heureux
/œ.ʁø/masculine
The English phrase happy can be translated into French as heureux. Wiktionary also lists content and contente.
Meaning: contented, joyous (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| heureux | /œ.ʁø/ /ø.ʁø/ |
masculine |
| content | /kɔ̃.tɑ̃/ | masculine |
| contente | /kɔ̃.tɑ̃t/ | feminine |
| bienheureux | /bjɛ̃.n‿œ.ʁø/ /bjɛ̃.n‿ø.ʁø/ |
masculine |
These terms are used to describe being contented or joyous.
Which one should you use?
While both can mean happy, content is used for a more mundane or situational sense of being satisfied or pleased with something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bienheureux is a more formal or literary term used to describe a state of bliss or being blessed.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is heureux. The feminine singular form of heureux is heureuse. For the plural, the masculine plural form of heureux remains heureux and does not take an 's', while the feminine plural form is heureuses. Regarding the word content, the masculine plural form is contents and the feminine plural form is contentes.
How do you pronounce it?
{ "ipa": "/œ.ʁø/", "syllables": 2 }
Did you know?
- The word heureux is actually a relative of 'luck' rather than 'joy'. It stems from the Old French word heur, which meant 'luck' or 'fortune'.
- In some regions, saying je suis content can be used sarcastically to express frustration, similar to saying 'I am just thrilled' in English.
- The word bienheureux is so strong that it is often used in a religious context to describe the 'blessed' in heaven. It carries a weight of spiritual ecstasy that regular happiness lacks.
Examples in context
- En es-tu content ?Are you happy with that?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is happy with a specific thing using content.Tatoeba #1986566 by sacredceltic, translation #1937372 by Beatminister
- Je me sens heureux.I feel happy.This sentence is useful for expressing that you feel happy using heureux.Tatoeba #6555 by Cocorico, translation #257373 by CK
- Je suis si heureux.I'm so happy.This sentence is useful for expressing a high degree of happiness using heureux.Tatoeba #135171 by Aiji, translation #321673 by CK
- 1228 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan tells Chloé about his new job.
- NathanJ'ai enfin trouvé un nouveau travail !I finally found a new job!
- ChloéC'est génial, tu dois être très heureux.That's great, you must be very happy.
- NathanOui, je suis vraiment heureux maintenant.Yes, I am really happy now.
- ChloéJe suis ravie pour toi, Nathan.I am delighted for you, Nathan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy” translations and entries heureux, content, contente, bienheureux, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bienheureux, content, heureux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
