Merry Christmas in French
Joyeux Noël
Say it like this: zhwah-YUH noh-EL
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In French, Merry Christmas is Joyeux Noël, said like zhwah-YUH noh-EL.
- Happy New Year is Bonne année.
- People say it in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada (Quebec) and more.
What Joyeux Noël means
'Joyeux' means joyful or merry and 'Noël' means Christmas, so the phrase is 'Merry Christmas'.
Other ways to say it in French
Joyeuses fêtes
Say it like this: zhwah-YUHZ FET
Means "happy holidays". A friendly choice for the whole season, from Christmas to New Year.
Happy New Year
Bonne année
Say it like this: bun ah-NAY
Happy New Year (literally "good year")
To write in a Christmas card
Joyeux Noël et bonne année
Say it like this: zhwah-YUH noh-EL ay bun ah-NAY
Where people speak French
FranceBelgiumSwitzerlandCanada (Quebec)LuxembourgHaitiSenegalIvory Coast
French (Français) belongs to the Romance (Indo-European) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Paris at about 12:25 AM local time, then visits Dakar, and kids learn to say Joyeux Noël as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Paris →Christmas traditions where people speak French
- Le réveillon: The réveillon is a long festive dinner held on Christmas Eve. Its name comes from the French word réveil, meaning waking, because families traditionally stayed awake late into the night while the meal went on.[4]
- Shoes by the fireplace: On Christmas Eve, French children leave their shoes by the fireplace, filled with carrots and treats for Père Noël's donkey. If they have been good, Père Noël leaves small presents in the shoes.[3]
- The crèche and the bûche de Noël: Many French homes set up a crèche, a nativity scene with small clay figures, and some towns hold fairs that sell the figures. A favorite dessert is the bûche de Noël, a cake shaped like a log.[5]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in French
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Celebrate with kids
- Christmas events for kids in France
- Christmas events for kids in Belgium (French)
- Christmas events for kids in Switzerland (French)
- Christmas events for kids in Luxembourg (French)
- Christmas events for kids in Canada (French)
- Christmas history in Paris
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- ItalianBuon Natale
- CroatianSretan Božić
- LithuanianLinksmų Kalėdų
- SlovenianVesel božič
- WelshNadolig Llawen
- IcelandicGleðileg jól
- PolishWesołych Świąt
- HungarianBoldog karácsonyt
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in French?
The most common way is "Joyeux Noël" (zhwah-YUH noh-EL). It is used in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec and other French-speaking places. Another friendly choice is "Joyeuses fêtes", which means happy holidays and covers Christmas and New Year together.[1]
How do you pronounce Joyeux Noël?
Say "zhwah-YUH noh-EL". The j is soft, like the s in treasure. Joyeux has two parts: zhwah, then YUH, a rounded sound made with your lips. Noël also has two parts, noh and EL. French stress is gentle, so give the last syllable of each word a little more weight.[1]
What does Joyeux Noël mean?
Joyeux means joyful or merry, and Noël means Christmas, so the phrase is Merry Christmas. The word Noël is also used in the name Père Noël, the French Santa. The two words together simply wish someone a joyful Christmas season.[1][3]
How do you write Joyeux Noël?
Write it as Joyeux Noël, with two dots over the e in Noël. That mark is called a tréma and shows that the o and e are said separately. Both words usually begin with a capital letter on cards, and Joyeux ends in x, which is silent.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in French?
Say "Bonne année" (bun ah-NAY), which means good year. Many French people say it until the end of January. Cards often combine the two wishes: "Joyeux Noël et bonne année". You may also hear "Bonne année et bonne santé", which adds good health.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in French?
Joyeux Noël is polite for everyone. To be more formal, add a wish: "Je vous souhaite un joyeux Noël", meaning I wish you a Merry Christmas. Use vous with teachers and people you do not know well. With close friends, you can use "Joyeux Noël à toi".[1]
When do people say Joyeux Noël in France?
People say it from early December, and especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In France, Christmas Day is a public holiday and public life is quiet, with banks, stores and many cafés closed. After Christmas, people switch to wishing each other bonne année.[3]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in France?
Both matter. Many families eat the big réveillon dinner and open gifts on Christmas Eve, and some go to a church service. Christmas Day on December 25 is a calm public holiday spent with family and close friends, often with another meal.[3][4]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in France?
Children leave their shoes by the fireplace on Christmas Eve, filled with carrots and treats for Père Noël's donkey, named Gui. The next morning they find small presents in the shoes. Many families also set up a nativity scene called a crèche.[3]
How can I teach kids to say Joyeux Noël?
Break it into chunks: zhwah, YUH, noh, EL. Pretend to be Père Noël and say it in a big, jolly voice. Let kids draw a shoe by the fireplace and write Joyeux Noël on it. Singing a short carol like "Il est né, le divin enfant" helps with rhythm.[3]
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Christmas in France, Wikipedia
- Réveillon, Wikipedia
- Christmas in France, WhyChristmas.com
