bon voyage language of origin

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Definition of bon voyage

• congee
• good-by

Examples of bon voyage in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bon voyage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

French, literally, good journey!

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near bon voyage

Cite this entry.

“Bon voyage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bon%20voyage. Accessed 1 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of bon voyage.

French, literally, "good journey"

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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!

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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 .

How to Say Bon Voyage in Different Languages – A Comprehensive Guide

Embarking on a journey, whether it’s a vacation or a business trip, is filled with excitement and anticipation. One way to bid farewell to someone on this thrilling adventure is by saying “bon voyage.” However, if you want to add a touch of cultural flair to your goodbye, why not learn how to say “bon voyage” in different languages? In this guide, we’ll explore formal and informal ways of bidding someone farewell, along with some regional variations. So, let’s dive right into it!

French – The Classic Bon Voyage

Starting with the language of origin, in French, you can simply say “Bon voyage!” which means “Have a good trip!” This phrase is widely known and easily recognizable, making it suitable for both formal and informal situations.

Spanish – Hasta Luego

In Spanish-speaking countries, you can say “Hasta luego” to bid someone farewell before their journey. This is an informal expression that translates to “See you later.” It conveys the idea that you’ll reunite with the person once they return.

Italian – Buon Viaggio

Italy, known for its rich cultural heritage, offers the phrase “Buon viaggio” to wish someone a good trip. Whether you’re heading to the historical cities or exploring the beautiful countryside, this expression will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.

German – Gute Reise

When it comes to German, you can say “Gute Reise” to express your wishes for a good journey. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal situations, and it’s a polite way to say goodbye to someone who’s about to embark on an adventure.

Portuguese – Boa Viagem

Portuguese-speaking countries bid farewell with “Boa viagem.” This phrase carries the same meaning as “bon voyage” and is commonly used in Portugal, Brazil, and other Portuguese-speaking destinations.

Japanese – いってらっしゃい (Ittera sshai)

If you’re bidding farewell in Japan, “いってらっしゃい” (Ittera sshai) is the phrase to use. This expression is informal and literally means “Go and come back.” It shows your encouragement and well-wishes for a safe trip and a swift return.

Dutch – Goede Reis

In Dutch, you can say “Goede reis” to wish someone a good journey. This phrase is commonly used in the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking regions, and it’s suitable for both formal and informal situations.

Swahili – Safari njema

Traveling to East Africa? In Swahili, you can say “Safari njema” to wish someone a good journey. This phrase is commonly used in Kenya, Tanzania, and other Swahili-speaking countries. It expresses your well-wishes for a safe and pleasant trip.

Informal and Regional Variations

When it comes to informal ways of saying “bon voyage,” the possibilities are endless. Informal expressions often vary within regions, and locals might have their own unique phrases to bid farewell. It’s always great to ask the locals for their colloquial ways of saying goodbye.

For example, in informal New York City English, you might say “Take it easy” or “Have a blast!” to wish someone luck on their trip. In Australian English, the phrase “Have a good one” is a common expression used to say goodbye casually.

Remember, when using informal expressions, it’s essential to consider the context and your relationship with the person you’re bidding farewell. What may be acceptable among friends might not be appropriate in a professional setting.

As you embark on your next adventure, take the opportunity to bid farewell to your loved ones using different languages. Whether you opt for the classic “Bon voyage” in French or explore other cultural expressions, your well-wishes will undoubtedly make the departure more memorable. Remember to consider the formality of the situation and choose the appropriate phrase accordingly. So, whether it’s “Buon viaggio,” “Gute Reise,” or “Safari njema,” say goodbye to someone with a touch of cultural elegance!

Safe travels and bon voyage!

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How to Say "Bon Voyage" in English: Formal and Informal Ways

When bidding farewell to someone embarking on a journey or wishing them well on their travels, it is customary to express your sentiments through phrases like "bon voyage." However, if English is your preferred language of choice, you may find yourself wondering about the best translation. In this guide, we'll explore different ways to say "bon voyage" in English, covering both formal and informal options. We'll also provide various tips and examples to assist you in finding the perfect phrase for the occasion.

