bon week-end
Enjoy your weekend in French is bon week-end, a short wish for a pleasant weekend.
bon week-end is what people say at the end of the working week when parting with friends, colleagues or shop staff.
What does it mean word for word?
bon week-end literally means good weekend.
Which one should you use?
passe un bon week-end is a fuller way to say have a good weekend to one person you know well, and passez un bon week-end is the polite or plural version. profitez bien du weekend is closest to enjoy your weekend, and amuse-toi bien ce weekend means enjoy yourself this weekend.
When do people say it?
A common reply to a friend is merci, toi aussi, thanks, you too. To a superior or a group, say merci, vous aussi.
Did you know?
- Although many French words come from Latin, the word week-end is a direct loanword from English. It has become so integrated into the language that it is used as a standard noun in everyday French.
- While 'bon week-end' is ubiquitous in France, many Francophones in Quebec strictly avoid this English loanword, preferring the more traditional 'fin de semaine' to describe the same period.
- French speakers often start saying bon week-end as early as Friday afternoon, even if they expect to see the person again on Saturday morning.
Examples in context
- Bon week-end à tous !Have a good weekend, everyone!
- Passe un bon week-end.Have a good weekend.
- Je vous souhaite un bon week-end.I wish you a good weekend.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are leaving the office on a Friday afternoon.
- NathanÀ lundi, Chloé !See you Monday, Chloé!
- ChloéÀ lundi, Nathan. Bon week-end !See you Monday, Nathan. Have a good weekend!
- NathanMerci, toi aussi !Thanks, you too!
- ChloéMerci, salut !Thanks, bye!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, week-end, CC BY-SA 4.0.
