bon rétablissement
/bɔ̃ ʁe.ta.blis.mɑ̃/
In French, "prompt recovery" is expressed as bon rétablissement.
bon rétablissement is used as a standalone exclamation to wish someone a speedy recovery. You may also see the more literal translation Prompt rétablissement used for "Prompt Recovery", or the full sentence Je vous souhaite un prompt rétablissement to say "I Wish You a Swift Recovery". Another way to express this sentiment is Que vous vous rétablissiez rapidement, which means "May You Quickly Get Better".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bon rétablissement literally translates to "good recovery".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec French, you may use Bonne guérison ! to mean "Good recovery!"
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase bon rétablissement, the adjective bon is in the masculine singular form to agree with the masculine noun rétablissement.
Did you know?
- The word rétablir can also mean to 'reinstate' a law or 'restore' a painting, showing that recovery in French is viewed as returning something to its original state.
- Because rétablissement is a masculine noun, the adjective bon must remain in its masculine form, even if you are speaking to a woman.
- Unlike English, where 'get well soon' can be used casually for a minor cold, bon rétablissement can feel overly formal if said to a close friend with a tiny scratch.
Examples in context
- J'espère que vous aurez un prompt rétablissement.I hope you have a prompt recovery.
- Bonjour Marie, je vous souhaite un prompt rétablissement.Hello Marie, I wish you a swift recovery.
- Que vous vous rétablissiez rapidement et que vous retrouviez bientôt la pleine santé.May you quickly get better and soon regain full health.
- Salut Sophie, rétablis-toi vite !Hi Sophie, get well soon!
- Bonjour Monsieur Dupont, rétablissez-vous vite !Hello Mr. Dupont, get well soon!
- Coucou Emma, j'espère que tu te sentiras mieux bientôt.Hey Emma, hope you feel better soon.
- Bon rétablissement, repose-toi bien.Get well soon, rest well.
- Elle lui a envoyé un message pour lui souhaiter un bon rétablissement.She sent him a message to wish him a prompt recovery.
Example conversation
Chloé calls Gabriel to check on him after his surgery.
- ChloéComment te sens-tu après ton opération, Gabriel ?How are you feeling after your surgery, Gabriel?
- GabrielUn peu fatigué, mais ça va mieux.A bit tired, but it's getting better.
- ChloéJe te souhaite un bon rétablissement.I wish you a prompt recovery.
- GabrielMerci beaucoup, Chloé, c'est gentil.Thank you very much, Chloé, that's kind.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bon rétablissement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