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Bon voyage / have a good journey in many languages

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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.

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

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Bon Voyage: French Vocabulary Explained

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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
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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

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[ bon voi- ahzh ; French baw n vw a - yazh ]

interjection

• (have a) pleasant trip.

/ bɔ̃ vwajaʒ /

sentence substitute

• a phrase used to wish a traveller a pleasant journey

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Word history and origins.

Origin of bon voyage 1

Example Sentences

Next morning there were more autograph books and several wireless messages from intimate friends wishing me bon voyage.

Thus an account of them seems to round it off fitly with a "Bon voyage" to every one.

Soon after this he shook hands all around and wished them bon voyage in their trip to Lindsleyville.

Fifteen minutes later he returned with a kettle of his favourite nepenthe and all three adventurers drank to a bon voyage home.

The obliging Frenchman gave her every assistance, and bade her bon voyage smilingly as he helped her aboard the train.

Definition of 'bon voyage'

bon voyage in American English

Bon voyage in british english, examples of 'bon voyage' in a sentence bon voyage, trends of bon voyage.

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Definition of bon voyage exclamation from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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• Meaning of bon voyage

bon voyage ( English)

Origin & history, interjection.

• Used to wish someone a good journey .

bon voyage ( French)

• see bon voyage (English) , have a good journey, have a good trip.

Automatically generated practical examples in English:

Tom accompanied Mary to the station to say bon voyage . Tatoeba.org Sentence 5899234

It was 32 years ago when my mother, Ann Russell Miller, threw a combination 61st birthday and bon voyage party in the grand ballroom of a San Francisco hotel. The Guardian, 24 October 2021

Her brother, Mayk De Armas, paid tribute to her on social media, saying: “No more pain, bon voyage . The Sun, 14 October 2023

▾  Dictionary entries

Entries where "bon voyage" occurs:

voyage : …of voyager (first-person singular present subjunctive) Inflection of voyager (third-person singular present subjunctive) Inflection of voyager (second-person singular imperative) Related words & phrases bon voyage voyageur voyagiste Anagrams…

éirí : …erection Derived words & phrases aiséirí Verb éirí Inflection of éirigh (present subjunctive)    go n-éirí an bóthar leat‎ May the journey be successful for you (popularly mistranslated as "May the road rise to meet you")…

góða ferð : góða ferð (Faroese) Phrase góða ferð! have a good trip! góða ferð (Icelandic) Phrase góða ferð! have a good trip!, bon voyage !

resa : …example: audio Origin & history I Noun resa (common gender) a travel, a journey    lycklig resa!    bon voyage ! good journey! a trip    fängelse andra resan    serving time in jail for the second time Related words…

selamat jalan : selamat jalan (Indonesian) Interjection selamat jalan bon voyage Usage Use selamat tinggal when you are leaving another person, or selamat jalan if the other person is leaving. (selamat tinggal is like "have a good life"; selamat jalan is "have a good journey".)…

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abranchiata , fertiger

voyage (n.)

c. 1300, from Old French voiage "travel, journey, movement, course, errand, mission, crusade" (12c., Modern French voyage ), from Late Latin viaticum "a journey" (in classical Latin "provisions for a journey"), noun use of neuter of viaticus "of or for a journey," from via "road, journey, travel" (see via ).

voyage (v.)

late 15c., from Old French voyager , from voiage (see voyage (n.)). Related: Voyaged ; voyaging .

Entries linking to voyage

1779, from Latin via "by way of," ablative form of via "way, road, path, highway, channel, course" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle," which is also the source of English way (n.)).

1670s, French, "pleasant journey," from bon "good," (see bon ) + voyage (see voyage (n.)).

