bénédiction
/be.ne.dik.sjɔ̃/feminine
The English word "blessing" is translated into French as bénédiction.
The term refers to the act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor.
Meaning: act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word bénédiction originates from the Latin benedictio, where bene means "well" and dicere means "to say" (to speak well of).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so when using the indefinite article for "a blessing", you must use une bénédiction.
How do you pronounce it?
/be.ne.dik.sjɔ̃/
When do people say it?
To bless someone in a specific situation or regarding a particular gift, you might use the expression Que ça t'apporte du bonheur, which means "may it bring you happiness".
Did you know?
- To describe a 'mixed blessing', French speakers often use the phrase un couteau à double tranchant, meaning a double-edged sword.
- A bénédiction can be given as a formal gesture of parental approval for a marriage, a tradition that remains a strong cultural trope in French cinema and literature.
- In French, the opposite of bénédiction is malédiction, creating a perfect linguistic symmetry between 'well-speaking' and 'bad-speaking'.
Examples in context
- Vous avez ma bénédiction.You have my blessing.This example shows how to express giving one's approval using bénédiction.Tatoeba #11799825 by calypsow, translation #1895749 by CK
- La pluie est une bénédiction pour le paysan.Rain is a blessing for farmers.This example illustrates using bénédiction to describe something beneficial for someone.Tatoeba #12083287 by Rovo, translation #12085035 by shekitten
- C'est à la fois une bénédiction et un fléau.This is both a blessing and a curse.This example demonstrates the contrast between a bénédiction and a curse.Tatoeba #12823953 by lbdx, translation #5045797 by Hybrid
- Ma tante m'a donné sa bénédiction pour mon mariage.My aunt gave me her blessing for my wedding.
- J'ai acheté ce livre pour toi. Que ça t'apporte du bonheur!I bought this book for you. May it bring you happiness!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is asking her father for permission to start a business.
- LéaPapa, je veux lancer mon entreprise.Dad, I want to start my own business.
- LucasC'est un projet courageux, Léa.It's a brave project, Léa.
- LéaEst-ce que j'ai ta bénédiction ?Do I have your blessing?
- LucasOui, tu as tout mon soutien.Yes, you have all my support.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blessing” translations and entries bénédiction, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
