bonheur
/bɔ.nœʁ/masculine
Happiness in French is bonheur.
bonheur is the noun used to describe the emotion of being happy.
Meaning: emotion of being happy (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word bonheur is composed of the adjective bon (good) and the suffix -heur (related to luck or fortune).
Which one should you use?
While bonheur refers to the state of happiness or bliss, the word joie refers specifically to the emotion of joy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bonheur is masculine and is typically used with the definite article le (le bonheur). The adjective form of the noun is heureux (masculine) or heureuse (feminine).
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ.nœʁ/
Did you know?
- The root heur in bonheur comes from the Latin 'hora', meaning 'hour', suggesting that happiness was originally seen as a matter of the 'right hour' or timing.
- In French, the word malheur is the direct opposite of bonheur and can mean not just 'unhappiness' but also 'misfortune' or 'catastrophe'.
- Because of its roots in 'luck', the word bonheur is etymologically closer to the English word 'hap' as seen in 'perhaps' or 'mishap'.
Examples in context
- Qu'est le bonheur ?What is happiness?This sentence is useful for asking for a definition of bonheur.Tatoeba #3793140 by sacredceltic, translation #404565 by telsfbay
- Je mérite le bonheur.I deserve happiness.This sentence is useful for expressing that you deserve bonheur.Tatoeba #4682009 by sacredceltic, translation #3824180 by CK
- Le bonheur est fugace.Happiness is fleeting.This sentence is useful for describing how bonheur is fleeting.Tatoeba #12794967 by lbdx, translation #12331779 by ddnktr
- Dans la célébration de leur mariage, ils ont connu une grande allégresse.During their wedding celebration, they experienced great delight.
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are drinking coffee in a park.
- HugoCe soleil me donne un sentiment de bonheur.This sun gives me a feeling of happiness.
- LéaC'est vrai, Hugo, la nature est magnifique.It's true, Hugo, nature is magnificent.
- HugoTu es heureuse ici avec moi ?Are you happy here with me?
- LéaOui, je suis très contente de ce moment.Yes, I am very happy with this moment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happiness” translations and entries bonheur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonheur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