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Dictionary entries near voyage

voyeuristic

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Meaning of bon voyage in English

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• acciaccatura
• pas de deux
• the Internationale
• vivacissimo

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

• Flora's voice wished me " bon voyage " in a most friendly but tremulous tone.  
• He wished us bon voyage, removed his hand, and we were off.  
• It's best to say 'good-bye' and 'bon voyage' right here.  
• Numerous devoted friends were on hand to say good bye and "bon voyage", but they were permitted only on the dock.  
• There was a short drive to the river amid polite calls of "good-bye" and " bon voyage," and there lay the Mayflower, like a great white bird with comfortably folded wings.  

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How Do You Say BON VOYAGE in Italian?

Is someone you know going on a trip? Perhaps even to Italy? Say buon viaggio to wish them bon voyage in Italian! 

Table of Contents

BON VOYAGE AND BUON VIAGGIO

Buon viaggio means have a good trip or have a good journey in Italian, just like bon voyage does in French. Buon means good in Italian, and viaggio means trip or journey , so buon viaggio literally means good trip , or good journey . 

In French, bon means good , and voyage means trip/journey , so the French bon voyage has the same construction and meaning as the Italian buon viaggio .

The pronunciation of buon viaggio is: boo-OHN vee-AH-jee-oh

Listen to how to pronounce buon viaggio here:

A: Domani vado in Spagna. Tomorrow I’m going to Spain. B: Davvero? Buon viaggio! Really? Bon voyage!

ANOTHER WAY TO SAY BON VOYAGE IN ITALIAN

You can also tell someone to explicitly have a good trip by using the Italian verb fare in the imperative form ( l’imperativo ), otherwise known as the command form. Fare means to make or to do , as well as to have in this context.

Fai buon viaggio! means Have a good trip! in the informal singular you form. Use it when speaking to someone you know well.

Faccia buon viaggio! means Have a good trip! in the formal singular you form. Use it when speaking to someone you don’t know well, an elder, or someone with superior social status.

Fate buon viaggio! means Have a good trip! in the plural you form. Use it when speaking to a group. 

USING THE WORD BUON

Buon isn’t just for trips! You can use the Italian word buon , or good , in a variety of situations, like to wish people a good day, a good weekend, a good vacation, a happy birthday , happy holidays , and much more. 

Here are some examples:

In English, when we tell someone to have a good trip we often mean their whole vacation, not just the part when they are traveling. In Italian, buon viaggio refers to the journey part, when the person is traveling to their destination. If you’d like to give someone best wishes for their entire vacation, say buona vacanza , or buone ferie .

A SONG ABOUT BON VOYAGE! IN ITALIAN

The Italian singer-songwriter Cesare Cremonini’s 2015 hit Buon Viaggio (Share the Love), or Bon Voyage , encourages us to gather our courage to take that trip, no matter where it takes us. 

Buon ascolto! Happy listening!

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What’s Italian for “bon voyage”?

27th June 2023

Ever wondered what to say in Italian for “bon voyage”? Learn exactly how to wish someone a good trip in Italian, as well as other useful phrases for travelling.

Listen to the episode :

Imagine setting off for an exciting holiday - to Italy perhaps, to practise your Italian. 

As you’re leaving, your friends and family might say bon voyage! 

In English we borrow this French expression that literally means: “good trip”. But what’s Italian for bon voyage ? 

Wait for it…

BUON VIAGGIO!

It’s remarkably similar to the French expression: bon ( buon ), voyage ( viaggio ).

In this post, you’ll learn how to use and pronounce buon viaggio like a native, and pick up a few more phrases that follow this structure, too.

When to use buon viaggio: Italian for “bon voyage”

I’m leaving for Italy!

Buon viaggio!

Gotta go, I’ve a plane to catch!

In a similar way to “bon voyage” you can use this word to wish someone well as they’re leaving to go on a trip. If someone says this to you, you can say grazie (thanks) in response.

