bonnet de Père Noël
The English phrase "santa hat" is translated into French as bonnet de Père Noël.
The term refers to the red and white hat associated with Santa Claus.
Meaning: red and white hat associated with Santa Claus (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, bonnet de Père Noël translates to "hat of Father Christmas".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, Canada, the phrase tuque du Père Noël is commonly used to describe a Santa hat.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, add an s to bonnet while keeping Père Noël singular (e.g., bonnets de Père Noël).
Did you know?
- The word Noël comes from the Latin nātālis, meaning 'birthday', which is also the root of the English word 'natal'.
- The phrase Père Noël focuses on the 'Father' aspect, unlike the English 'Santa Claus' which uses a name derived from 'Saint Nicholas'.
- In French, the word bonnet refers to any soft, close-fitting cap, whereas English speakers often associate 'bonnet' specifically with historical women's headwear or car hoods.
Examples in context
- Tom portait un bonnet de Père Noël.Tom wore a Santa hat.Tatoeba #9489679 by Micsmithel, translation #6545243 by Hybrid
- J'ai acheté un bonnet de Père Noël.I bought a santa hat.
- Où est mon bonnet de Père Noël ?Where is my santa hat?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are decorating the living room for Christmas.
- HugoEst-ce que tu vois mon bonnet de Père Noël ?Do you see my santa hat?
- LéaOui, il est sur la table, Hugo.Yes, it is on the table, Hugo.
- HugoMerci, Léa, il est très amusant.Thanks, Léa, it is very funny.
- LéaTu vas le porter pour la fête ?Are you going to wear it for the party?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “santa hat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Noël, bonnet, de, noël, père, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
