Félicitations is the most common way to say “congratulations” in French. It can be used in both formal and informal settings to congratulate someone on happy news, an achievement, or good luck.
Some other ways to express congratulations in French:
- Toutes mes félicitations! (All my congratulations!)
- Mes plus sincères félicitations! (My most sincere congratulations!)
- Je te félicite! (I congratulate you!)
- Félicitations, c’est formidable! (Congratulations, that’s wonderful!)
- Bravo! (Bravo!)
- Chapeau! (Hats off! – an informal way to say “well done”)
When congratulating someone, it’s also nice to specify what you are congratulating them for. For example:
- Félicitations pour ton nouveau travail! (Congratulations on your new job!)
- Félicitations pour tes fiançailles! (Congratulations on your engagement!)
In a formal setting like a work promotion, it would be appropriate to say:
- Je vous félicite pour votre promotion au poste de directeur. (I congratulate you on your promotion to director.)
In an informal setting with friends, you can keep it simple:
- Félicitations pour cette super nouvelle! (Congratulations on this great news!)
No matter what the occasion, congratulations in French are sure to be well received!
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ToggleHow do you wish someone well or say “best wishes” in French?
There are several nice ways to wish someone well or convey best wishes in French:
- Je te/vous souhaite le meilleur. (I wish you the best.)
- Mes meilleurs vœux! (My best wishes!)
- Je te/vous souhaite bonne chance! (I wish you good luck!)
- Je croise les doigts pour toi/vous! (I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!)
- Je pense à toi/vous! (Thinking of you!)
- Je te/vous envoie toutes mes pensées positives! (I’m sending you all my positive thoughts!)
You can make the wishes more specific by mentioning the situation or event:
- Je te souhaite bon courage pour ton examen! (I wish you good luck on your exam!)
- Mes meilleurs vœux pour ta nouvelle vie en France! (My best wishes for your new life in France!)
For major life events like a wedding, birth of a child, graduation, or retirement, you can say:
- Je vous souhaite beaucoup de bonheur dans votre mariage! (I wish you much happiness in your marriage!)
- Félicitations pour le bébé! Je vous souhaite le meilleur dans cette nouvelle aventure! (Congratulations on the baby! I wish you the best in this new adventure!)
No matter the situation, wishing someone well in French shows you care and are thinking of them during an important moment in their life.
What is a good phrase to express shared joy or happiness for someone else’s good news in French?
There are many wonderful French phrases to express sharing in someone else’s joy and happiness over good news:
- Je suis tellement heureux/heureuse pour toi! (I’m so happy for you!)
- Je me réjouis de cette excellente nouvelle avec toi! (I’m rejoicing in this great news with you!)
- Quelle merveilleuse nouvelle, ça me rend heureux/heureuse de te voir si content(e)! (What wonderful news, it makes me happy to see you so pleased!)
You can also use “nous” (we) to express sharing in the happiness:
- Nous sommes heureux ensemble pour cette belle nouvelle! (We are happy together for this great news!)
- Réjouissons-nous de ce bonheur! (Let’s rejoice in this happiness!)
To emphasize you are celebrating together, you can say:
- Je suis heureux/heureuse de fêter ça avec toi! (I’m happy to celebrate this with you!)
- Célébrons cette réussite ensemble! (Let’s celebrate this accomplishment together!)
Or highlight your shared emotions:
- Je ressens la même joie que toi en apprenant cette nouvelle. (I feel the same joy you do upon hearing this news.)
- Ton bonheur est contagieux! (Your happiness is contagious!)
No matter what phrase you use, conveying shared joy and celebrating good news together creates a wonderful bonding experience in French or any language!
How do you say “I’m excited for you” in French?
There are many great ways to express excitement and shared happiness for someone else’s good news in French:
- Je suis excité(e) pour toi! (I’m excited for you!)
- Je suis impatient(e) de te voir réaliser ça! (I’m impatient to see you achieve this!)
- Quelle nouvelle enthousiasmante, je suis tellement content(e) pour toi! (What exciting news, I’m so happy for you!)
You can use “enthousiaste” (enthusiastic) instead of “excité(e)” for a similar meaning:
- Je suis enthousiaste pour toi! (I’m enthusiastic for you!)
- Je suis enthousiaste de voir ce que cette opportunité t’apportera! (I’m enthusiastic to see what this opportunity will bring you!)
To emphasize you can’t wait to hear how things unfold, you can say:
- J’ai hâte d’entendre comment ça évoluera pour toi! (I can’t wait to hear how this will evolve for you!)
- Tiens-moi au courant de ce qu’il se passera ensuite! (Keep me posted on what happens next!)
Or to convey eagerness and impatience in an informal way:
- Je trépigne d’impatience pour toi! (I’m trembling with impatience for you!)
- Je suis sur des charbons ardents, tellement je suis excité(e) par cette nouvelle! (I’m on hot coals, I’m so excited by this news!)
No matter how you phrase it, sharing in someone’s excitement over good news in French shows you genuinely care about their happiness!
What is a good French phrase to celebrate a friend’s success?