How to pronounce buon viaggio

To pronounce buon viaggio just like the Italians do, there are a couple of common mistakes you should avoid. 

Let’s start with buon. It sounds a bit like BWON. Not BON (like in the French “bon voyage”). You need to make a W sound with your lips after the B. Let’s give that a practise:

B-Wo… B-Wo… B-Wo… B-Won… B-Won… Bwon… Buon!

Alternatively, start with the number: “one”, and then add a “b” sound in front:

One… one… b-one… b-one… b-one… buon!

Then there’s viaggio. The trickiest parts are the two “i”s. The first one is like a Y sound: VYA. 

Attenzione! It’s not “Via” as in “viaduct”. 

To get this right, try saying “ya”, like the first part of “yak”, but without the “k”. 

Yak… yak… ya… ya…

Then add a “V” sound to the beginning:

Vyak… vyak… vya… vya…

The second “i” is not pronounced. Instead it turns the “g” into a soft “j” sound, like the “j” in the name “Joe”. To say the last part, just say “Joe” but shorten the vowel sound. Not a long “oh” sound, but a short, sharp “o”.

Joe… joe… joe... jo’...  jo’...  gio… gio!

Finally, since there’s a double -gg- sound, remember to hold that consonant just a little longer. Really take your time with it, and enjoy the sound. Viaggggio.

You might find it helps to imagine a little pause between the two ggs: viag-gio

Let’s put it all together:

B-won vyag-gio… bwon vyag-gio… bwon vyag-gio… buon viaggio!

So, now you know how to say buon viaggio, let’s talk about how this phrase works. Once you understand the logic behind it, you can use it to say lots of different things in Italian! 

How does this expression work?

When you think about the literal meaning, it could sound a little strange. 

Buon -  good 

Viaggio -  trip 

If you didn’t say “bon voyage” in English, you’d have to say “have a good trip” - a whole sentence. 

In Italian though, you don’t need those extra words. It works just like the English phrase “good luck!” You don’t need to say “have good luck”, it’s just “good luck”. In the same way, Italians just say buon viaggio. Good trip. 

Perhaps you’ve also noticed that it’s buon and not buono. Normally, to say something is good, Italians say buono:

Il caffè è buono - The coffee is good.

But with this expression, buono changes to buon.

Buon viaggio! - Have a good trip!

When buono goes before the word, like in this expression, buono changes to buon.

Here are some more examples: 

Buon lavoro - Have a good day at work (good work)

Buon sabato - Have a good Saturday (good saturday)

In this next section you’ll learn more phrases that work in a similar way.

Other phrases like buon viaggio

Once you understand how buon viaggio works, you’ll start hearing other expressions that work in a similar way all the time in Italian. 

For example, when someone is leaving for a trip, in Italian you can also say:

Buone vacanze!

Here we have buone, rather than buon, because vacanze is plural in Italian. Can you guess what vacanze are literally? It closely resembles its English meaning: “vacation”. 

Buone vacanze! - Have a good vacation! 

Alternatively, if someone is going back home rather than setting off on their trip, then you can say:

Buon rientro!

That means “have a good trip back”, literally “good return”. You can see that the word rientro looks a bit like “re-entry”, if that helps you remember it.

What about another French expression we know in English? As you’re sitting down for dinner, you might hear someone say “bon appetit” - but how would Italians say this? Just like with “bon voyage”, it’s quite similar to the French:

Buon appetito!

Just remember when you wish someone a good meal in Italian to really pronounce the double “p”s of appetito: ap-petito.  

Do you feel you’re getting the hang of these “ buon…” expressions? There are lots. On the subject of food, if your friend is about to go and eat or drink something, you could wish them: 

Buon pranzo! - Have a nice lunch! 

Buon caffè! - Have a nice coffee! 

Buona cena! - Have a nice dinner! 

Buona pizza! - Have a nice pizza! 

Notice that in the last two, we say buona ending in -a because cena and pizza are feminine words. 

