au revoir, bonne journée
The English phrase 'bye, have a good day' is translated into French as au revoir, bonne journée.
This combination is a standard, polite way to end an interaction in shops, restaurants or professional settings.
Which one should you use?
For the 'bye' part of the expression, au revoir is used for formal situations, whereas salut would be used for an informal 'bye'. Regarding the wish for a good day, bonne journée is used when leaving someone to wish them a good day, whereas bonjour is used when arriving to greet them.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bonne journée is a noun phrase used as an elliptical expression for passez une bonne journée.
Did you know?
- If you are leaving a shop in France, it is considered a social faux pas to leave without saying au revoir or bonne journée to the staff, even if you bought nothing.
- The term journée shares an ancestor with the word 'journey'. Originally, it referred to the amount of work or travel one could complete in a single day.
- In some French-speaking regions, particularly in parts of Africa, you might hear bonne continuation instead. This is used when someone is starting or continuing a specific task or journey.
Examples in context
- Au revoir, passez une bonne journée. Merci encore pour votre aide aujourd'hui.Goodbye, have a good day. Thank you again for your help today.
- Salut, passe une bonne journée. Prends soin de toi et à demain !Hi, have a good day. Take care and see you tomorrow!
- Au revoir, bonne journée !Goodbye, have a good day!
Example conversation
Gabriel is leaving a small bakery after buying a croissant.
- GabrielMerci beaucoup, au revoir !Thank you very much, goodbye!
- LéaJe vous en prie, Gabriel.You're welcome, Gabriel.
- GabrielAu revoir, bonne journée, Léa.Goodbye, have a good day, Léa.
- LéaMerci, à bientôt !Thank you, see you soon!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries journée, revoir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
