happy journey in french

How to Say Happy Journey in French: A Comprehensive Guide

Embarking on a journey is always an exciting experience, and it’s important to wish someone well on their travels. If you’re looking to learn how to say “happy journey” in French, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we will explore both formal and informal expressions, along with some helpful tips and examples. So let’s dive in and discover the perfect way to wish someone a joyous voyage in French!

Formal Ways to Say Happy Journey in French

If you want to convey your wishes in a polite and formal manner, here are some expressions you can use:

Bon voyage! (Pronounced: bohn vwah-yahj) Je vous souhaite un bon voyage! (Pronounced: zhuh voo sweht een bohn vwah-yahj)

The phrase “Bon voyage!” is widely recognized in French and is equivalent to the English expression “Have a good trip!” This is a straightforward way to wish someone well on their journey. On the other hand, “Je vous souhaite un bon voyage!” translates to “I wish you a good trip!” and adds a personal touch to your message.

These formal expressions are suitable for various situations, such as when you want to wish your boss, colleague, or someone you don’t know very well a happy journey. They maintain a respectful tone while still conveying your warm wishes.

Informal Ways to Say Happy Journey in French

When you’re conversing with friends, family, or people you have a closer relationship with, you might prefer a more casual expression. Here are a couple of options for informal wishes:

Bon voyage et profite bien! (Pronounced: bohn vwah-yahj ey proh-feet byehn) Passe un bon voyage! (Pronounced: pahs uh bohn vwah-yahj)

The phrase “Bon voyage et profite bien!” means “Have a good trip and enjoy it!” This expression shows your enthusiasm for the person’s journey and encourages them to make the most of the experience.

“Passe un bon voyage!” translates to “Have a good trip!” and is an informal way to express your well-wishes. This phrase is commonly used among friends and acquaintances, where a more relaxed tone is appropriate.

Tips and Examples

Here are some additional tips and examples to help you express your wishes in the most natural and heartfelt way:

• Show genuine interest: When wishing someone a happy journey, take a moment to ask about their plans or destination. For example, you could say, “Bon voyage! Je suis impatient d’entendre toutes les histoires de ton voyage à Paris!” which means “Have a good trip! I can’t wait to hear all the stories of your journey to Paris!”
• Consider the duration: If the journey is quite long, you can emphasize it by saying, “Bon long voyage!” which means “Have a good long trip!” This conveys your awareness of the duration and your desire for their safe return.
• Include well-wishes for return: Just as in English, you may want to express your hopes for their safe return. A simple phrase like “Bon voyage et bon retour!” which means “Have a good trip and a safe return!” covers both aspects.

Remember, it’s not just about the words you use, but also the sincerity behind them. A warm smile or a heartfelt tone can make a world of difference when conveying your wishes to someone setting off on a journey.

Now that you have a comprehensive guide on how to wish someone a happy journey in French, you can confidently express your well-wishes in both formal and informal settings. Whether you use expressions like “Bon voyage!” or add a personal touch with “Je vous souhaite un bon voyage!”, your message is sure to bring joy to the recipient. Remember to show genuine interest, consider the journey’s duration, and include well-wishes for their safe return to make your wishes even more impactful. Happy travels to you and your loved ones!

Related Posts

Guide on How to Say Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary

Birthdays and anniversaries are special occasions that bring joy and celebration into our lives. One way to share in the festivities is by offering kind wishes to your loved ones. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say "Happy Birthday" and "Happy Anniversary" both formally and informally. From heartwarming phrases to regional variations, we've got you covered. So, let's dive in and discover the art of expressing congratulations and good wishes on these special occasions!

How to Say Happy Birthday Instead of Happy Birthday: A Guide to Formal and Informal Expressions

Birthdays are special occasions that allow us to show our love and appreciation for those we care about. While saying "Happy Birthday" is the most commonly used expression, sometimes you may want to add a little variation to your well wishes. In this guide, we will explore different ways to say happy birthday, including formal and informal expressions. Whether you're looking to surprise your friends, family, or colleagues, this guide has got you covered!

How to Say Happy Birthday to Someone Without Saying Happy Birthday

Birthdays are special occasions when we get to celebrate the people we care about. However, sometimes you may want to express your birthday wishes in a unique and creative way, without using the typical phrase "happy birthday." Whether you're looking for a formal or informal approach, here are several suggestions and examples to help you convey your birthday greetings in a thoughtful and memorable manner.

How to Say Happy Birthday Without Actually Saying Happy Birthday

Birthdays are special occasions when we celebrate the milestones in someone's life. While the phrase "Happy Birthday" is commonly used to express well wishes, there are times when you might want to convey your congratulations in a more creative or unique way. Whether you're looking for formal or informal alternatives, this guide will provide you with various ways to say happy birthday without actually using the typical phrase. From heartfelt greetings to funny messages and everything in between, let's explore how you can make someone's special day even more memorable!

How to Say Happy Birthday Without Saying Happy Birthday: A Comprehensive Guide

Birthdays are special occasions filled with love, joy, and celebration. It's a time to show someone you care and make them feel special. While saying "Happy Birthday" is the most common way to express your wishes, there are plenty of creative and unique alternatives that can add a personal touch to your message. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say happy birthday without using those exact words, both formally and informally.

