bonne année
/bɔ.n‿a.ne/
bonne année is the French way to say happy new year.
bonne année is the standard greeting used to wish someone a happy new year. While it is the common way to express this sentiment, it is most frequently used during the first few days of January.
Meaning: Happy New Year (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bonne année literally translates to good year.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the noun année is feminine, the adjective must also be in its feminine form, bonne, as seen in the phrase une bonne année.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ.n‿a.ne/
Did you know?
- French speakers rarely say Joyeux Nouvel An in casual conversation, despite it being a literal translation of 'Happy New Year'.
- Writing bonne année on a postcard is a traditional French custom known as les vœux, often sent long after January 1st.
- The linguistic root of année is shared with the English word 'anniversary', which stems from the same Latin root meaning 'year'.
Examples in context
- Bonne année, Louise !Happy New Year, Louise!This example shows how to use bonne année when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #8718865 by Micsmithel, translation #269365 by CP
- Joyeux Noël et bonne année !Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!This sentence demonstrates how to combine a New Year greeting with a Christmas greeting using bonne année.Tatoeba #3708474 by GB3, translation #925023 by zvaigzne
- Je te souhaite une bonne année.I wish you a happy new year.This example shows how to use bonne année within a complete sentence expressing a wish.Tatoeba #2373414 by Bruno, translation #9583347 by AlanF_US
- Je te souhaite une super année!I wish you a great year!
- Bonne année, santé et prospérité!Happy New Year, health, and prosperity!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel meet at a cafe on January 1st.
- LéaBonne année, Gabriel !Happy New Year, Gabriel!
- GabrielMerci, bonne année à toi aussi, Léa.Thank you, happy new year to you too, Léa.
- LéaTu as passé de bonnes vacances ?Did you have a good holiday?
- GabrielOui, c'était très reposant.Yes, it was very relaxing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy new year” translations and entries bonne année, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries année, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
