bon
/bɔ̃/masculine
The English phrase 'good' can be translated into French as bon.
When used as an adjective, bon means pleasant or enjoyable. In specific fixed expressions related to the senses, such as describing how something smells or tastes, it functions as an adverbial complement, as seen in the phrase Ça sent bon.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
Which one should you use?
Use bon as an adjective to mean 'good' in terms of being pleasant or tasty. Do not confuse this with bien, which is used as an adverb to mean 'well'. Additionally, while bon can be an adjective, the word bien can also function as a noun meaning an item of merchandise.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes to match the gender and number of the noun it describes: bon is the masculine singular form, bonne is the feminine singular, bons is the masculine plural and bonnes is the feminine plural. Beyond its adjective use, bon can also serve as an exclamation of satisfaction.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ̃/
Did you know?
- In French, calling someone bon can be misinterpreted as a comment on their physical attractiveness or sexual prowess rather than their moral character.
- The word bon can be used as a noun to mean a 'voucher' or 'coupon', such as a bon d'achat for a purchase.
- While bon is an adjective, the word bonne can also be used as a noun in older or specific contexts to refer to a 'maid' or a female domestic servant.
Examples in context
- Ça sent bon !It smells good!This sentence uses bon to describe a pleasant smell.Tatoeba #10655 by sacredceltic, translation #66685 by CK
- Ça a bon goût.This tastes good.This sentence uses bon to describe a pleasant taste.Tatoeba #1067016 by sacredceltic, translation #1066826 by CK
- Tom a bon dos.Tom has a good excuse.This sentence uses bon in the context of having a good excuse.Tatoeba #3178733 by nimfeo, translation #6780526 by Eccles17
- 3972 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are talking about a movie they just saw.
- GabrielC'était un bon film, n'est-ce pas ?It was a good movie, wasn't it?
- ManonOui, j'ai vraiment aimé l'histoire.Yes, I really liked the story.
- GabrielC'est un bon choix pour samedi soir.It is a good choice for a Saturday night.
- ManonJe suis d'accord avec toi, Gabriel.I agree with you, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good” translations and entries bon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
