joyeuses fêtes
/ʒwa.jøz fɛt/
In French, "happy holidays" can be expressed as joyeuses fêtes or bonnes fêtes.
Meaning: holiday greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| joyeuses fêtes | /ʒwa.jøz fɛt/ |
| bonnes fêtes |
Both forms are used as holiday greetings. Joyeuses fêtes is a common and versatile way to express this sentiment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase joyeuses fêtes literally translates to "joyous festivities".
Which one should you use?
While both mean the same thing, bonnes fêtes is the most common and standard way to say "happy holidays" in French. In contrast, joyeuses fêtes carries a slightly more enthusiastic or "joyous" tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the noun fêtes is feminine plural, the adjectives joyeuses and bonnes must also be in the feminine plural form to agree with it.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jøz fɛt/
Did you know?
- In Quebec, bonnes fêtes is the standard greeting used during the entire winter season, whereas in France, people are more likely to specify a single holiday like Joyeux Noël.
- The word fêtes comes from the Latin 'festum', which is also the ancestor of the English word 'feast'.
- In many French-speaking cultures, saying joyeuses fêtes can be a way to remain inclusive of all religious or secular celebrations happening during the season.
Examples in context
- Joyeuses fêtes.Happy Holidays.This sentence is useful for practicing the greeting joyeuses fêtes.Tatoeba #7938647 by Micsmithel, translation #5716210 by Hybrid
- Bonnes fêtes et Joyeux Noël !Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!
- Joyeuses vacances ! J'espère que tu te reposes bien.Happy holidays! I hope you're enjoying your rest.
- Je vous souhaite de joyeuses fêtes.I wish you happy holidays.
- Passez de joyeuses fêtes en famille !Have happy holidays with your family!
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are colleagues saying goodbye before the winter break.
- EmmaBon courage pour la dernière journée, Hugo.Good luck with your last day, Hugo.
- HugoMerci, Emma. Joyeuses fêtes à toi aussi !Thanks, Emma. Happy holidays to you too!
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, profite bien de tes vacances.Thank you very much, enjoy your vacation.
- HugoÀ l'année prochaine !See you next year!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy holidays” translations and entries joyeuses fêtes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
