joyeux Noël
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
joyeux Noël is the French way to say Merry Christmas.
joyeux Noël is the standard and most common way to wish someone a Merry Christmas in French.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective joyeux (joyful/happy) and the noun Noël (Christmas).
Which one should you use?
While joyeux Noël is the standard greeting, you can use Bonnes & Heureuses Fêtes de Noël to extend your Christmas greetings in a more elaborate way.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you may hear Joyeuses Fêtes de Noël.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective joyeux must agree in gender and number with the masculine singular noun Noël.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
Did you know?
- The word Noël is a linguistic relative of the English word 'natal' used in 'prenatal' and 'postnatal'.
- In France, the greeting joyeux Noël is typically exchanged from late December until the feast of the Epiphany on January 6.
- The word noël can also refer to a specific type of traditional French Christmas carol, regardless of the lyrics.
Examples in context
- Joyeux Noël à tous !Merry Christmas, everybody!This sentence is useful for wishing Merry Christmas to a group.Tatoeba #7663921 by Katastrauff, translation #6556054 by BHO
- Joyeux Noël, Tatoeba !Merry Christmas, Tatoeba!This sentence is useful for wishing Merry Christmas to a specific entity.Tatoeba #3663323 by fleur74, translation #6732233 by Eccles17
- Joyeux Noël à toi aussi.Merry Christmas to you, too.This sentence is useful for returning a Merry Christmas greeting.Tatoeba #9489672 by Micsmithel, translation #5736627 by CM
- Joyeux Noël, Jean!Merry Christmas, Jean!
- Joyeux Noël et Bonne AnnéeMerry Christmas and Happy New Year
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are greeting each other during the holiday season.
- LéaJoyeux Noël, Gabriel !Merry Christmas, Gabriel!
- GabrielMerci, joyeux Noël à toi aussi, Léa.Thank you, merry Christmas to you too, Léa.
- LéaTu as prévu quelque chose de spécial ?Do you have anything special planned?
- GabrielJuste un petit dîner en famille.Just a small dinner with family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “merry christmas” translations and entries joyeux Noël, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Noël, joyeux, noël, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
