bien dit
/bjɛ̃ di/
bien dit is the French way to say "well said".
bien dit is used as an interjection to express agreement or to praise the eloquence of a statement. It serves as an expression of approval for something that has been spoken.
Meaning: expression of approval to something said (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adverb bien (well) and the past participle dit (said).
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an interjection to express approval, bien dit is invariable.
How do you pronounce it?
/bjɛ̃ di/
When do people say it?
You can use Bravo to acknowledge someone's well-articulated statement. For a more casual way to show admiration for a person's thoughts or ideas, the informal term chapeau is often used.
Did you know?
- While bien dit praises the words, the French often use chapeau to praise the person's wit, which literally means 'hat'. This refers to the old custom of tipping or removing one's hat as a sign of respect.
- In French, the word dit can also be used as a noun to describe a short, traditional folk tale or a legendary account of a person's life.
- The word bien shares a Latin root with the English word 'benefit', as both derive from bene, meaning 'well'.
Examples in context
- Bien dit !Well said!This sentence shows how to use bien dit as an exclamation.Tatoeba #747340 by Cocorico, translation #5355042 by joshodude_1308
- C'est bien dit.That is well said.This sentence uses bien dit to describe a statement.Tatoeba #8817144 by Rockaround, translation #32832 by CM
- Bien fait est mieux que bien dit.Well done is better than well said.This sentence uses bien dit within a proverb.Tatoeba #747429 by Erwan29200, translation #325874 by shekitten
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are discussing a presentation at work.
- HugoNous devons privilégier la qualité sur la quantité.We should prioritize quality over quantity.
- EmmaBien dit, Hugo !Well said, Hugo!
- HugoMerci, je pense que c'est essentiel.Thank you, I think it's essential.
- EmmaJe suis tout à fait d'accord avec toi.I completely agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “well said” translations and entries bien dit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, dit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
