Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| bonne chance | /bɔn ʃɑ̃s/ |
| bon courage | /bɔ̃ ku.ʁaʒ/ |
In French, there are different ways to wish someone luck depending on the nature of the situation. You use bonne chance when the outcome depends on luck, chance or an unpredictable event. For informal ways to express similar sentiments, you can say Je croise les doigts (I'm crossing my fingers) or use the informal word Merde! (literally "shit"), which functions as a way to wish someone good luck.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on whether the person needs luck or strength. Use bonne chance when you want fortune to favor someone in a game of chance or an unpredictable event. In contrast, use bon courage when someone is facing a difficult, tedious or exhausting task, effectively meaning "hang in there" or "stay strong".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔn ʃɑ̃s/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use bonne chance for every situation, but it may sound slightly off when used for a difficult exam or a hard workday. In those contexts, using bon courage is often more natural.
When do people say it?
When discussing the concept of being lucky or having good fortune, French speakers use various expressions. You can say avoir de la veine to mean someone is lucky. In more casual settings, the colloquial expression avoir du bol is used, while the slang expression avoir du cul is a vulgar way to say someone is very lucky.
Did you know?
- In the world of French theater, saying bonne chance to an actor is considered bad luck. Instead, professionals use the word merde to wish each other success.
- In France, saying bon courage can sometimes be interpreted as a subtle admission that the task the other person is doing is miserable or grueling.
- The word chance is a doublet of the English word 'cadence', as both share a common ancestor in the Latin word for 'falling'.
Examples in context
- Bonne chance avec ça !Good luck with that.This sentence shows how to use bonne chance with a preposition.Tatoeba #3670121 by sacredceltic, translation #2207259 by Hybrid
- Bien sûr. Bonne chance !Sure. Good luck!This sentence shows a simple way to use bonne chance in response.Tatoeba #336914 by sysko, translation #4431177 by Vortarulo
- Bonne chance à vous deux.Good luck to both of you.This sentence shows how to direct bonne chance toward specific people.Tatoeba #4480808 by mouche, translation #3818243 by CK
- Je te souhaite bonne chance pour ton entretien d'embauche.I wish you good luck for your job interview.
- Bonne chance pour ton concert ce soir ! Merde !Good luck for your concert tonight! Break a leg!
- Je croise les doigts pour que tu réussisses ton examen.I'm crossing my fingers for you to pass your exam.
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan is seeing Emma off before her big presentation.
- NathanTu es prête pour ta présentation ?Are you ready for your presentation?
- EmmaOui, mais je suis un peu stressée.Yes, but I am a little stressed.
- NathanNe t'inquiète pas, bonne chance Emma !Don't worry, good luck Emma!
- EmmaMerci Nathan, c'est gentil.Thank you Nathan, that's kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations and entries bonne chance, bon courage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, chance, courage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
