8 Ways To Say Good Luck In French

Do you want to learn how to say good luck in French in less than ten minutes?

Before a big school exam, what do you tell someone? How about a  coworker doing a project presentation?

It will most likely be along the lines of “Good luck with the exam,”, or “good luck with your presentation.”

When someone is going through a difficult period or anticipating a certain event, sometimes the only thing you can say is “good luck.”

However, there’s more to wishing someone “good luck” than these two words, as the situation dictates how you do it.

8 Ways To Say Good Luck In French

Read on to find out about the various ways to say “good luck” in French and when to use them.

1. Bonne chance – the most popular way of saying good luck in French

The most popular French expression for “good luck” is “bonne chance.”

The beautiful thing about it is that it really means “good luck” (bonne means good, chance means luck), so it’s really simple for English speakers to comprehend.

You can use it on its own or as part of a longer statement.

The terms pour, avec, or dans are commonly used in this context. The one you should choose is determined by the situation for which you are wishing someone “good luck” for. 

If you’re wishing someone “good luck” for things that are not tangible, you’ll use pour. It’s also commonly used to refer to anything that is yet to happen. 

• Bonne chance pour la nouvelle année – Good luck with the new year

• bonne chance pour tes projets – Good luck with your plans

For things that are tangible, such as an object, use pour after bonne chance followed by the circumstance or event you are wishing the person “good luck” for. 

• bonne chance avec ton nouveau copain – Good luck with your new boyfriend 

• bonne chance avec ton poisson rouge. – Good luck with your goldfish.  

It should be obvious why you’re wishing someone well in these situations.

Using dans with bonne chance is nearly identical to using pour. It’s most common with things that are already happening, such as a person’s academics or profession. 

• bonne chance dans ton apprentissage – Good luck with your learning. 

2. Bon Courage

When you want to wish someone “good luck” for something more serious, you would say bon courage.

This French phrase means “good courage,” and used to inspire people to get going despite tough situations.

You may say “good luck,” but you could also say “hang in there,” to encourage them to go on. 

3. Je Croise Les Doigits

When you’re wishing for the best for someone (including yourself) in a circumstance, you can say “I cross my fingers.”

This is usually an expression  you hear from people while crossing their fingers.

If the situation calls for it, Je croise les doigts can be used alone, or it can be part of a longer sentence.

4. Je Touche Du Bois 

Je touche du bois don’t necessarily imply wishing someone “good luck,” but it does suggest that you are currently doing quite well and would like for it to keep on.

If people don’t say it themselves while you are in a conversation with someone you wish to say good luck to, you may say touche du bois (knock on wood) or do it if there is wood nearby. 

5. Meilleurs vœux

Meilleurs voeux is a phrase that means “best wishes” in events like weddings or birthdays. But this isn’t always the case.

You’ll see it a lot around the holidays in December as a way to convey “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays.” 

6. Bonne journée

The phrase “bonjour” means “have a pleasant day” in French.

In shops, you’ll either say it to the cashier, or the cashier will beat you to it and say it to you after you pay for something frequently follows au revoir.

It’s a polite expression, so use it frequently.

7. Bon rétablissement

This one is for folks who have recently had surgery or are recovering from a serious illness. 

8. Bonne route – good luck in French for those who are driving

You can wish someone good luck whether they’re going on a road trip or any other form of driving.

It can be used with anyone, including friends, family, coworkers, and strangers. This loosely translates to “Way to go!”