bien joué
/bjɛ̃ ʒwe/
The English phrase "well done" can be translated into French as bien joué or bravo.
Meaning: exclamation of praise (intj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| bien joué | /bjɛ̃ ʒwe/ |
| bravo | /bʁa.vo/ |
In French, these terms serve as exclamations of praise.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bien joué literally means well played.
Which one should you use?
While both express praise, bravo is a general exclamation of praise. In contrast, bien joué specifically implies that someone has performed a task or a move skillfully. Additionally, if you are describing a finished product or a job executed correctly, use bien fait instead of bien joué.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/bjɛ̃ ʒwe/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use bien joué to describe food. If you want to say that meat is well done, use bien cuit.
Did you know?
- In French, bien fait can be used as a standalone exclamation meaning 'serves you right' when someone experiences a deserved misfortune.
- The word bravo is actually a doublet of the English word 'brave', as both descend from the same Latin root meaning 'fine' or 'excellent'.
- To express 'well done' in a sarcastic way, French speakers often use bien joué with a specific descending intonation to imply 'nice move' after a mistake.
Examples in context
- Bien joué ! Ce n'est pas mauvais.Well done! That's not bad.This sentence shows how to use bien joué.Tatoeba #4862180 by sacredceltic, translation #2460427 by Objectivesea
- Bravo ! Tu as joliment réalisé ce dessin.Well done! You have drawn this picture nicely.This sentence demonstrates using bravo to praise a creative achievement.Tatoeba #1099412 by sacredceltic, translation #1098783 by cntrational
- Bravo !Well done!This is a simple example of using bravo as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #5822028 by EvaFranska, translation #464478 by lukaszpp
- Bien joué pour le travail exceptionnel que vous avez accompli !Well done for the exceptional work you've accomplished!
- Félicitations pour votre promotion bien méritée !Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion!
- Bravo pour avoir mené ce projet à bien !Well done for successfully completing this project!
- Super , tu as réussi ton examen !Well done, you passed your exam!
- Tu as assuré pendant la présentation !You did great during the presentation!
- Chapeau pour avoir remporté la compétition !Well done for winning the competition!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are at a tennis club.
- ManonNathan, bien joué pour ton point !Nathan, well done on your point!
- NathanMerci Manon, c'était difficile.Thanks Manon, it was difficult.
- ManonTu as été très rapide.You were very fast.
- NathanC'est gentil de ta part.That is kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “well done” translations and entries bien joué, bravo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, bravo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