After a meal, if you’re on holiday in Italy, and you’re going out for a stroll around town, Italians might say:

The meaning is “have a nice walk”, although literally a giro is a “turn”. Perhaps you can imagine the connection between making a “turn” and wandering around? You can enjoy un giro especially when you’re wandering around a city you don’t know so well.

Or if you’re tired out and off to bed for a rest, they might say:

Buon riposo!

The meaning is: “have a good rest”. 

…and the list could go on. As you can probably tell, you can apply this structure to many words in Italian to wish someone well in any kind of situation, whether it’s a trip: buon viaggio, or a meal: buon appetito.

Now you know how to wish someone buon viaggio , as well as many other phrases. Not only that, you understand what it means, and hopefully how to get the pronunciation right too.

If you want to test your knowledge of what you’ve learned, then check out our quiz below.

Good luck! Buona fortuna!

What’s Italian for “bon voyage”: Review

Looking to refresh your memory? Here’s a quick summary of the main points you learned in this lesson: 

The Italian for “bon voyage” is buon viaggio. 

The first word is buon - which sounds like BWON, with a “W” sound after the “B” . 

The second word is viaggio - here, watch out for the two “i” sounds. 

• At the beginning ( via ), don’t say VIA, say VYA. 
• At the end, ( gio ), don’t say JEE-OH, say JO - like the first part of the name “Joe”. 

And remember to pause on the double G: viag-gio.

Finally, you learned some other phrases that work in a similar way:  

• Buone vacanze (good holidays)
• Buon rientro (good return trip)
• Buon appetito (bon appetit - enjoy your meal)

Can you remember any others? Feel free to check back through the last section to see the rest, then head over to our quiz to test your memory!

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Vocabulary: What’s Italian for “bon voyage” ?

buone vacanze = good holidays / have a good vacation buon pranzo = good lunch / have a nice lunch buona cena = good dinner / have a nice dinner buon caffè= good coffee / have a nice coffee buona pizza = good pizza / have a nice pizza buon giro = good walk / have a nice walk buon riposo = good rest / have a good rest arrivare = to arrive prima di = before cucinare = to cook mangiare = to eat partire = to leave buon viaggio = bon voyage / have a good trip buon appetito = bon appetit / enjoy your meal buon rientro = good return / have a good return trip

Quiz : What’s Italian for “bon voyage” ?

How much did you learn? Find out in the quiz!

Click here to take the quiz for this episode: What's Italian for "bon voyage"?

Flashcards: What’s Italian for “bon voyage” ?

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Not sure how it works?  Click here to watch the tutorial

Transcript: What’s Italian for “bon voyage” ?

Please note, this is not a word for word transcript.

K: Ciao a tutti e benvenuti! Hi everyone and welcome to “Learn Italian with Joy of Languages”. Before we get started, did you notice? We’re celebrating our 100th episode! 

M: Sììììììì!!!! 

K: Grazie a tutti! Thank you for learning Italian with us and supporting this podcast. 

M: We hope you’ve learned a lot over the last 100 episodes, and we can’t wait for you to learn more in the next 100! 

K: And we have a prize to celebrate. The doors to our online Italian school open this September 

M: And we’re giving away a 4-month subscription to one lucky student! 

K: To enter, all you need to do is join our online Italian school mailing list. To find out more about the online school and join our mailing list, click the link in the description, or go to courses.joyoflanguages.com/online-italian-school. 

M: We’ll let the winner know on September 1st 2023. After a few months of learning Italian in our school, you’ll be ready for your next trip to Italy. And speaking of which, today, we’re talking about how to wish someone a nice trip. 

K: In English, we sometimes use the French phrase, bon voyage. What’s bon voyage in Italian? 

M: Buon viaggio (x 3)

K: So as you can hear, it’s quite similar to the French one. We have: 

M: Buon 

K: Which means “good”, and: 

K: Which means “trip” or “journey”. But how exactly do we use it? Matteo goes to Naples quite a lot, and this is a typical phone conversation we might have when he’s due to come back that day. As you listen, can you spot the expression buon viaggio , or any others that sound similar?

