Say Good Night in French: Learning the Basics

Greeting people and knowing how to say goodbye correctly is one of the basics of the French language. Manners are highly valued in the country, so being attentive to others is a part of people’s mentality. Of course, sometimes it’s enough to say “bye,” but often you want to wish good night in French to your loved one or new acquaintance. It’s time to learn all the popular phrases that will come in handy. 

Let’s Start with the Common Phrases

Wishing good night to family, friends, and acquaintances is essential. Therefore, it’s one of the primary topics French learners should consider. Catch a selection of phrases that will be useful in this case:

• bonne nuit – good night;
• passez une bonne nuit – have a good night;
• je te souhaite une bonne nuit – I wish you a good night;
• j’ai passé une bonne journée, bonne nuit – I had a good day, good night;
• dormez bien – sleep tight;
• va te reposer – go to rest;
• dors bien – have a good sleep;
• à demain – until tomorrow. 

The above expressions are widely used, so you can take advantage of them on formal and informal occasions. You can even use them when talking to your co-workers, as they are suitable in all circumstances. However, most people usually wish good night to their family or friends. Of course, you can find more tender words for the close ones.

Good Night My Love in French: Useful Phrases for Close Ones

Most people want to remind their loved ones about their feelings, and cute ways to say goodnight are a great idea. Catch some phrases that may come in handy when you talk to your partner, child, or other family members:

• bonne nuit, mon amour – good night, my love;
• bonne nuit, je t’aime – good night, I love you;
• bonne nuit mon beau – good night, handsome;
• bonne nuit ma belle – good night, beautiful;
• bonne nuit mon chéri – good night, honey;
• bonne nuit, mon amie – good night, my friend;
• bonne nuit, les petits – good night, little ones;
• je rêverai de toi ce soir mon amour – I’ll dream of you tonight, my love;
• bonne nuit, l'amour de ma vie – good night, the love of my life;
• je suis épuisé, allons dormir – I’m exhausted, let’s go to sleep;
• dors bien, ma petite princesse – sleep well, my little princess;
• j'ai hâte de me réveiller à côté de toi – can’t wait to wake up next to you;
• je rêverai de toi – I’ll be dreaming of you;
• je rêverai de toi ce soir et je te verrai demain – I’ll dream of you tonight and see you tomorrow;
• va te coucher, tête endormie – go to bed, you sleepy head;
• je serai là demain matin – I’ll be right here tomorrow morning.

As you can see, it’s easy to be inventive in French. The language is rich, so keep in mind to replenish your vocabulary with lovely words. Using this method, you can come up with personal phrases for your loved ones and be creative when saying goodnight sweet dreams in French.

Of course, you can use the ready-made solutions from the above list. We are confident your family members, partners, and close people will be impressed with your deep knowledge and warm feelings towards them. No one will be left indifferent with such lovely words and pleasant wishes.

Unusual Ways to Say Goodnight in French

Of course, “bonne nuit” is a phrase that will be suitable on any occasion. However, sometimes, French learners want to be more inventive and dip into the language peculiarities. Therefore, they search for more rarely used words. Memorizing them is not mandatory, but you can take advantage of some. Native speakers will appreciate your deep language knowledge. Moreover, it’s a chance to understand Frenchmen better. Take a look at some unusual expressions:

• éteins le lumière – turn off the light;
• va mettre ton pyjama – put on your pajamas;
• c’est l’heure d’aller se coucher – it’s time to go to bed;
• je vais me coucher – I am going to bed;
• fais de beaux rêves – sweet dreams;
• dors avec les anges – sleep with angels;
• je te verrai au pays des rêves – I’ll see you in dreamland;
• il est temps de rêver – time to dream;
• commençons à compter les moutons – let’s start counting sheep;
• demain n'est pas assez tôt – tomorrow is not soon enough;
• fais des rêves de mer – have sea dreams;
• faire Dodo – go to bed (used for kids);
• je dois me lever tôt demain – I must wake up early tomorrow;
• tu as assez d’oreillers? – do you have enough pillows?;
• le suis crevé – I’m exhausted (slang);
• il est temps de chevaucher l'arc-en-ciel jusqu'au pays des rêves – time to ride the rainbow to dreamland;
• ne laissez pas les punaises de lit piquer – don’t let the bed bugs bite;
• que ta nuit soit aussi bonne que moi – may your night be as good as I am;
• puissiez-vous être à l'abri du fantôme sous votre lit – may you be safe from the ghost under your bed;
• dormez bien, n'oubliez pas de fermer les yeux – sleep tight, remember to close your eyes.

These are also widely common expressions, but you should avoid using them on formal occasions. However, using such funny and creative ways for your friends and family is a great idea. Now, you know how to say goodnight in French. And it’s time to move forward and learn even more useful phrases for daily usage.

Other Terms Related to Sleep

Besides wishing goodnight to your close people and acquaintances, you may be excited about familiarizing yourself with other useful expressions. Take a look at some:

• s’endormir – to fall asleep;
• je vais au lit – I’m going to bed;
• j’ai sommeil – I’m sleepy;
• je dors comme un bébé – I sleep like a baby;
• je dors à la belle étoile – I sleep under the stars;
• passer une nuit blanche – to stay awake;
• piquer un somme – to take a nap;
• je dors comme un sabot – I sleep like a hoof;
• dormir d’un sommeil de plomb – to sleep like a stone.

So, you can now answer the question “Avez-vous bien dormi?” meaning “Did you sleep well?” Use the above phrases when someone asks you. Another phrase is “Comment as-tu dormi?” translated as “How did you sleep?” The French language is rich, so many more expressions are suitable for different occasions.

Usage of Good Night Expressions in French

In English, people mostly use these words before going to bed; in other instances, they would rather say “goodbye” or “good evening.” Frenchmen have similar customs, so you won’t get confused. They wish to have a good night in French when they are about to sleep.

Frenchmen won’t say “bonne nuit” to someone leaving the office late. However, it’s only possible if your colleague is going to sleep right at their workplace. Instead, natives use “bonsoir” to say “hello” or “bye” late in the evening. Depending on the context, you can understand whether a person is greeting you or leaving. However, one word can be used on both occasions.

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Learn How to Say Goodnight with Promova

Studying any language independently is possible, but searching for the necessary materials may be challenging. Enjoying ready-made solutions like the Promova guided courses is much easier. Our platform allows students to start learning in the downloadable app or the web version. Installing the application is free, and you can immediately begin your interactive lessons developed by highly proficient tutors. Moreover, you can get a Premium subscription, which provides even more benefits for users.

The Promova app offers hundreds of French words to replenish your vocabulary and interactive quizzes to strengthen your language skills. Enjoy the guided courses, and you will be able to reach the desired fluency level. Regularity is the key, so we will provide you with new words and phrases daily.

Conclusion

Now you know how to say good night in French and will understand Frenchmen better. Use the above phrases to elaborate on sleep and enrich your lexicon with many helpful collocations. You can find many more topics on the Promova platform, so hurry up to join us and enjoy interactive learning.