How to Say “Job Well Done” in French

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bon travail
The French phrase for 'job well done' is bon travail.
The phrase is used to praise someone for completing a task successfully and with high quality. You might use several different expressions depending on the situation: Bravo is an exclamation used for praising someone's success, while Tu as assuré is an informal way to appreciate someone's accomplishment. To describe the result itself rather than as a direct exclamation of praise, you can use Travail bien fait, which translates to 'work well done'.

What does it mean word for word?

Bon travail literally translates to 'good work'.

Which one should you use?

While bon travail is a standard way to say 'good work', beau travail is often used to express a higher degree of admiration for the quality or elegance of the work performed. Travail bien fait is a more literal translation of the English phrase 'job well done' and is often used to describe the result itself rather than as a direct exclamation of praise.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For formal recognition of an outstanding achievement, use Excellent travail. If you wish to praise someone's efforts in a formal way, you can say Vous avez fait du bon travail. In informal settings, you can use Bien joué to convey a sense of achievement or use the more colloquial Beau boulot instead of bon travail.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Québec French, the phrase Belle job is used to mean 'nice job' or 'great job'.

Did you know?

  • The word travail has dark origins, stemming from the Late Latin word tripālium, which referred to a torture device made of three stakes. It originally described the 'suffering' or 'pain' involved in a task rather than the task itself.
  • The word boulot used in Beau boulot is a colloquial term for work that originates from the word for 'a piece of wood'.
  • The phrase Bien joué is used for 'job well done' but literally translates to 'well played'.

Examples in context

  • Excellent travail sur ce projet! Vous avez surpassé les attentes.
    Excellent work on this project! You have exceeded expectations.
  • Bien joué, mon ami! Tu as vraiment assuré pendant le match.
    Well played, my friend! You really nailed it during the game.
  • C'est un bon travail, bravo !
    It is a good job, well done!
  • Tu as fait un bon travail sur ce projet.
    You did a job well done on this project.
  • Le chef a dit que c'était un bon travail.
    The boss said it was a job well done.

Example conversation

Lucas is reviewing a report written by Chloé.

  1. Lucas

    J'ai lu ton rapport, Chloé.
    I read your report, Chloé.
  2. Chloé

    Est-ce que tout est correct ?
    Is everything correct?
  3. Lucas

    Oui, bon travail !
    Yes, job well done!
  4. Chloé

    Merci beaucoup, Lucas.
    Thank you very much, Lucas.

Sources

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Julie Molly
Julie MollyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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