Here are some great ways to celebrate a friend’s success in French:
- Félicitations, je suis très fier/fière de toi! (Congratulations, I’m very proud of you!)
- Bravo pour cette brillante réussite! (Bravo for this brilliant success!)
- Je savais que tu pouvais le faire, je suis tellement content(e) pour toi! (I knew you could do it, I’m so happy for you!)
To recognize their hard work and achievement, you can say:
- Toutes ces heures de travail ont payé, bravo! (All those hours of work paid off, congratulations!)
- Ton talent et tes efforts ont été récompensés, c’est génial! (Your talent and efforts have been rewarded, that’s amazing!)
To celebrate together, you can invite them out:
- C’est une occasion à fêter! On va au restaurant ce soir? (It’s an occasion to celebrate! Shall we go to a restaurant tonight?)
- Une telle réussite mérite d’être célébrée en grand, je t’emmène faire la fête! (Such an accomplishment deserves a big celebration, I’m taking you out to party!)
Or offer to toast their success:
- Laisse-moi t’offrir un verre pour célébrer ça comme il se doit! (Let me buy you a drink to celebrate this properly!)
- Je lève mon verre à ton succès bien mérité! (I raise my glass to your well-deserved success!)
No matter how you phrase it, celebrating a friend’s accomplishment with joy and pride in French shows what a good friend you are!
What are some good French phrases to use when congratulating someone on their engagement or marriage?
Here are some excellent French phrases to congratulate someone on their engagement or marriage:
For an engagement:
- Félicitations à vous deux pour vos fiançailles! (Congratulations to you both on your engagement!)
- Mes meilleurs vœux de bonheur pour vos fiançailles! (My best wishes of happiness for your engagement!)
- Toutes mes félicitations pour cette merveilleuse nouvelle! (All my congratulations for this wonderful news!)
Making it more personal:
- Je suis tellement heureux/heureuse pour vous et vos fiançailles! (I’m so happy for you both and your engagement!)
- Vous formez un si beau couple, je vous souhaite beaucoup de joie! (You make such a lovely couple, I wish you much joy!)
For a marriage:
- Félicitations et mes meilleurs vœux pour votre mariage! (Congratulations and best wishes for your marriage!)
- Mes plus sincères félicitations pour votre union! (My most sincere congratulations on your union!)
- Tous mes vœux de bonheur dans votre nouvelle vie de mariés! (All my wishes of happiness in your new married life!)
Making it personal:
- Je vous souhaite le meilleur dans cette nouvelle étape de votre vie à deux! (I wish you the very best in this new stage of your life together!)
- Vous avez l’air tellement heureux ensemble, je vous souhaite beaucoup d’amour! (You look so happy together, I wish you lots of love!)
No matter if it’s for an engagement or marriage, congratulating the couple in French with joy shows you celebrate their happiness!
What are some good ways to react when a French friend shares some personal good news with you?
When a French friend shares personal good news, here are some great ways to positively react:
- Félicitations, c’est une merveilleuse nouvelle! (Congratulations, that’s wonderful news!)
- Je suis tellement content(e) pour toi, c’est génial! (I’m so happy for you, that’s amazing!)
- Quelle joie d’apprendre cette excellente nouvelle! (What a joy to learn this excellent news!)
Ask questions to show interest:
- Dis m’en plus! Je veux tout savoir. (Tell me more! I want to know everything.)
- Raconte-moi tous les détails, je suis impatient(e) d’en entendre plus. (Tell me all the details, I’m eager to hear more.)
If it’s very personal news they are sharing, express appreciation:
- Merci de partager cette nouvelle personnelle avec moi, ça me touche beaucoup. (Thanks for sharing this personal news with me, it means a lot.)
- Je suis touché(e) que tu aies pensé à moi pour partager cette nouvelle. (I’m touched you thought of me to share this news.)
Offer to celebrate together:
- C’est une raison de célébrer! On devrait aller au restaurant pour fêter ça! (That’s reason to celebrate! We should go to a restaurant to celebrate!)
- Une telle bonne nouvelle mérite d’être célébrée en grand. Laisse-moi t’emmener boire un verre! (Such good news deserves a big celebration. Let me take you out for a drink!)
Reacting with joy, interest, appreciation, and celebration shows what a thoughtful, caring French friend you are!
What are some common French interjections used to react to good news?
Here are some common French interjections and exclamations used to react happily to good news:
- Super! (Great!)
- Génial! (Awesome!)
- Fantastique! (Fantastic!)
- Formidable! (Wonderful!)
- Incroyable! (Incredible!)
- Impressionnant! (Impressive!)
You can also exclaim:
- C’est une merveilleuse nouvelle! (That’s marvelous news!)
- Quelle joie! (What joy!)
- Quel bonheur! (What happiness!)
- Quelle chance! (How lucky!)
Use “oh là là” to convey excitement:
- Oh là là, c’est magnifique! (Oh wow, that’s magnificent!)
- Oh là là, je suis tellement content pour toi! (Oh wow, I’m so happy for you!)