How to Say Happy Birthday Without Saying Happy Birthday in English

Birthdays are special occasions that allow us to celebrate the people we love and appreciate. While wishing someone a happy birthday is the most common way to acknowledge their special day, there may be times when you want to find alternative ways to convey your wishes. Whether you're looking for a formal or informal approach, this guide will provide you with various suggestions and examples to help you say happy birthday without actually saying it directly. Let's explore different ways to express your birthday wishes creatively!

How to Say Happy Birthday Without the Word Happy: Formal and Informal Ways

Birthdays are special occasions that allow us to show our loved ones just how much we care. One common way to express our well wishes is by saying "Happy Birthday." However, sometimes we want to add a bit of variety and creativity to our birthday greetings. In this guide, we will explore various ways to say happy birthday without actually using the word "happy," both in formal and informal settings.

How to Say Happy Holidays Without Saying Happy Holidays

During the festive season, we often find ourselves wanting to spread cheer and goodwill by expressing our well-wishes to others. However, if you're looking for alternative ways to say "Happy Holidays" without using the exact words, this guide is for you. Whether you need a formal or informal approach, we've got you covered with a variety of tips, examples, and even a touch of regional variations if needed. So, let's dive in and explore the art of conveying holiday greetings in different ways!

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Arabic Cantonese Chinese Dutch English Farsi Filipino French German Greek Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Irish Italian Japan Japanese Korean Latin Mandarin Mexican Navajo Norwegian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Sanskrit Sign Language Spanish Swahili Swedish Tagalog Tamil Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

• Privacy Policy

Voice speed

Text translation, source text, translation results, document translation, drag and drop.

Website translation

Enter a URL

Image translation

bottom_desktop desktop:[300x250]

• Constructed scripts
• Multilingual Pages

Bon voyage / have a good journey in many languages

Jump to phrases

How to wish people a good or safe journey. The phrase, bon voyage, is used in English without change, though the pronunciation is quite like the French.

People who have contributed to this section

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me .

http://www.nypl.org/branch/central/dlc/df/expressions/bonvoyage.html

Other phrases

Welcome | Hello | How are you? | Long time no see | What's your name? | Where are you from? | Pleased to meet you | Good morning | Good afternoon | Good evening | Good night | Goodbye | Good luck | Cheers! | Have a nice day | Have a nice weekend | Bon appetit | Bon voyage | Yes, No | Maybe | I don't know | Do you understand? | I understand | I don't understand | Please speak more slowly | Please say that again | Please write it down | Do you speak English? | Do you speak [your language]? | I'm learning [your language] | How do you say ... in [your language]? | Speak to me in [your language] | Excuse me | I would like ... | How much is this? | Sorry | Please | Thank you | Where's the toilet? | This gentleman/lady will pay for everything | Would you like to dance? | Do you come here often? | I miss you | I love you | Get well soon | Go away! | Leave me alone! | Help! | Fire! | Stop! | Call the police! | Merry Christmas | Happy New Year | Happy Easter | Happy Birthday | Congratulations | One language is never enough | My hovercraft is full of eels

728x90 (Best VPN)

Why not share this page:

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon , or by contributing in other ways . Omniglot is how I make my living.

Get a 30-day Free Trial of Amazon Prime (UK)

• Learn languages quickly
• One-to-one Chinese lessons
• Learn languages with Varsity Tutors
• Green Web Hosting
• Daily bite-size stories in Mandarin
• EnglishScore Tutors
• English Like a Native
• Learn French Online
•   Learn languages with MosaLingua
• Learn languages with Ling
• Find Visa information for all countries
• Writing systems
• Con-scripts
• Useful phrases
• Language learning
• Multilingual pages
• Advertising

All About the Phrase “Bon Voyage” – and the Travel Habits of the French

French people have been wishing each other Bon voyage (Have a nice trip) for centuries. The saying is so common that it’s one of those French phrases that’s been adopted into other languages, including English .

Despite how frequently you might hear it, like any ultimate travel destination, bon voyage offers a lot more to discover than you might expect.

Let’s take a guided tour of Bon voyage  and learn about the travel habits of the French along the way!

What does bon voyage mean?

Bon voyage means “Have a good trip”. But as you can see, there aren’t quite as many words to it. Literally, it’s just “Good trip/voyage”.  So, how did we get there?

Wishes in French with bon(ne)(s)

Bon voyage is a shortened form of a phrase like Je vous souhaite un bon voyage. (I wish you a good trip.) or Fais bon voyage (Have a good trip.).

Both of these sentences are still used today, but they tend to be more formal (for the first) or uncommon (for the second).  This is because the French like to keep things brief, so why not just say it in two words?

Bon voyage isn’t the only phrase that expresses a wish like this. There’s a whole list of them, and you may know at least a few already.

These include:

• Bonne année  – Happy New Year
• Bonnes vacances – Have a nice vacation
• Bon appétit – Enjoy your meal
• Bonne journée / Bonne soirée – Have a nice day/evening
• Bon weekend – Have a nice weekend
• Bonne route – Have a good/safe drive
• Bon anniversaire – Happy birthday! This is a less common equivalent of Joyeux anniversaire .

