How to Say Happy New Year in French: Bonne Année
Happy New Year in French is bonne année /bun ah-NAY/. Get ready-to-send wishes for friends, family and colleagues, plus meilleurs vœux for formal cards.
Happy New Year in French is bonne année, pronounced /bun ah-NAY/. For cards, the formal version is meilleurs vœux (best wishes). Combined with Christmas: joyeux Noël et bonne année !
Quick answer
Happy New Year in French is bonne année, pronounced /bun ah-NAY/. For cards, the formal version is meilleurs vœux (best wishes). Combined with Christmas: joyeux Noël et bonne année !
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Bonne année: pronunciation and use
/bun ah-NAY/ - note there’s no nasal sound here despite looking similar to other -ée words; works at any register, formal or casual. For the é sound this word ends in, see French accent marks explained.
Meilleurs vœux: the formal alternative
/meh-yuhr VUH/ - “best wishes,” the standard formula for cards and formal messages. The circumflex on vœux is a small but genuine spelling trap worth memorizing.
Ready-to-send New Year wishes (message bank)
- Bonne année ! Tous mes vœux de bonheur pour cette nouvelle année.
- Je te souhaite une excellente année.
Pairs naturally with the Christmas wish covered in Merry Christmas in French.
New Year’s Eve vocabulary
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| le réveillon du Nouvel An | New Year’s Eve celebration |
| minuit | midnight |
| les feux d’artifice | fireworks |
| les bonnes résolutions | New Year’s resolutions |
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Questions about this note
How do you pronounce bonne année?
/bun ah-NAY/ - no nasal sound, despite looking similar to other -ée words.
What does meilleurs vœux mean?
Best wishes - the formal card phrase.
How do you wish Christmas and New Year together?
Joyeux Noël et bonne année !
What is le réveillon du Nouvel An?
The New Year's Eve celebration/feast.
How do you say New Year's resolutions?
les bonnes résolutions.