bonne nuit
/bɔn nɥi/
In French, "good night" is said as bonne nuit.
Bonne nuit is used as a farewell phrase specifically when the speaker or the listener is retiring to bed.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the feminine adjective bonne (good) and the feminine noun nuit (night).
Which one should you use?
Use bonne nuit only when someone is actually going to sleep or when the conversation is ending for the night. In contrast, bonsoir is a greeting used when arriving somewhere in the evening.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔn nɥi/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the masculine bon instead of the feminine bonne to match the feminine noun nuit.
When do people say it?
Among friends and family, it is common to use the informal phrase Beaux rêves to mean "sweet dreams."
Did you know?
- The word nuit can be used in the expression une nuit blanche, which literally means 'a white night' but actually refers to staying awake all night.
- In some Francophone cultures, it is common to use the word dodo instead of sommeil when telling a child bonne nuit, as faire dodo is the childish term for sleeping.
- Using bonne nuit too early in the evening can be interpreted as a hint that you want the other person to leave or that you are exhausted.
Examples in context
- Bonne nuit à tous !Good night, everyone!This example shows how to use bonne nuit to address a group.Tatoeba #1226174 by sacredceltic, translation #1082672 by MUIRIEL
- J'ai dit bonne nuit.I said good night.This example demonstrates the use of bonne nuit within a sentence.Tatoeba #7284178 by Rockaround, translation #2405824 by CK
- Bonne nuit, ma chère.Good night, my love.This example shows a way to use bonne nuit when addressing a loved one.Tatoeba #5859110 by dufromage, translation #5857232 by OsoHombre
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are saying goodbye at the end of a phone call.
- ManonIl est tard, je vais me coucher.It is late, I am going to bed.
- NathanD'accord, bonne nuit Manon.Okay, good night Manon.
- ManonBonne nuit, Nathan.Good night, Nathan.
- NathanÀ demain !See you tomorrow!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries bonne nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
