How to Congratulate in French
Questions This Article Answers
How do you congratulate someone in French?
What are the most common expressions used to say congratulations in French?
What are some informal expressions for congratulating in French?
What are some French phrases you can use when congratulating in a formal situation?
How do you use the French verb féliciter to offer congratulations?
How to Congratulate Someone in French
When you want to congratulate someone for a win, a job well done, an achievement, or on the occasion of a milestone life event, there are a number of French expressions you can choose from!
Common French Interjections Used to Congratulate Someone
The most common and direct way to congratulate someone in French is to say Félicitations !(Congratulations!), but there are other expressions you can use to show that you're impressed with someone's accomplishments or happy for their success. Many of these expressions are simple interjections, that is, stand-alone phrases often followed by an exclamation point, which can be used in both formal and informal settings.
| examples |
|---|
Be Careful When Using Bien Fait in French!
Attention !(Watch out!) The French expression bien faitliterally translates as well done in English. You might be tempted to use it as an interjection to congratulate someone on a job well done, but this phrase has a negative connotation in French when used as an interjection. It means something like Serves you right! or That's what you get!
| examples |
|---|
However, bien fait can have a positive connotation when it’s used within a sentence to describe the quality of something that was done, rather than as an exclamatory expression.
| examples |
|---|
So, be careful when using this expression. Context matters!
French interjections can be used in all kinds of conversational situations, ranging from holiday greetings to expressing shock or anger to showing compassion or encouragement. These set phrases are easy to learn and can vastly enhance your conversational skills! Interested in knowing more? Click on the following article!
Ways to Congratulate Someone in an Informal Situation
There are many ways to congratulate someone in an informal situation, like if a friend did well on an exam, scored a point in a game, or did something great at work. The table below shows some of these informal ways to say congrats!
Informal Ways to Congratulate in French
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Bien joué ! | Well done! |
| Bon boulot ! | Nice job! |
| C'est top ! | Awesome! |
| Joli ! | Nice! |
| La classe ! | Nice! |
| Trop fort ! | Awesome! |
| Tu as assuré ! | You nailed it! |
Very Informal Ways to Congratulate in French
| examples |
|---|
Ways to Congratulate Someone in a Formal Situation
In a formal conversational situation or when writing to someone using a formal register, there are congratulatory phrases that use some of the same vocabulary you've seen above but are a little longer and more intricate. Following are some examples of how to congratulate in a more formal way.
| examples |
|---|
How to Use the French Verb Féliciter to Congratulate Someone
The verb féliciter(to congratulate) is a regular -er verb that is transitive, meaning it takes a direct object. The direct object is usually the person you are congratulating, which can be a name (placed after the verb) or a direct object pronoun (preceding the verb). This verb is also often, but not always, followed by the preposition pouror de(for or on) followed by the reason why you're congratulating them. Both pour and de can be used before a noun, whereas de is required before an infinitive. This verb can be used in either informal or formal contexts, with any subject or verb tense.
Constructing a Sentence with Féliciter
Here are the two main ways to construct a sentence with féliciter:
- Subject + féliciter + Name (+ pour/de + Reason)
- Subject + Direct Object Pronoun + féliciter (+ pour/de + Reason)
Let's take a look at a few examples!
| examples |
|---|
Want to learn more about conjugating regular -er verbs or using direct object pronouns? We've got you covered! Check out the articles below.
I've Learned How to Congratulate Someone in French. Now What?
Well, bravo to you! Tu as assuré ! You’ve taken the time today to learn all about how to say congratulations in French. Continue to level up your conversational French skills by learning more vocabulary and phrases you can use in everyday situations in the French-speaking locale of your dreams!
Take a look at these articles to learn French vocabulary for all kinds of everyday situations!
