bonnes vacances
bonnes vacances is the French way to say "good vacation".
bonnes vacances is a phrase used to wish someone an enjoyable time during their holiday. It is frequently used as a standalone exclamation, Bonnes vacances !, when saying goodbye to someone who is about to leave for a trip or a holiday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "good holidays" because vacances is always plural in French.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bonnes is in the feminine plural form to agree with the feminine plural noun vacances.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the masculine singular form bon vacances. Because vacances is always feminine plural, you must use the feminine plural adjective bonnes.
Did you know?
- While bonnes vacances is a wish for a trip, the word vacances also means 'vacancy' or 'empty' in a legal context, such as when a political office is 'vacant'.
- The word vacances comes from the Latin 'vacare', meaning 'to be empty' or 'to be free from duty'.
- In France, les vacances frequently refers specifically to the long summer break, which holds more cultural significance than shorter breaks in winter or spring.
Examples in context
- Tu as passé de bonnes vacances ?Did you have a good vacation?This sentence shows how to use bonnes vacances in a question about whether someone had a good vacation.Tatoeba #10518363 by lbdx, translation #6263470 by CK
- Je vous souhaite de bonnes vacances.I wish you a good vacation.
- Passe de bonnes vacances à la mer !Have a good vacation at the seaside!
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are saying goodbye at the office before the summer break.
- LéaAlors, on se voit à la rentrée ?So, will we see each other when we get back?
- GabrielOui, c'est ça. Bon courage pour la dernière journée !Yes, that's right. Good luck with your last day!
- LéaMerci, et de bonnes vacances à toi aussi, Gabriel.Thank you, and have a good vacation too, Gabriel.
- GabrielMerci Léa, à bientôt !Thank you Léa, see you soon!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
