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. It is most commonly used during the period from late December through early 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?
When using the phrase as an object in a sentence, it requires the indefinite article une because the noun année is feminine, resulting in une bonne année.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔ.n‿a.ne/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- When wishing someone bonne année, it is a traditional French custom to accompany the phrase with la bise, which consists of kissing both cheeks.
- While bonne année is the standard greeting, you will often see it written on small cards called 'étrennes' that are sometimes accompanied by a small amount of money or a gift.
- The word année may have evolved from the Latin word annāre, which relates to the annual growth of crops or the vintage of a wine.
Examples in context
- Bonne année, Louise !Happy New Year, Louise!This sentence shows how to address someone directly using bonne année.Tatoeba #8718865 by Micsmithel, translation #269365 by CP
- Joyeux Noël et bonne année !Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!This sentence shows how to combine a Christmas greeting with bonne année.Tatoeba #3708474 by GB3, translation #925023 by zvaigzne
- Je te souhaite une bonne année.I wish you a happy new year.This sentence demonstrates using bonne année as an object in a sentence.Tatoeba #2373414 by Bruno, translation #9583347 by AlanF_US
- Chère Amélie, je te souhaite une nouvelle année remplie de voyages excitants et de succès dans tes projets artistiques. Bonne année!Dear Amélie, I wish you a new year filled with exciting travels and success in your artistic projects. Happy New Year!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé meet at a cafe on January 1st.
- NathanBonne année, Chloé !Happy New Year, Chloé!
- ChloéMerci Nathan, bonne année à toi aussi !Thanks Nathan, happy new year to you too!
- NathanTu as passé de bonnes vacances ?Did you have a good holiday?
- ChloéOui, c'était super !Yes, it was great!
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.
