Amastan, translation #8257154 by Amastan
- Nous sommes bénis d'avoir une telle opportunitéWe are blessed to have such an opportunity
- J'ai reçu de nombreux cadeaux, je me sens vraiment gâté(e)I've received many gifts, I feel truly blessed/spoiled
- Je me sens vraiment chanceux d'avoir des amis aussi merveilleuxI feel really blessed to have such wonderful friends
- Tu es vraiment gâté(e) d'avoir cette opportunité incroyableYou are truly blessed/spoiled to have such an incredible opportunity
- Dans cette famille, on se sent vraiment choyé(e)In this family, you truly feel blessed/pampered
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are discussing their new child.
- ManonNotre nouveau fils est vraiment béni.Our new son is truly blessed.
- GabrielIl a une vie magnifique devant lui.He has a magnificent life ahead of him.
- ManonJe suis si heureuse de ce cadeau.I am so happy with this gift.
- GabrielNous sommes bénis de l'avoir.We are blessed to have him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blessed” translations and entries béni, bienheureux, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
