Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| bon week-end ! | |
| bonne fin de semaine ! | |
| passe une bonne fin de semaine ! | informal |
| passez une bonne fin de semaine ! | formal, plural |
The phrases are used to wish someone a pleasant weekend. bon week-end ! is a common standalone exclamation often used when leaving someone on a Friday. You can also use Très bon weekend! to say "Have a great weekend!"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bonne fin de semaine ! literally translates to "good end of the week".
Which one should you use?
bon week-end ! uses an English loanword, whereas bonne fin de semaine ! is a more traditional French phrasing. You may also use the full sentence Passez un bon weekend. as a standard way to convey the sentiment formally.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The forms vary by social context. bon week-end ! and bonne fin de semaine ! are general expressions. For formal situations or when addressing a group, use passez une bonne fin de semaine ! or the sentence Je vous souhaite un bon weekend. For a single person you know well, use the informal passe une bonne fin de semaine !
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Quebec region, it is common to use bonne fin de semaine ! to wish someone a good weekend.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form passez une bonne fin de semaine ! uses the imperative passez to address either a single person formally or a group of people. The form passe une bonne fin de semaine ! uses the imperative passe to address a single person informally (the tu form).
Did you know?
- If you say bonne fin de semaine ! on a Wednesday in certain contexts, it may be interpreted as wishing someone a good remaining part of the work week rather than a weekend.
- While bon week-end ! is common in France, some linguistic purists historically avoided it to prevent English from infiltrating the French language.
- The word semaine is a direct descendant of the Latin word for 'seventh', which is why it refers to a seven-day cycle.
Examples in context
- Monsieur Dupont, je vous souhaite un bon weekend et une agréable pause bien méritée.Mr. Dupont, I wish you a good weekend and a pleasant well-deserved break.
- Salut Jeanne! Passe un bon weekend et profite du beau temps!Hi Jeanne! Have a good weekend and enjoy the nice weather!
- Bon week-end !Have a good weekend!
- Allez, bon week-end !Anyway, have a good weekend!
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are leaving the office on a Friday afternoon.
- HugoSalut Emma, bon week-end !Bye Emma, have a good weekend!
- ChloéMerci Lucas, bon week-end à toi aussi !Thanks Lucas, have a good weekend to you too!
- HugoTu as des projets ?Do you have any plans?
- ChloéPas vraiment, je vais me reposer.Not really, I am going to rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “have a good weekend” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, de, fin, semaine, une, week-end, CC BY-SA 4.0.
