bonne nuit
/bɔn nɥi/
The English phrase "have a good night" is expressed in French as bonne nuit.
bonne nuit is a parting expression used specifically when the speaker or the listener is retiring for the night to sleep, wishing them a restful sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bonne nuit literally translates to "good night".
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between wishing someone a good evening and wishing them a good night. Use bonne nuit only when someone is actually going to sleep, whereas bonne soirée is used to wish someone a good evening when they are staying out or socializing.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase bonne nuit, the adjective bonne is in the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun nuit.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɔn nɥi/
Did you know?
- French has a specific term faire une nuit blanche, which literally means to have a 'white night'. It is used to describe staying awake all night long.
- The word nuit descends from the Latin word nox, which is also the root of English words like 'nocturnal' and 'equinox'.
- Because bonne nuit is so final, French speakers often use à demain ('until tomorrow') alongside it to soften the parting.
Examples in context
- Bonne nuit à tousGood night to all
- Bonne nuit, tout le monde.Have a good night, everyone.
- Je vais me coucher, bonne nuit !I'm going to bed, have a good night!
- Bonne nuit, dors bien.Have a good night, sleep well.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are finishing their evening together at home.
- ChloéJe suis très fatiguée ce soir.I am very tired tonight.
- GabrielMoi aussi, je vais au lit.Me too, I'm going to bed.
- ChloéBonne nuit, Gabriel.Have a good night, Gabriel.
- GabrielBonne nuit, Chloé.Have a good night, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bonne nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nuit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