You’ll frequently hear and see these phrases – and you may discover some others, as well. In French, you can add Bon , Bonne, Bons, or Bonnes to a noun (often a gerund (a noun that describes an action)) to say “Have a good….” or “Enjoy…”.

For instance, if you run into someone as you’re headed to the movies, they might tell you << Bon film !>> (“Enjoy the movie!”).

Or you could hear Bonne baignade ! (Have a nice swim!),  and so on.

The structure Bon(ne)(s) + noun works for so many situations, but it can be tricky for us non-native speakers sometimes. For instance, if you want to say “Enjoy the book!”, you can’t use the word livre (book); it would be Bonne lecture! (Happy reading!).

Expressing a complex wish, like “Have a nice day at work!” can also be confusing. You can’t just say Bon travail ! – that literally means “Good work/Good job!”. 

So, what can you do to be sure you get these phrases right?

Sometimes, using these expressions is something that will come from listening to and absorbing French.

Other times, you might be able to correct yourself if you realize you’re using an expression that already means something, as in the case of Bon travail . 

And when it comes to one of those complex wishes, like “Have a good day at work,” it’s probably best to just say it in a different way – it’s not a simple idea, after all.

So, “Have a good day at work” could be Passe une bonne journée au bureau! or in a more formal conversation, Je te/vous souhaite une bonne journ é e au bureau!

….Then again, since the French prefer to keep things concise, you could probably just say Bonne journ ée and leave it at that.

If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry. The phrases with bon(ne)(s) that I’ve listed, as well as a few others , are the most common ones, and are important to know. But if you feel unsure about using bon(ne)(s) + noun otherwise, remember that there are always other ways to say what you want.

For example, I could say «  J’esp è re que tu passeras une bonne journée au travail. » (I hope you’ll have a good day at work) or « J’esp ère que ce livre te plaira. »  (I hope you’ll like this book.). Just think about the meaning behind the wish.

Other ways to wish people well in French using bon(ne)(s)

The expressions we’ve just learned about translate to “Have a good____”. But there are some other expressions in French that use bon(ne)(s) to wish people well in a slightly different way.

In these cases, instead of talking about something concrete or expected, these expressions refer to things like luck or the future.

You’ve probably come across one of the most famous before:

Bonne chance – Good luck

Other common phrases like this include:

• Bonne continuation   – Keep it up! or Good luck with your future endeavors!
• Bon rétablissement – Get well soon
• Bon courage – Hang in there (Although this phrase isn’t necessarily as informal is “Hang in there,” and can be used in most situations)

There’s no major difference between these expressions and others like them , and the ones we looked at earlier, but there are two subtle ones you may come across:

• These well-wishes tend to stay in their original structure. Whether they’re stand-alone statements, or used in a longer phrase (ex: Je vous souhaite une  bonne continuation ), you wouldn’t replace Bon/Bonne with Super in any of these phrases.

• When you’re talking about events, like your continued career or your path back to health, you add un or une before bon/bonne when it’s used in a sentence, as you can see in the example in the previous paragraph. But when you talk about a totally abstract concept or feeling like luck or courage, you don’t use an article (ex: Je te souhaite bon courage. ) .

How to take bon voyage to the next level

Although you can’t add to or change the core phrases we saw in the last section, you can modify bon voyage and its closest cousins a bit.

Most of the time, Bon voyage is a perfectly normal way to wish someone a good trip. But maybe you want them to know you hope they have an EXTRA good trip.

In this case, you can add tr è s (very), like so: Passe(z) un tr è s bon voyage. or Je vous/te souhaites un tr è s bon voyage.

In informal situations, like when you’re talking to a friend, you could replace tr ès bon or just tr ès with super.  For example: Passe(z) un super voyage OR Passe(z) un super bon voyage.

For more formal situations, excellent would be a good replacement.  For example: Je vous souhaite un excellent voyage.

You’ve probably realized that when you add tr ès, super , or excellent , you can’t just use Bon voyage on its own, though.

Do the French say Bon voyage a lot?:  The French and travel

The average working French person gets five weeks of paid vacation a year, plus about a week’s worth of personal days. There are also a number of national holidays in France, and schools have two-week vacations every six weeks, plus two months of summer vacation. Train tickets are usually affordable, and low-cost airlines operate out of many French airports. So it’s no wonder that the French are among the nationalities that travel the most . 

Where and when do the French travel?

But where do they like to go?  It turns out that most French people tend to travel primarily within France .

Part of this can be explained by the French rail system, which is highly developed and fairly affordable. It’s easy to go to major cities or even small towns, and since many trains are high speed, a trip like that might only take a few hours. Add to this the wide range of landscapes to be found in mainland France alone – from the warm beaches of the Côte d’Azur, to the ski slopes of the Alps, to attractions in major cities like Paris. France is even home to Europe’s only Disney theme park.

And of course, many French people use at least some of their vacation time to visit family and friends who also live in France.

As for when the French travel, there are some traditions around that. But it turns out they don’t totally reflect reality.

For instance, French people typically go on their longest or even only vacation in summer. August is considered a month when everything shuts down (well, except in vacation/tourism destinations, of course). Entire businesses will close their doors because everyone is on vacation.

