Noël
Merry Christmas in French, and how French families say it
Merry Christmas in French is Joyeux Noël, said zhwa-yuh no-EL. Joyeux means joyful and Noël is Christmas. Across the season French families also say Joyeuses fêtes, happy holidays, and from 1 January, Bonne année.
Joyeux Noël !
Merry Christmas!
Say it zhwa-yuh no-EL
Other greetings for the season
| French | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Joyeuses fêtes ! | Happy holidays! | Say it zhwa-yuhz FET |
| Bonnes fêtes ! | Happy holidays! (the one on cards and in shops) | Say it bon FET |
| Bonne année ! | Happy New Year! | Say it bon a-NAY |
| Joyeux Noël et bonne année ! | Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! | Say it zhwa-yuh no-EL ay bon a-NAY |
| À toi aussi ! | To you too! | Say it a twa oh-SEE |
| Meilleurs vœux ! | Best wishes! (for cards and January) | Say it may-yur VUH |
Ten phrases for Christmas Day
In the order the day happens. Pick two for this year.
- Le Père Noël est passé ! Father Christmas has been! Say it luh pair no-EL ay pa-SAY The first words of the morning.
- Regarde tes chaussures ! Look at your shoes! Say it ruh-GARD tay sho-SOOR In France, the presents wait beside them.
- C'est pour toi. It's for you. Say it say poor TWA
- Tu ouvres ton cadeau ? Do you want to open your present? Say it too OO-vruh ton ka-DOH
- Qu'est-ce que c'est ? What is it? Say it kess-kuh SAY
- Oh, c'est joli ! Oh, it's lovely! Say it oh, say zho-LEE
- On dit merci. We say thank you. Say it on dee mair-SEE
- Merci, Père Noël ! Thank you, Father Christmas! Say it mair-SEE, pair no-EL
- On mange la bûche ? Shall we have the Christmas log? Say it on MAHNZH la BOOSH (û with rounded lips) La bûche de Noël, the cake shaped like a log.
- Bonne nuit, et joyeux Noël. Good night, and merry Christmas. Say it bon NWEE, ay zhwa-yuh no-EL
How to say it
Start with zhwa: the zh is the s in measure. Then yuh, with your lips pushed forward as if to whistle. Noël is two beats, no and EL, and the stress lands at the end, as it does in most French words.
Say it slowly once, then at normal speed. Nobody at the table is marking the vowels.
Joyeux Noël or Bonnes fêtes?
Joyeux Noël is for Christmas itself. Bonnes fêtes and Joyeuses fêtes cover the whole stretch from mid-December to New Year, so you’ll hear them in shops and read them on cards.
From 1 January the greeting changes to Bonne année, and French families keep wishing it to everyone they meet until the end of the month.
How to reply
The easy answer is the same words back: Joyeux Noël ! To sound as if you’ve done this for years, add à toi aussi, to you too, or just toi aussi.
One thing to do this week
Write Joyeux Noël on a card and stand it on the breakfast table from 1 December. Say it every morning until someone says it back.
Free bedtime script
Christmas Eve is still a bedtime
When the shoes are lined up by the fireplace, the night ends like any other: in French, at the bedroom door.
Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.
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Download it now (PDF)Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in French?
Joyeux Noël, said zhwa-yuh no-EL, with the stress on the last syllable.
What does Joyeux Noël mean?
Joyful Christmas. Joyeux means joyful or merry, and Noël is the French word for Christmas.
Is it joyeux Noël or joyeuse Noël?
Joyeux Noël. Noël is a masculine word, so it takes joyeux. Fêtes is feminine, which is why it's joyeuses fêtes.
How do you reply to Joyeux Noël?
Say it back, or add à toi aussi, to you too. To an adult you call vous, say à vous aussi.
How do you say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in French?
Joyeux Noël et bonne année, said zhwa-yuh no-EL ay bon a-NAY.
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Updated 16 October 2026