bonne santé
The phrase for good health in French is bonne santé.
bonne santé is used to describe the state of being free from illness or injury.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the feminine adjective bonne (good) and the feminine noun santé (health).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, you may hear Santé! used as a toast meaning 'Health!' In Belgium, the phrase À votre santé! is used to say 'To your health!' during a toast.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say avoir une bonne santé to mean 'to have a good health'. Instead, it is more natural to use the expression être en bonne santé (to be in good health).
When do people say it?
When making a toast, different regional variations are used: in Québec, people say Santé! and in Belgium, people say À votre santé!
Did you know?
- In old medical French, the term santé was often linked to salut, meaning both health and salvation, blending physical well-being with spiritual rescue.
- In many French-speaking cultures, it is considered polite to make eye contact with every person in the group while saying a toast like À votre santé!
- The word santé shares a common ancestor with the English word 'sane', as both derive from the Latin 'sanitas' meaning 'health'.
Examples in context
- Il est en bonne santé.He enjoys good health.This sentence shows how to use bonne santé to state that someone enjoys good health.Tatoeba #131958 by dominiko, translation #295924 by sundown
- Es-tu en bonne santé ?Are you in good health?This sentence uses bonne santé to ask if someone is in good health.Tatoeba #4598296 by sacredceltic, translation #3636385 by CK
- Je suis en bonne santé.I'm in good health.This sentence uses bonne santé to state that the speaker is in good health.Tatoeba #427776 by dominiko, translation #427777 by witbrock
- Je vous souhaite une excellente santé.I wish you excellent health.
- Je vous souhaite tout le bonheur possible et une parfaite santé.I wish you all the happiness possible and perfect health.
- Prends soin de toi, reste en bonne santé!Take care, stay healthy!
- Bon rétablissement!Get well soon!
- Tu as une très bonne santéYou have very good health.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are talking about their grandparents.
- EmmaComment va ton grand-père ?How is your grandfather doing?
- LucasIl est âgé, mais il est en bonne santé.He is old, but he is in good health.
- EmmaC'est super, il fait attention à lui.That's great, he takes care of himself.
- LucasOui, il mange bien pour rester en bonne santé.Yes, he eats well to stay in good health.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries santé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