But with globalization, as well as new, strategic ways of thinking, that’s changed in recent years. According to recent statistics, 69% of the French population takes a summer vacation. But many companies have at least a few employees who stay behind in August – and those people aren’t always disappointed about it. Some French people prefer to work during this time because their offices are usually calmer since so many of their coworkers and bosses are away. They take a vacation another time – when most destinations will be less crowded and pricey, besides.

Similarly, in winter, especially during the winter school holidays, French people traditionally go on ski trips. And yet, it turns out that only 1 in 10 French people go skiing every year.

Part of these lower-than-expected numbers is due to cost. Not everyone can afford to travel – especially taking a ski trip, which involves a lot of expenses beyond room and board.

Which countries do the French travel to most?

Although France itself is the number-one travel destination for French people, the French do go abroad, as well. And when you think about it, with all of the vacation time they have, a majority of a French person’s travel might be national, but they might go beyond their borders for at least one of those trips.

The top countries visited by the French in 2019 include Spain, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt, and Russia, as well as Canada and the United States.

What do people think of French tourists?

All of this traveling has earned the French  a reputation in the hospitality and tourism industries, as well as with locals in certain places. The typical French tourist is known to be critical, curious, cheap, and seductive.

As some of the people interviewed in this article suggest , seemingly negative traits like being critical may also make them have a more in-depth travel experience. For instance, a tour guide in India explains that instead of saying that they like or don’t like an ice cream flavor, a French tourist will often ask about what’s in it.

They might also make suggestions for how its taste might be improved, which goes with another way the French are perceived: as comparing everything to how good it is or how much it costs back in France.

None of this is to say that the French are terrible tourists (even though they often joke about this amongst themselves). After all, tourists from every country have their good and bad points , and a lot of times it has to do with how well their culture meshes with the local one.

For what it’s worth, one thing I’ve noticed about French people who travel to other countries is that whether or not they complained or made comparisons to France on-site, they generally seem to see their experience as positive, even as a way to expand their knowledge and perspective on the world. Whether they spent a week sunbathing on a beach somewhere, or visited a new city or monument, they come home with a sense of having learned something, and (understandably) often nostalgia for the place they left.

This Egyptian tour guide agrees with me. She loves French tourists because [ i]ls sont très cultivés, ils s’intéressent aux monuments. Ils ne voyagent pas seulement pour prendre des photos (They’re very educated, they’re interested in monuments. They don’t travel just to take pictures.).”

A recent survey shows that 53% of French people see taking a vacation as important and something they’re willing to make sacrifices for.  In addition to self-care and getting away from it all, I think some of this could also be chalked up to wanderlust and a natural curiosity and fascination with other places.

Do you have a favorite place to travel? How about somewhere you dream of going – particularly in France? Whether you’re planning a trip or just armchair traveling, Bon voyage!

• What are the best French learning apps in 2024?
• The 16 best websites and apps for French conversation practice
• Duolingo French review: The good, the bad and the ugly

Alysa Salzberg

Alysa Salzberg is an American writer, worrier, teacher, and cookie enthusiast who has lived in Paris, France, for more than a decade. She has taught English and French for more than ten years, most notably as an assistante de langue vivante for L'Education Nationale. She recently published her first novel, Hearts at Dawn , a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling that takes place during the 1870 Siege of Paris. You can read about her adventures here , or feel free to stop by her website .

all about french

Learn French with Audio Stories

HOME > FRENCH PHRASES

Everything about the French sentence "Bon voyage"

You are in the right place to find out all the things you need to know about the basic sentence "Bon voyage". To be more specific, this includes a detailed explanation of what it is and how to use it in a normal conversation with an audio example. Along with the useful things we sprinkled like dialogue example, slow pronunciation audio, synonyms and more!

French to English translation

Translation : Have a nice trip

Register : Neutral - Basic

Audio pronunciation

IPA : / bɔ̃ vwajaʒ /

What does bon voyage mean?

It literally means:

• Voyage → Trip

It means "Have a good trip " or "Have a nice trip ". We use it when saying goodbye to someone (or a group of people) leaving for a trip, to wish a safe and nice time during the trip.

Cool thing: "bon voyage " is also used in English with the exact same meaning.

When you want to wish a safe and good trip to someone or a group of people, you can simply add "Bon voyage ". 

If you want to make a sentence out of it, you can say: "Fais bon voyage " (Have a nice/good trip). And for a formal version, use instead: "Je vous souhaite un bon voyage → I wish you a good/nice trip "

If the trip involves driving on the road, you can use "Bonne route → Have a nice (trip on the) road ". And if it's a flight: "Bon vol → Have a good/nice flight ".

Finally, if the trip is about going home, you can also use "Bon retour → Have a good/nice journey home ".

A little trick, if you add "bon(ne) " before a noun, it will mean: "enjoy *noun* " or "have a nice/good *noun* ".

