Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| prends soin de toi | informal |
| prenez soin de vous | formal |
While they are related to the verb prendre soin (to be in charge of something), in this context, they function as a way to say good-bye. They should not be confused with se soucier or faire attention, which mean to be cautious or careful.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase prends soin de toi literally translates to "take care of yourself".
Which one should you use?
prenez soin de vous is used when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people. In contrast, prends soin de toi is for friends and family.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
prenez soin de vous is a common way to say take care in formal French. The informal version is prends soin de toi. For even more formal contexts, you may use Portez-vous bien, which translates to "take good care of yourself".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal form prends soin de toi uses the singular tu conjugation of the verb prendre. The formal/plural form prenez soin de vous uses the vous conjugation of the verb prendre.
Did you know?
- The word soin is not originally Latin, but comes from a Frankish word meaning 'worry' or 'concern'.
- The phrase prends soin de toi can be used as a substitute for au revoir when the speaker expects a long period of absence.
- In very formal French, Portez-vous bien is often used in written correspondence to conclude a letter with elegance.
Examples in context
- Prends soin de toi.Take care.This example shows the informal way to say take care.Tatoeba #10904 by sacredceltic, translation #20362 by TATAR1
- Prenez soin de vous.Take care of yourself.This example shows the formal way to say take care of yourself.Tatoeba #464711 by sacredceltic, translation #64257 by CK
- Prends soin de toi !Take care!Tatoeba #1330216 by sacredceltic, translation #324861 by CK
- Prenez bien soin de vous et passez une excellente journéeTake good care of yourself and have a great day
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are parting ways after a coffee date.
- GabrielJe dois y aller, salut Léa.I have to go, bye Léa.
- LéaD'accord, à bientôt Gabriel.Okay, see you soon Gabriel.
- GabrielPrends soin de toi.Take care.
- LéaMerci, toi aussi !Thanks, you too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take care” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, soin, toi, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
