Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fais de beaux rêves | /fɛ d(ə) bo ʁɛv/ | singular |
| faites de beaux rêves | /fɛt də bo ʁɛv/ | formal, plural |
This phrase is a way to wish someone sweet dreams, and it is most commonly used when saying goodnight to children or loved ones.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'make beautiful dreams', where fais is the imperative form of the verb faire (to make or do) and beaux rêves means 'beautiful dreams'.
Which one should you use?
fais de beaux rêves is the singular form, used when speaking to one person you know well, such as a friend or a child. faites de beaux rêves is the plural form, used when addressing more than one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
fais de beaux rêves is informal and used for a single person you know well. faites de beaux rêves is formal, used when addressing a single person with formal politeness or when speaking to a group of people.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the imperative mood, which is the form used for giving commands, requests or wishes.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛ d(ə) bo ʁɛv/
Did you know?
- In French, you do not 'have' dreams as one might in English, but rather you 'make' them with the verb faire.
- If you want to be even more poetic or old-fashioned, you might use the phrase fais de doux rêves, replacing 'beautiful' with 'sweet'.
- While 'sweet dreams' is a noun phrase in English, the French version is a complete sentence in the imperative mood, essentially acting as a gentle command to 'make' those dreams.
Examples in context
- Fais de beaux rêves !Sweet dreams!This sentence shows how to use fais de beaux rêves as an exclamation.Tatoeba #376696 by TRANG, translation #30054 by CK
- Fais de beaux rêves, Dan.Sweet dreams, Dan.This sentence shows the use of fais de beaux rêves when addressing a person by name.Tatoeba #3991601 by Amastan, translation #3992568 by Sladey
- Bonne nuit. Fais de beaux rêves.Good night. Sweet dreams.This sentence demonstrates how to use fais de beaux rêves following a goodnight greeting.Tatoeba #4023 by TRANG, translation #2194 by laurafults
- Fais de beaux rêvesSweet dreams
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are about to go to sleep in their apartment.
- EmmaBonne nuit, Nathan.Good night, Nathan.
- NathanMerci, Emma. Toi aussi, fais de beaux rêves.Thanks, Emma. You too, sweet dreams.
- EmmaC'est gentil, merci.That's kind, thank you.
- NathanÀ demain matin.See you tomorrow morning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweet dreams” translations and entries fais de beaux rêves, faites de beaux rêves, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