K: A che ora arrivi? 

M: Alle 8:00

K: Cucino qualcosa? 

M: Nooooo, mangio un'altra pizza prima di partire. 

K: Certo! Allora buon appetito. E buon viaggio! 

K: At the end, you heard our expression buon viaggio. But what did the rest of the conversation mean? First, we’ll break it down word for word, then you’ll learn how to use and pronounce the phrase buon viaggio, just like Italians do. 

I asked Matteo: 

M: A che ora arrivi? 

K: What time do you arrive? Literally: 

arrivi ? - you arrive?

K: And he replied: 

M: Alle 8:00 - at 8 o’clock. 

K: And if you need some help telling the time in Italian, you can check out episode 31.

Next I asked: 

M: Cucino qualcosa?  

K: Shall I cook something? Literally: 

Cucino - I cook

Qualcosa - something

K: An extra thing to notice here is how we often use the present tense to talk about the future in Italian: 

K: I’ll cook, literally “I cook”. Matteo doesn’t seem very enthusiastic about this idea… 

M: Noooo, mangio un’altra pizza prima di partire . 

K: No, I’ll eat another pizza before leaving. Literally:

mangio - I eat

un’altra - another

pizza - pizza

prima di - before

partire - parting

K: To say “before doing something”, it’s

M: Prima di

K: You need that extra di in Italian that doesn’t appear in English. Before leaving: 

M: Prima di partire

K: Notice how “leaving”, partire sounds a lot like “part”

M: Partire. Prima di partire. 

K: Unbelievable. I offered to cook for Matteo, but he decided he’d prefer to have another pizza in Naples rather than face my cooking. Understandable really, I’d do the same. 

M: Eh, sì. 

K: In fact, I replied: 

M: Certo! 

K: Of course! 

Allora - well

buon appetito - bon appetit, literally “good appetite”. 

K: Here’s another French phrase we sometimes use in English: bon appetit. Which is like saying: “have a good meal”, or “enjoy your meal”. In Italian once again it’s:

M: Buon appetito

K: Notice how the double P sound is much longer in Italian.

M: ap-petito

K: You’ve got to really enjoy that P sound!

K: Here we see this structure with buon. In Italian, we don’t say “have a good meal” or “enjoy your meal”. 

M: In Italian, it’s really simple. We just say “good”, buon!  

K: So to say “have a good meal”, or “enjoy your meal”, we literally say “good appetite”

M: Buon appetito!

K: Finally I said:

M: E buon viaggio

K: And have a good journey

Buon - good

Viaggio - trip

K: Another structure with “buon”. To say have a good journey, or enjoy your journey, we literally say “good journey”: 

M: Buon viaggio! 

K: Let’s move onto pronunciation, because there are a couple of details to pay close attention to. First, there’s:

K: It sounds like there’s a W sound there: 

M: B-www-on

K: Not like “bon” of the French “bon voyage”. In Italian, it’s:

K: To say this word correctly, try saying “one”, as in the number “one”:

K: And then add a B sound before it: B-one, b-one, b-one… then get fast… bb-one… b-one… b-one… buon, buon, buon!

M: Buon (x 3)

K: Then we had viaggio, which has two unusual “i” sounds. Viaggio is spelt: V - I - A - G - G - I - O.  The first I, directly after “v” is like a “y”

K: Imagine you’re saying “yak”, as in the big hairy animal: “Yak”. Then cut the “k” off the end, “ya”, “ya”, then add a “v” sound to the beginning. Vya, Vya, Vya…

M: Vya (x 3)

K: The “v” kind of slides into the “a” sound. It doesn’t make two syllables, like “via”. It’s just “vya”.