Few examples:

• Bonne journée → Have a nice day
• Bon week-end → Have a nice weekend
• Bon appétit → Enjoy your meal
• Bonne visite → Enjoy your visit
• Bon match → Enjoy the game
• Je vous souhaite un bon voyage → I wish you a good/nice trip
• Fais bon voyage → Have a good/nice trip
• Bonne route → Have a nice (trip on the) road / Be safe on the road
• Bon vol → Have a good/nice flight
• Bon retour → Have a good/nice journey home

Example in a dialogue with French audio

Allez, on y va !

Come on, let's go!

Ça marche ! Bon voyage !

All right! Have a nice trip

Merci ! À plus tard !

Thanks! See you later!

Learn French the easy way with our French - English parallel texts with slow French audio

C'est n'importe quoi

To vocabulary list

C'est combien ?

Bon voyage ! Have a Great Trip! Travel Phrases in French

• Post author: Language Garage
• Post published: August 18, 2020
• Post category: French / Travel / Vocabulary

In this post we’ll look at a lot of French vocabulary and expressions that will come in handy when you travel. Let’s start with the basics.

Ma valise My Suitcase

Before you travel, you of course need to pack. So let’s start there.

• la valise suitcase
• J’ai besoin de faire ma valise. I need to pack my suitcase.
• Ma valise est lourde/légère/pleine/vide. My suitcase is heavy/light/full/empty.
• Mes affaires ne rentrent pas dans ma valise. My clothes don’t fit in my suitcase.
• J’ai besoin d’un autre sac/d’une autre valise. I need another bag/suitcase.

À l’aéroport At the Airport

If you’re traveling, you’re probably going to leave from and arrive at an airport.

• un billet d’avion, une carte d’embarquement, un passeport, un vol plane ticket, boarding pass, passport, flight
• les arrivées, les départs, la porte, le retrait des bagages arrivals, departures, gate, baggage claim
• le contrôle des passeports, la douane passport control, customs
• J’ai besoin d’enregistrer mes bagages. I need to check my luggage.
• J’ai un bagage à main. I have a carry-on bag.
• Quand part le vol ? When does the flight leave?
• L’avion décolle à quelle heure ? What time does the plane take off?
• Il y a une longue file d’attente à la sécurité. There’s a long line at security.
• L’embarquement est dans dix minutes. We’re boarding in ten minutes.
• siège côté hublot/fenêtre, siège côté couloir, siège du milieu window seat, aisle seat, middle seat
• le pilote, l’hôtesse de l’air (f.), le steward (m.) pilot, flight attendant
• Veuillez attacher vos ceintures. Please fasten your seatbelt.
• Veuillez éteindre vos (téléphones) portables. Please turn off your cell phone.
• Combien de temps dure le vol ? How long is the flight?
• Nous atterrissons dans dix minutes. We’re landing in ten minutes.
• On doit passer à la douane et au contrôle des passeport. We need to go through customs and passport control.
• Où se trouve le retrait des bagages ? Where’s the baggage claim area?
• Où se trouvent les taxis ? Where are the taxis?
• Y a-t-il un train/un bus pour aller en ville ? Is there a train/bus to the city?
• J’ai besoin de changer de l’argent. I need to exchange money.

À l’hôtel At the Hotel

You’ve finally arrived, so let’s get you settled in your hotel room.

• Où se trouve l’hôtel ? Where is the hotel?
• J’ai une réservation au nom de ______. I have a reservation under the name ______.
• Où est l’ascenseur ? Where’s the elevator?
• À quel étage se trouve ma chambre ? What floor is my room on?
• la chambre, le lit, la salle de bain, la fenêtre, la télévision, le téléphone room, bed, bathroom, window, television, phone
• les draps, la couverture, l’oreiller, la robe de chambre sheets, blanket, pillow, bathrobe
• Est-ce qu’il y a un service en chambre / le room service ? Is there room service?
• Puis-je avoir une couverture en plus ? Can I have an extra blanket?
• Puis-je avoir un fer à repasser et une planche à repasser ? Can I have an iron and an ironing board?
• Puis-je avoir un sèche-cheveux ? Can I have a hair dryer?
• Est-ce que je peux faire laver mes vêtements? Can I have my clothes washed?
• Le chauffage ne marche pas. The heat isn’t working.
• La climatisation ne marche pas. The air conditioning isn’t working.
• Pourriez-vous nettoyer ma chambre ? Please clean my room.
• Puis-je avoir une autre chambre/une chambre plus grande/une chambre plus calme ? Can I have another room / a bigger room / a quieter room?
• Où prend-on le petit déjeuner ? Where do we eat breakfast?
• Y a-t-il une salle d’entraînement ? Is there an exercise room?
• Y a-t-il une piscine ? Is there a pool?
• Y a-t-il un bar ? Is there a bar?
• Y a-t-il un restaurant ? Is there a restaurant?
• Avez-vous le wifi ? Do you have WiFi?
• Quel est le mot de passe pour le wifi ? What’s the WiFi password?
• À quelle heure faut-il libérer la chambre ? What time is check-out?
• Je voudrais régler ma note. Je libère la chambre. I would like to check out. I’ve left the room.
• Pourriez-vous appeler un taxi ? Can you call a taxi for me?

J’ai faim. I ’m hungry.

When you’re traveling, it’s important to know some basic terms for food, drink, and how to navigate a nice meal at a local restaurant. Check out this post , which covers all of that!

