bonne nuit bébé
bonne nuit bébé is the French way to say "goodnight babe".
This phrase is an affectionate way to say goodnight to a romantic partner.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bonne (good), nuit (night) and bébé (baby).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While bébé is a direct translation of "babe", using bonne nuit mon cœur (goodnight my heart) is a very common and natural way to express the same level of affection in French. Other informal variations include Bonne nuit, mon bébé (Goodnight, my baby) and Dors bien, mon petit chou (Sleep well, my little cabbage).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Québec region, people use Bonne nuit, mon p'tit coeur to say "Goodnight, my little heart." In France, the phrase Dors bien, mon lapin translates to "Sleep well, my bunny."
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bonne is the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun nuit.
Did you know?
- The word bébé was once a nickname for Nicolas Ferry, a famous court dwarf to the Polish King Stanisław Leszczyński.
- French speakers often substitute 'babe' with food-related terms, such as mon petit chou, which literally means 'my little cabbage'.
Examples in context
- Bonne nuit, mon amour. Je t'aime plus que tout.Goodnight, my love. I love you more than anything.
- Bonne nuit, mon petit cœur. À demain!Goodnight, my little heart. See you tomorrow!
- Bonne nuit bébé, je t'aime.Goodnight babe, I love you.
- Dors bien, bonne nuit bébé.Sleep well, goodnight babe.
- Bonne nuit bébé, à demain.Goodnight babe, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are saying goodbye before going to sleep in their apartment.
- LéaJe vais me coucher, bonne nuit bébé.I am going to bed, goodnight babe.
- GabrielBonne nuit ma chérie, repose-toi bien.Goodnight my darling, rest well.
- LéaMerci, à demain matin.Thank you, see you tomorrow morning.
- GabrielÀ demain.See you tomorrow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bébé, nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
