How to Say 'Sleep Well' in French

Learning to express your wishes for good rest in French can be both elegant and meaningful. Below, we delve into the nuances of wishing someone a good night's sleep in this beautiful language.

Informal Greetings for Good Sleep

When speaking informally with someone you know well, you can express your well-wishes by saying dors bien, which means 'sleep well'. This is commonly used when speaking to one person, and it is understood using the tu form:

Informally to one person: Dors bien.

To extend this wish to more than one person, or to someone you know less well, use dormez bien with the vous form:

To more than one person or someone less familiar: Dormez bien.

Other Ways to Express Rest

There are various ways to express the need for rest. Here are some common expressions:

The Imperative Form

To take a good rest: Repose toi bien. Informally: J'espère que tu vas bien te reposer en fin de semaine. (I hope you'll take a good rest this weekend.) He needs a good rest: Il a besoin de beaucoup de repos pour continuer. She took a good rest yesterday: Elle s'est bien reposé hier.

Shorter Rest Periods

To take a good break: Fais une bonne pause.

Nursery Rhymes and Folklore

French culture is rich with folklore and nursery rhymes that include expressions of hoping for good sleep:

Fran?ais:

Fran?ois Jacques Fran?ois Jacq, dormez-vous, dormez-vous, sonnez les matines, ding ding donc, Claude rebille.

English Translation:

Francois Jacques, Francois Jacques, are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Wake up, wake up, for the morning bell, ding, ding, ding, Claude the bell ringer

Additional Expressions

For expressing a beautiful sleep, you can use:
Fais de beaux rêves!, which means 'Have beautiful dreams'.

When using Google Translate or Google Traduction, remember that 'bien dormir' translates to 'sleeping well'.

Final Words

Mastering these expressions will help you connect with French speakers in a warm and meaningful way. Whether it's for a close friend, a distant relative, or a beloved partner, a kind word about a good night's sleep can make a big difference.