• Où se trouve la gare ? Where is the train station?

Once you’re settled into your hotel, you probably want to know where things are in case you need to pop out and buy something.

• Y a-t-il une supérette près d’ici ? Is there a convenience store nearby?
• Y a-t-il une pharmacie près d’ici ? Is there a pharmacy nearby?
• Y a-t-il un supermarché près d’ici ? Is there a supermarket nearby?
• Y a-t-il un bon restaurant près d’ici ? Is there a good restaurant nearby?
• Y a-t-il un hôpital/un cabinet de médecin près d’ici ? Is there a hospital/doctor ’s office nearby?
• Y a-t-il une librairie près d’ici ? Is there a bookstore nearby?
• Y a-t-il un magasin de vêtements près d’ici ? Is there a clothing store nearby?
• Y a-t-il un magasin de chaussures près d’ici ? Is there a shoe store nearby?
• Où se trouve la station de métro ? Where is the subway station?
• Où se trouve l’arrêt de bus ? Where is the bus station?

C’est près de l’hôtel. It ’s next to the hotel.

Of course, if you ask where things are, you’ll need some basic vocabulary related to directions and getting around.

• Est-ce près d’ici ? Is it nearby?
• Est-ce loin d’ici ? Is it far from here?
• Puis-je y aller à pied ? Can I walk there?
• C’est près d’ici. It ’s nearby.
• C’est loin d’ici. It ’s far from here.
• C’est de l’autre côté de la rue. It ’s across the street.
• C’est à côté de l’hôtel. It ’s next to the hotel.
• Traversez la rue. Cross the street.
• Traversez le pont. Cross the bridge.
• Tournez à droite. Turn right.
• Tournez à gauche. Turn left.
• Allez tout droit. Go straight ahead.
• C’est à côté de la gare. It ’s next to the train station.
• C’est près de la gare. It ’s near the train station.
• C’est derrière la gare. It ’s behind the train station.
• C’est à gauche de la gare. It ’s the left of the train station.
• C’est à droite de la gare. It ’s to the right of the train station.
• C’est en face de la gare. It ’s in front of the train station.

Allons visiter la ville. Let ’s go sightseeing.

• Nous voudrions visiter la ville. We would like to go sightseeing.
• Avez-vous un plan de la ville ? Do you have a map of the city?
• Y a-t-il un bus/autocar touristique ? Is there a tour bus?
• Y a-t-il un guide ? Is there a tour guide?
• Nous voudrions aller dans un musée. We would like to go to a museum.
• Nous voudrions visiter une cathédrale/un temple/une mosquée. We would like to visit a cathedral/temple/mosque.
• Nous voudrions aller au parc. We would like to go to the park.
• Nous voudrions visiter une galerie d’art. We would like to visit an art gallery.
• Nous voudrions voir une pièce (de théâtre), un opéra, un concert. We would like to see a play/opera/concert.
• Nous voudrions visiter un château. We want to visit a castle.
• Nous voudrions visiter un monument. We want to visit a monument.
• Quels sites historiques doit-on visiter ? Which historical sites should we visit?
• Quels sites culturels doit-on visiter ? Which cultural sites should we visit?
• Où se trouve le meilleur quartier pour faire du shopping ? Where ’s the best neighborhood for shopping?
• Où se trouve le meilleur quartier pour sortir le soir ? Where ’s the best neighborhood for nightlife?
• Nous voudrions aller dans un bar/une boîte (de nuit). We would like to go to a bar/nightclub.
• Où peut-on avoir une vue panoramique de la ville ? Where is there a good view of the city?
• Nous voudrions visiter un marché. We want to visit a market.
• Y a-t-il des toilettes publiques près d’ici ? Is there a public bathroom nearby?
• Où sont les toilettes ? Where is the bathroom?
• Où se trouve la sortie/l’entrée ? Where is the exit/entrance?
• Combien coûte une visite ? How much does a tour/an entrance cost?
• Combien coûte un voyage organisé ? How much does a guided tour cost?         

Où va ce train ? Where does this train go?

You probably want to see some sights outside of the city, and for that you’ll need to get around.

• Nous voudrions aller à Tours. We would like to go to Tours.
• J’aimerais un ticket de bus/un billet de train pour Tours. I ’d like a bus ticket/train ticket to Tours.
• Combien coûte un ticket/billet ? How much does a ticket cost? ( un ticket = bus, un billet = train, plane)
• Je voudrais un aller simple, s’il vous plaît. I would like a one-way ticket, please.
• Je voudrais un aller-retour, s’il vous plaît. I would like a round-trip ticket, please.
• Quand est-ce que le train/le bus part ? When does the train/bus leave?
• Quand est-ce que le train/le bus arrive ? When does the train/bus arrive?
• Est-ce que ce bus/ce train va à Tours ? Does this bus/train go to Tours?
• Combien de temps ça prend pour aller à Tours ? How long does it take to go to Tours?
• Où puis-je louer une voiture ? Where can I rent a car?
• Comment puis-je me rendre à la plage/les montagnes/le parc national ? How can I get to the beach/mountains/national park?
• Combien ça coûte ? How much does it cost?

