joyeux Noël
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
The French phrase for "happy Christmas" is joyeux Noël.
joyeux Noël is the most common and widely used phrase to wish someone a Merry Christmas in French.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective joyeux (joyful) and the noun Noël (Christmas).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective joyeux is in the masculine singular form to agree with the masculine noun Noël.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
Did you know?
- The word Noël is a linguistic doublet of the English word 'natal', as both originate from the Latin nātālis, meaning 'birthday'.
- French speakers often use the gesture of la bise, kissing both cheeks, when saying joyeux Noël to friends and family.
- The word noël in lowercase can refer to a traditional Christmas carol, turning the greeting into a type of song.
Examples in context
- Joyeux Noël à toute la famille !Merry Christmas to the whole family!
- Je vous souhaite un joyeux Noël.I wish you a merry Christmas.
- Un très joyeux Noël à vous deux.A very merry Christmas to you both.
Example conversation
Two friends are leaving a Christmas party.
- ManonAu revoir, Lucas, et joyeux Noël !Goodbye, Lucas, and merry Christmas!
- LucasMerci Manon, joyeux Noël à toi aussi !Thanks Manon, merry Christmas to you too!
- ManonMerci beaucoup, à bientôt !Thank you very much, see you soon!
- LucasÀ bientôt !See you soon!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry joyeux Noël, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Noël, joyeux, noël, CC BY-SA 4.0.