M: Vya 

K: The last part of the word is spelt G - I - O.  This second “i” sound, after the “g”, actually isn’t pronounced. It just makes the “g” a soft “j” sound, like in the word job. In fact, to say the last part of viaggio, try saying the word “job”.Then remove the b. Job, job, job, jo, jo, jo.

K: Another common pronunciation mistake is to say Joe, with a long oh sound. In Italian, it’s gio. 

M: gio. 

K: The last common mistake is to pronounce the “i” and say JEE-OH. But actually it’s JO. 

M: Giò (x 3)

K: Let’s try and say the whole word together: viaggio. 

M: viaggio (x 3)  

K: The last thing to bear in mind is the double “g” consonant. Just like the “p” of 

M: appetito

K: You should linger on the “g” sound:

M: viag-gio

K: You can even think of it like a little pause in between the two g-g’s. That often helps. 

M: viag-gio (x 3)

K: Let’s put it all together!

M: Buon viaggio (x3)

K: Perfect! Thanks Matteo, it’s always good to have you back, once you’ve had your fill of pizzas… 

M: Ah, yes when someone’s coming back from holiday you can also say buon rientro

K: Like “good return”, literally.

M: Buon rientro (x 3)

K: There are actually loads of phrases that work just like buon viaggio. Do you remember the other one we heard today?

K: And now also: M: Buon rientro

K: You can learn more of these over on the blog, but first, let’s listen to the conversation one more time:

K: So, now you know how to say buon viaggio , as well as a few other phrases!

M: And it’s not just buon viaggio and buon appetito. You can use this kind of expression in many contexts in Italian. 

K: If you’re curious to learn a few more of these expressions with buon, don’t miss our blog post on this topic. There, you’ll also see everything from this lesson written down, and get bonus materials, like vocabulary cards and a quiz. Head over to our website, joyoflanguages.com/italianpodcast and search for [episode 100]. 

M: Ah, and don’t forget the prize for our 100th episode! 

K: Our online Italian school is opening in September, and you can find out more by going to courses.joyoflanguages.com/online-italian-school/ or clicking on the link in the description. And if you join our newsletter, you’ll also be in with a chance of winning a 4-month subscription, from September to December. 

M - See you next time.

K - Or as we say in Italian.

Alla prossima!

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Bellissimo!

English-Language Thoughts

Bon voyage.

Or perhaps buon viaggio would be more appropriate, considering that when this is published, I’ll be on a flight from Dublin to Rome for a few days of well-earned rest. So you won’t hear from me for about a week or so, but rest assured my immersion in Italian will give me lots of fresh ideas to write about!

For now, let’s think about how we’d say bon voyage in English. Well, bon voyage of course, we’ve borrowed it from French . Or you could say have a nice trip , or safe journey , but you probably wouldn’t use the word voyage (the English word, not French), would you?

Not unless someone was going on a cruise, because while viaggio and voyage in Italian and French respectively can mean journey or trip , voyage in English only refers to a lengthy voyage by sea (or space !) All three words can be traced back to the Latin viaticum , meaning provisions for a journey, but in English the word ended up becoming more specific.

Still, not too specific, because as I mentioned earlier, we can also refer to a journey through space as a voyage ( These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise… ) A voyage in a space ship , no less. Why do we use nautical terminology to refer to space travel?

I think it’s mainly because when people first started to conceive of voyaging in space in early science fiction, sea travel was still the only way to effectively travel long distances, so it seemed natural to use the same terminology to refer to travelling the vast distances of outer space. And after we developed air travel, sea travel seemed so much slower, so it was logical to use the same language to refer to even lengthier space travel. Plus, space just feels more like the sea, with its vast stretches of featureless expanse, without anything solid underneath you.

Just a little thought before I embark on my journey. Have fun while I’m away, and see you soon!

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[…] this this evening because recently I’ve been reading a Batman comic book that I bought while on holiday in Italy, to get some Italian reading practice. Obviously Batman is called Batman, though I’m […]

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