When you’re traveling, you probably need to by all sorts of things. Let’s cover that vocabulary.

• Où puis-je acheter une carte/une bouteille d’eau/une tasse de café ? Where can I buy a map/a bottle of water/a cup of coffee?
• Où puis-je acheter des lunettes de soleil/de l’aspirine/de la crème solaire ? Where can I buy sunglasses/aspirin/sunscreen?
• Où puis-je acheter des cartes postales/des souvenirs ? Where can I buy postcards/souvenirs?
• Où puis-je acheter quelque chose à manger/quelque chose à boire ? Where can I buy something to eat/something to drink?
• Pourriez-vous écrire le prix, s’il vous plaît ? Could you please write the price?
• Puis-je payer en liquide ? Can I pay by cash?
• Puis-je payer par carte bancaire ? Can I pay by credit card?
• C’est trop cher. That’s too expensive.
• Avez-vous quelque chose de moins cher ? Do you have something less expensive?
• Puis-je voir cela/ça ? Can I see that, please?
• Je vais prendre cela / ceci. I’ll take that/this.
• Puis-je l’essayer ? Can I try it on?

Do you want to learn French?

Check out our other posts on French language, culture, and more . And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live French lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage . Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work. We can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!

Image by David Mark from Pixabay .

Please Share This Share this content

• Opens in a new window

You Might Also Like

En el baño: In the Bathroom in Spanish

영화 보자! yeonghwa boja! Let’s See a Movie! All Things Movies in Korean

春天 Chūntiān: Springtime in Mandarin

Bon Voyage: French Vocabulary Explained

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Resources For Teachers

Expression: Bon voyage Pronunciation: [bo(n) vwa yazh] Meaning: have a good trip Literal translation: good trip Register : normal Notes: The expression bon voyage is used in both French and English to say goodbye to travelers and wish them well.

Related Expressions

• bonnes vacances - enjoy your vacation/holiday
• bonne route - safe journey, drive safely
• bon retour - safe journey home

In French, bon can be added to pretty much any noun to wish someone well:

• bon appétit - enjoy your meal
• bon match - enjoy the game, have a good game
• bonne promenade - have a nice walk, enjoy your walk
• bon vélo - have a nice bike ride, enjoy your bike ride
• bon week-end - have a nice weekend

And it means "happy" in relation to special occasions:

• bonne année - happy New Year
• bon anniversaire - happy birthday
• "Bon Anniversaire": Saying Happy Birthday in French
• The Universal Wish: 'Bon appétit'
• Common French Phrases
• French Idiomatic Expressions With 'Bon'
• Typical New Year's Greetings in French
• Vocabulary Lesson: French for Travelers
• Understanding the French Expression "Avoir l'air"
• Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining
• French Vocabulary: Hobbies, Sports, and Games
• How to Use the French Adverb 'Enfin' ('At Last, Finally')
• French Idiomatic Expressions With Matin and Matinée
• Using the French Expression "À la rentrée"
• 11 Synonyms for "Great" in French
• The French Expression "Meilleurs Vœux"
• French Vocabulary: Driving and Cars

Heureux vs Content – Happy in French

By: Author David Issokson

Posted on Published: June 7, 2022  - Last updated: May 5, 2024

Happy in French is “heureux” (pronounced uh-ruh). The feminine form is “heureuse” (pronounced uh-ruhz). Another French word for happy is “content” . This post will explore heureux vs. content in depth through lots of fun example sentences (with audio).

heureux, heureuse

happy (masculine and feminine forms)

Heureux pronunciation

Beginners are almost always perplexed by how to pronounce heureux . My suggestion is to isolate the sounds. Read each “eu” as “uh” or the -e in the word “je” (I). Ignore the -h at the beginning of the word and simply insert the letter -r.

Thus, the pronunciation will be uh-ruh . To pronounce the feminine for (heureuse) , simply add a -z sound to the end: uh-ruhz .

Heureux vs content

Before we go any further, it would be a good idea to clarify the difference between heureux and content . Both of these words mean “happy”. However, there is a very subtle difference between the two words.

“Heureux” often describes happiness on a deeper or more emotional level. For example, happiness in life or in a situation in life such as a relationship or job. For example:

Grace à Dieu je suis très heureux en ce moment.

Thank God, I’m very currently very happy.

The word content , however, has an underlying meaning of “content” or “satisfied” at the moment. For example:

Vous aimez la pizza? Vous êtes content ?

Do you like the pizza? Are you happy (or satisfied)?

How to use heureux in a simple sentence

As mentioned above, the French use “heureux” to describe happiness on a deep emotional level. For example:

Je suis très heureux depuis mon changement de carrière.

I’ve been very happy since my career change.

Elle est très heureuse depuis la naissance de son fils.

She’s been very happy since the birth of her son.

Grammatical constructions using heureux

There are several ways to use the word “heureux” when constructing sentences. In this section we’ll look at several grammatical structures.

Être heureux de + infinitive = to be happy to do

To express, “being happy to do something”, use the following grammatical form: “ Être heureux de + infinitive (to form of verb) “ . This structure also translates to “to be happy about something” . Here are some examples:

• Je suis heureux de voyager en France. I’m happy to travel to France.
• Vous êtes heureux de vous revoir. You’re happy about seeing each other again.

