dors bien
To say "sleep tight" in French, you can use dors bien or dormez bien.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Ways to say it
| French |
|---|
| dors bien |
| dormez bien |
While English speakers use the idiom "sleep tight", the French versions are direct commands to sleep well. The phrase is used as a farewell when someone is going to bed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase dors bien literally translates to "sleep well".
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two forms depends on who you are addressing: dors bien is used for a single person you know well, while dormez bien is used for multiple people or one person in a formal setting.
How does it change in a sentence?
dors bien uses the tu form of the verb, making it appropriate for one person you know well, such as a friend or child.
Did you know?
- If you want to sound even more affectionate when telling a child to 'sleep tight', you might say fais dodo, which is a much more childish and cutesy way to express the idea.
- In France, it is common to accompany a bedtime wish with bisous meaning 'kisses', even between adults who are close friends or family.
- The word bien in dors bien shares its DNA with the English word 'benefit'. Both trace back to the Latin 'bene', meaning 'well'.
Examples in context
- Bonne nuit et dormez bien !Good night and sleep tight!This sentence shows how to use dormez bien in a parting wish.Tatoeba #4602323 by sicerabibax, translation #4597870 by Ricardo14
- Dors bien.Sleep tight.This sentence demonstrates the use of dors bien.Tatoeba #5365727 by pititnatole, translation #2111550 by CK
- Dors bien, Sean.Sleep tight, Sean.This sentence shows how to use dors bien when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #5666906 by Yemana, translation #62997 by CP
- Dormez bien, monsieur. À demain!Sleep well, sir. See you tomorrow!
- Dors bien, mon amie. À plus tard!Sleep well, my friend. See you later!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are saying goodnight in their apartment.
- GabrielJe vais me coucher.I'm going to bed.
- LéaD'accord, dors bien, Gabriel.Okay, sleep tight, Gabriel.
- GabrielMerci, toi aussi, Léa.Thanks, you too, Léa.
- LéaBonne nuit.Goodnight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleep tight” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
