maison heureuse
The English phrase 'happy house' is translated into French as maison heureuse.
This phrase is used to describe a home where the people living in it are happy.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun maison (house) followed by the adjective heureuse (happy).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective heureuse is in the feminine singular form to agree with the feminine noun maison. To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective take an 's' to become maisons heureuses.
Did you know?
- The adjective heureuse comes from the word heure, which means 'hour'. In French, being 'happy' is historically linked to the idea of arriving at the right time or having a 'lucky hour'.
- The word maison shares an ancestor with the English word 'mansion', though in English a 'mansion' implies a luxury estate while in French it is simply a regular 'house'.
- The adjective heureuse is derived from 'heur', an Old French word for 'luck' or 'fortune', meaning that a 'happy house' is etymologically a 'lucky house'.
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are visiting a friend's new home.
- ChloéRegarde Hugo, c'est une maison heureuse ici.Look Hugo, this is a happy house.
- HugoTu as raison, on sent beaucoup de joie.You are right, we feel a lot of joy.
- ChloéJ'espère qu'on aura une maison heureuse aussi.I hope we will have a happy house too.
- HugoJe suis sûr que nous y arriverons, Chloé.I am sure we will manage it, Chloé.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maison, CC BY-SA 4.0.