Être heureux que + subjunctive

In the previous example, we looked at “to be happy to + verb” . Here, we’re looking at “to be happy that + person + verb” . This structure requires the usage of the subjunctive mood as it involved two different subjects separated by the word “que” and an element of emotion. This page on our site covers the subjunctive mood in detail .

• Nous sommes heureux que vous veniez. We’rehappy you’re coming.
• Ils sont heureux que je puisse me débrouiller en français. They’re happy I can get by in French.

More on the word “content”

As mentioned, another word for happy is “content” (pronounced kɔ̃tɑ̃). “Content” also means happy but on a more superficial level. Another meaning of content is “satisfied”. Here are some example sentences:

Les enfants étaient très contents quand ils ont reçu les cadeaux.

The kids were very happy when they got the gifts.

This sentence uses the imperfect tense, which is a past tensed used for describing events. This page on our site covers the imperfect (imparfait) in detail .

Si t’es pas content, ne dit rien !

Don’t say anything if you’re not happy!

To express “being happy” for somebody, use “être content pour” . For example:

• Les parents sont très contents pour les jeunes mariés. The parents are very happy for the newlyweds.

Joyeux: Another word for happy in French

Another word for happy in French is “ joyeux “ (pronounced ʒwajø). The feminine form or this adjective “joyeuse” . Here are some example sentences:

Nous passons un moment joyeux ensembe.

We’re having a happy moment together.

The word “joyeux” is also use to mean “happy” for holidays. For example, “Joyeux Noël” means “Merry Christmas”. This page on our site covers how to say Merry Christmas in French in detail .

Other usages of the word “heureux”

The word “heureux” has several other usages or meanings including favorable, lucky, joyous and simply “good”. Here are some examples including all of these meanings.

• Notre pays a profité d’heureuses circonstances. Our country has benefited from favorable circumstances.
• Quel heureuse femme ! T’as vu son mari ? What a lucky woman! Did you see her husband?
• Nous passons une heureuse journée ensemble. We’re spending a joyous day together.
• J’avoue que ma décision n’était pas très heureuse. I admit that my decision wasn’t very good.

French expressions containing “heureux”

French has lots of fun expressions which contain the word “heureux” . We’ll look at some of them below.

• Attendre un heureux événement = to be expecting a baby (literally: to wait for a happy event)
• Couler des jours heureux = to enjoy life
• Un heureux élu, une heureuse élue = a lucky person
• Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour = lucky at cards, unlucky in love
• Être heureux en ménage = to be happily married
• Ça fera des heureux = it will make somebody happy
• Il en faut peu pour être heureux = a little big goes a long way
• vivre heureux = to live happily, to be happy with life

Congratulations! Now you know how to say happy in French and know the difference between heureux and content . Now you can check our lesson covering how to say happy birthday in French !

Sharing is caring!

Affiliate disclosure: Below you will find affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To learn more please visit our full disclosure page . Merci!

Read our full review of À Moi Paris and find out why we love it so much!

Read our full review of French Verb Drills and find out why we recommend this course!

David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on his site, FrenchLearner.com, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.

See all posts by David Issokson

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Translation of journey – English–French dictionary

(Translation of journey from the GLOBAL English-French Dictionary © 2016 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Translation of journey | PASSWORD English-French Dictionary

(Translation of journey from the PASSWORD English-French Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Examples of journey

Translations of journey.

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

pollen count

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

a measurement of the amount of pollen in the air

Varied and diverse (Talking about differences, Part 1)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• GLOBAL English–French    Noun
• PASSWORD English–French    Noun Verb
• Translations
• All translations

To add journey to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add journey to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

• Get 14 Days Free
• Video Dictionary

How to say "happy" in French

Clickable Example Sentences

Video examples.

Browse other useful French words and phrases

Learn a language with music videos, movie scenes, inspiring talks, and more.

Want to unlock thousands of video lessons?

French translation of 'happily'

Examples of 'happily' in a sentence happily

Trends of happily

View usage for: All Years Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

Browse alphabetically happily

• happenstance
• Happy birthday!
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'H'

Related terms of happily

• to be happily married
• and they all lived happily ever after

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

• Look up in Linguee
• Suggest as a translation of "happiness"

Linguee Apps

▾ dictionary english-french, happiness noun —, bonheur m (often used), pursuit of happiness n —, personal happiness n —, true happiness n —, lasting happiness n —, pure happiness n —, human happiness n —, feelings of happiness pl —, feeling of happiness n —, inner happiness n —, great happiness n —, marital happiness n —, real happiness n —, happiness at work n —, simple happiness n —, full happiness n —, perfect happiness n —, family happiness n —, absolute happiness n —, mutual happiness n —, married happiness n —, immense happiness n —, utter happiness n —, quest for happiness n —, happiness shared n —, shared happiness n —, happiness house prop.n —, common happiness n —, happy adj —, ▾ external sources (not reviewed).

• This is not a good example for the translation above.
• The wrong words are highlighted.
• It does not match my search.
• It should not be summed up with the orange entries
• The translation is wrong or of bad quality.