Bonjour, bonne journée
The English phrase "good morning, have a good day" is translated into French as Bonjour, bonne journée.
This phrase is used to greet someone in the morning and immediately wish them a pleasant remainder of their day. It is a common way to speak to someone as you are departing, such as when leaving a cafe or a shop.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the two parts of the phrase. Bonjour is the standard greeting used upon arrival and is used throughout the entire day until sunset, making it broader than the English "good morning". In contrast, bonne journée is used specifically when leaving someone or ending a conversation to wish them a pleasant remainder of the day.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you may encounter the variation Bonjour, passe une belle journée to mean "Good morning, have a beautiful day."
Did you know?
- In French culture, bonjour functions as a social 'key'. Using it when entering a shop is not just a politeness but a required signal to initiate a professional interaction.
- The words jour and journée both translate to 'day', but they are used differently. Jour marks a point in time or a date, while journée refers to the lived experience and duration of the day.
- The term journée is a direct linguistic descendant of the Latin word *diurnāta, which was used to describe the work performed within a single day.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, bonne journée à tous.Good morning, have a good day, everyone.
- Bonjour, bonne journée, à demain.Good morning, have a good day, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Chloé is leaving the office as Hugo arrives.
- ChloéBonjour, Hugo !Good morning, Hugo!
- HugoBonjour, Chloé !Good morning, Chloé!
- ChloéJe m'en vais. Bonjour, bonne journée !I'm off. Good morning, have a good day!
- HugoMerci, toi aussi !Thanks, you too!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bonjour, bonjour, journée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
