bon chien
The French phrase for "good dog" is bon chien.
This phrase is used to describe a dog that is well-behaved or obedient. When you are praising a dog directly with an exclamation, you often omit the article and simply say Bon chien !
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase bon chien uses the masculine adjective bon because chien is a masculine noun. If you are specifically referring to a female dog, you must use the feminine forms une bonne chienne.
Did you know?
- While bon chien is a standard compliment, the feminine version bonne chienne can be problematic because chienne is often used as a vulgar insult for a woman.
- If a French speaker describes a day as un temps de chien, they are actually saying the weather is terrible.
- The word bon is used in the expression bon marché, which has nothing to do with quality but means something is inexpensive.
Examples in context
- Tu es un bon chien.You're a good dog.This sentence shows how to use bon chien in a statement about a dog.Tatoeba #6131352 by sicerabibax, translation #6113964 by mailohilohi
- Bon chien !Good dog!This example shows how to use bon chien as an exclamation to praise a dog.Tatoeba #7745860 by lbdx, translation #4769857 by Hybrid
- Avec de l'argent, on peut s'acheter un bon chien, mais cela n'achète pas le frétillement de la queue.You can buy a good dog with money, but you don’t get a wagging tail to go with it.This sentence uses bon chien to contrast a purchased pet with the emotional behavior of a dog.Tatoeba #9095446 by Micsmithel, translation #8198117 by bpeel
- C'est ça, toutou! Bien joué!Good dog! Well done!
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are at a park with their dog.
- EmmaRegarde comme il est calme.Look how calm he is.
- NathanC'est un bon chien.He is a good dog.
- EmmaIl écoute vraiment bien Nathan.He really listens to Nathan.
- NathanOui, il est très obéissant.Yes, he is very obedient.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
