When we wish someone “ bonne chance” in French, we’re acknowledging that the outcome will depend largeley on pure luck or other uncontrollable factors. This expression implies that the person doesn’t really have control over the difficult situation they are about to face. In contrast to the multiple possible translations of “ bon courage,” “ bonne chance” almost always means “ good luck” in English. Hang in there, it’s almost the weekend. – See you later, my difficult class is starting. You’ve got this!įinally, there is a shorter way to express this French expression, by simply saying “ courage.” This abbreviation can be used exactly the same way as the full phrase, and is not necessarily any more informal. This cultural shift in the use of bon courage persists even now that the pandemic has subsided: it remains common for French people to wish our cashiers bon courage as we take our groceries and walk away, wishing them continued courage and strength. While most citizens were obliged to quarantine themselves at home during months of confinement, service workers were suddenly put at high risk of catching the virus by interacting with so many people every day. Godspeed!ĭuring the Covid-19 pandemic, “ bon courage” actually became the default way for the French people to thank the so-called frontline workers such as grocery store employees and nurses. In four weeks I’ll arrive in Santiago de Compostela! / Have a great trip. Dans quatre semaines j’arriverai à Compostelle ! / Bon voyage, et bon courage ! – It’s finally time to start hiking on this big trek. C’est enfin le moment du départ sur ce gros trek.– She’s still bothering me, I don’t know what to do anymore. Elle continue à me gêner, je ne sais plus quoi faire.Additionally, using the phrase in this way also imparts a sense of commiseration. Similarly, “ bon courage” can also be translated into English as “ hang in there” or even serve as an equivalent for the archaic English expression “ godspeed.” In this context, it expresses much the same as above: a verbal expression of support as the person you’re speaking to faces a difficult challenge, albeit one that they can overcome with their own effort and motivation. Vous êtes à plus de la moitié de la course ! Bon courage ! – You’re over halfway through the race! You’ve got this!.That’s intimidating, but you can do it! Bon courage ! – I’m starting my new job tomorrow. Tu revois ton ex ce soir ? Bon courage avec cette conversation difficile, mon pôte ! – You’re seeing your ex tonight? Good luck with the difficult conversation, my friend!īon courage can also acknowledge the role of the person’s continued effort in their success, as in “ you’re doing great,” “ you’ve got this,” or even “ you can do it.” Similar to the uses described above, the emphasis in this context is placed on the person’s active involvement in their fortune: the operative word in each English equivalent is “you.”.Je vous souhaite bon courage et une bonne réussite sur l’examen ! – I wish you all the best of luck and full success on the test!.Demain, c’est ton grand entretien d’embauche ! Bon courage ! – Tomorrow is your big job interview! Best wishes!.In these contexts, the equivalent English expression could be “ good luck,” “ best of luck,” or “ best wishes.” (Note that “bon courage” is reserved for encouragement, whereas for wishing congratulations on occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, the equivalent expression for “best wishes” in French is “meilleurs vœux.”) It’s common to bid someone bon courage before they take an important test or sit for an interview. It indicates that you believe this person can accomplish the task in question, but that their success is dependent on their effort. You’ll use bon courage when wishing someone luck as they embark on a task that will be hard work, but that they are fully capable of doing. It is just as suitable in formal and informal situations. It’s a relatively general phrase with a few different English equivalents, appropriate in many different situations and contexts. The phrase “ bon courage” in English literally translates to “good courage,” and is usually used in this context of wishing someone encouragement. In this post, we’ll explain exactly when to use bon courage vs bonne chance, while examining the important distinctions between each of them. In other words, it comes down to whether they have some power over the situation, or whether they are reliant on luck itself. The main difference between these two phrases is the amount of influence the person has over what awaits them. When wishing someone good luck in French, you may have heard the phrase “ bon courage !” Other times, you’ve heard “ bonne chance !” While both of these phrases indeed mean “ good luck,” there are some important differences between them that you should know before sending someone off with your best wishes in French.
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