Informal exclamations like these also work well:
- Super cool! (Super cool!)
- Génialissime! (Awesome!)
- Ouais! (Yeah!)
- Hourra! (Hooray!)
The news may also leave you speechless, warranting exclamations like:
- Incroyable! Je suis sans voix! (Incredible! I’m speechless!)
- Waouh! Je ne sais pas quoi dire! (Wow! I don’t know what to say!)
Any of these lively French interjections and exclamations will help convey excitement about good news!
How do you respond when a French friend gets a promotion at work and shares the good news?
When a French friend shares the good news of a work promotion, here are some ways to thoughtfully respond:
First, congratulate them on their achievement:
- Félicitations pour ta promotion! C’est une excellente nouvelle. (Congratulations on your promotion! That’s excellent news.)
- Je suis tellement content pour toi! Bravo pour cette réussite. (I’m so happy for you! Well done on this achievement.)
Recognize their hard work:
- Tu le mérites amplement après tous ces efforts et tes talents. (You very much deserve this after all your hard work and talents.)
- Tout ton travail acharné a fini par payer, je suis fier de toi! (All your hard work finally paid off, I’m proud of you!)
Ask questions and show interest:
- Alors, raconte-moi, qu’est-ce que cette promotion implique? (So tell me, what does this promotion entail?)
- Quels seront tes nouveaux défis et responsabilités? (What will your new challenges and responsibilities be?)
Offer to celebrate:
- C’est une raison de célébrer! Laisse-moi t’emmener manger un morceau. (That’s reason to celebrate! Let me take you out to eat.)
- On devrait marquer le coup, je t’invite au restaurant la semaine prochaine! (We should mark the occasion, I’m taking you to a restaurant next week!)
Congratulating them, showing interest, and offering to celebrate their success is the perfect French reaction to a friend’s promotion. It shows you recognize their hard work and are genuinely happy for them!
What are some enthusiastic responses you can give when your French friend shares that they’re getting married?
When a close French friend happily announces their engagement, here are some enthusiastic responses:
- Félicitations! Quelle merveilleuse nouvelle! Je suis tellement content(e) pour vous deux! (Congratulations! What wonderful news! I’m so happy for you both!)
- Mes plus sincères félicitations pour vos fiançailles! C’est génial! (My most sincere congratulations on your engagement! That’s amazing!)
- Quel bonheur d’apprendre cette excellente nouvelle! Toutes mes félicitations! (What joy to learn this great news! All my congratulations!)
- Vous devez être aux anges! Je vous souhaite beaucoup de joie dans cette nouvelle étape! (You must be over the moon! I wish you much happiness in this new step!)
- Waouh, c’est incroyable! Je suis tellement enthousiaste pour vous! Quand est le grand jour? (Wow, that’s incredible! I’m so excited for you! When’s the big day?)
- C’est une raison de célébrer! Laissez-moi vous emmener dîner pour fêter vos fiançailles. (That’s reason to celebrate! Let me take you out to dinner to celebrate your engagement.)
- Je lève mon verre à votre bonheur! À la vôtre! (I raise my glass to your happiness! Cheers!)
Responding with enthusiasm, congratulations, well-wishes, and offers to celebrate shows how genuinely delighted you are for your French friend and their wonderful news!
How do you respond when a French colleague tells you they are expecting a baby?
When a French colleague shares the happy news that they are expecting a baby, here are some thoughtful ways to respond:
- Félicitations! Quelle merveilleuse nouvelle! (Congratulations! What wonderful news!)
- Vous devez être aux anges! Mes sincères félicitations! (You must be over the moon! My sincere congratulations!)
- Je suis vraiment heureux/heureuse pour vous. Quelle joie d’apprendre cette excellente nouvelle! (I’m truly happy for you. What a joy to learn this great news!)
Then you can ask polite questions:
- Avez-vous déjà choisi des prénoms? (Have you chosen any names yet?)
- Comment se sent votre partenaire? Et vous, comment vous sentez-vous? (How is your partner feeling? And you, how are you feeling?)
Here is a continuation of the response about a French colleague expecting a baby:
Offer reassurance if it’s their first child:
- Ne vous inquiétez pas, vous vous débrouillerez très bien en tant que nouveaux parents! (Don’t worry, you’ll do great as new parents!)
Express excitement about the future:
- J’ai déjà hâte de faire la connaissance de votre petit bout de chou! (I’m already looking forward to meeting your little darling!)
Offer support:
- Si vous avez besoin de quoi que ce soit, n’hésitez pas à me le dire. Je suis là pour vous soutenir! (If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to let me know. I’m here to support you!)
And respect their privacy:
- Merci de m’avoir mis au courant. Je comprends que cela doit rester confidentiel pour le moment. (Thank you for letting me know. I understand this needs to remain confidential for now.)
- Votre bonheur est contagieux! Je suis impatiente d’être tante/oncle! (Your happiness is contagious! I’m looking forward to being an aunt/uncle!)
Responding with congratulations, excitement, support, and discretion shows you respect your colleague while being genuinely happy for them as they embark on this new chapter of life!