joyeux Noël
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
Merry Christmas in French is joyeux Noël.
The most common and straightforward way to say "Merry Christmas" in French is by using the phrase joyeux Noël.
Meaning: good wishes at Christmas time (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective joyeux (joyful/merry) and the noun Noël (Christmas).
Which one should you use?
Joyeux Noël specifically refers to the Christmas holiday, whereas Bonnes fêtes is a more general greeting used for the entire holiday season.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective joyeux is in the masculine singular form to agree with the masculine noun Noël.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒwa.jø nɔ.ɛl/
When do people say it?
A common response to joyeux Noël is to thank the person and wish them a Merry Christmas in return using à vous aussi (to you too) or à toi aussi (to you too, informal).
Did you know?
- The English word 'natal', used in 'prenatal' or 'postnatal', is an unexpected relative of the French word Noël.
- In France, it is common to say Joyeux Noël while exchanging 'cadeaux' (gifts) on Christmas Eve, rather than on Christmas morning.
- The word noël in lower case can refer to a specific type of traditional French Christmas carol, regardless of whether the song is actually 'joyeux'.
Examples in context
- Joyeux Noël à tous !Merry Christmas, everybody!Tatoeba #7663921 by Katastrauff, translation #6556054 by BHO
- Joyeux Noël, Tatoeba !Merry Christmas, Tatoeba!Tatoeba #3663323 by fleur74, translation #6732233 by Eccles17
- Joyeux Noël à toi aussi.Merry Christmas to you, too.Tatoeba #9489672 by Micsmithel, translation #5736627 by CM
- Bonjour, Joyeux Noël à vous et à votre famille !Hello, Merry Christmas to you and your family!
- Merci beaucoup ! Je vous souhaite un Joyeux Noël également.Thank you very much! I wish you a Merry Christmas too.
- Salut ! Comment ça va ? Passe un Joyeux Noël avec tes proches !Hi! How are you? Have a Merry Christmas with your loved ones!
- Je te souhaite un Joyeux Noël rempli de bonheur et de douceur.I wish you a Merry Christmas filled with happiness and sweetness.
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are exchanging greetings during a holiday gathering.
- LucasJoyeux Noël, Emma !Merry Christmas, Emma!
- EmmaMerci, joyeux Noël à toi aussi, Lucas.Thank you, Merry Christmas to you too, Lucas.
- LucasTu as passé une bonne journée ?Did you have a good day?
- EmmaOui, c'était très agréable.Yes, it was very pleasant.
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.
