Bedeutung
A friendly wish for someone to have an enjoyable evening.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'apéro' (aperitif) is a crucial part of the 'soirée'. Wishing someone a 'bonne soirée' often implies you hope they enjoy their drinks and snacks with friends. In Quebec, 'Bonne soirée' is used similarly, but you might also hear 'Bonne fin de journée' a bit earlier in the afternoon than in France. Belgians are very polite with farewells. It is common to hear 'Une excellente soirée à vous' even in very casual shops. In French-speaking Switzerland, the timing for 'Bonne soirée' might start slightly earlier, especially in winter when it gets dark early.
The 5 PM Rule
In France, switch from 'Bonne journée' to 'Bonne soirée' around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM, even if it's still light outside in summer.
Arrival vs Departure
Never say 'Bonne soirée' when you walk into a room. It's like saying 'Goodbye' as a greeting.
Bedeutung
A friendly wish for someone to have an enjoyable evening.
The 5 PM Rule
In France, switch from 'Bonne journée' to 'Bonne soirée' around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM, even if it's still light outside in summer.
Arrival vs Departure
Never say 'Bonne soirée' when you walk into a room. It's like saying 'Goodbye' as a greeting.
Adding 'à tous'
If you are leaving a group, say 'Bonne soirée à tous !' to address everyone at once. It sounds very natural.
The Response
Always reply with 'Merci, vous aussi !' or 'Merci, toi aussi !'. It's rude not to return the wish.
Teste dich selbst
You are leaving a restaurant at 9:00 PM. What do you say to the waiter?
Choose the correct phrase:
Since you are leaving in the evening, 'Bonne soirée' is the correct farewell.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'bon'.
Passe une ______ soirée !
'Soirée' is a feminine singular noun, so it requires the feminine singular adjective 'bonne'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Situation: You walk INTO a friend's house at 7 PM.
You use 'Bonsoir' when arriving/greeting in the evening.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Merci pour l'invitation, je rentre chez moi. B: De rien ! _________ !
B is responding to someone leaving in the evening.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Bonsoir vs Bonne Soirée
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenChoose the correct phrase:
Since you are leaving in the evening, 'Bonne soirée' is the correct farewell.
Passe une ______ soirée !
'Soirée' is a feminine singular noun, so it requires the feminine singular adjective 'bonne'.
Situation: You walk INTO a friend's house at 7 PM.
You use 'Bonsoir' when arriving/greeting in the evening.
A: Merci pour l'invitation, je rentre chez moi. B: De rien ! _________ !
B is responding to someone leaving in the evening.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt's a bit early. Usually, people stay with 'Bonne journée' or 'Bonne fin d'après-midi' until at least 5 PM.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, a waiter, or your best friend.
'Soir' is the time of day (e.g., 'I work in the evening'). 'Soirée' is the duration or the event (e.g., 'I had a good evening').
At that point, it's better to say 'Bonne fin de nuit' or 'Bonne nuit' if people are going to sleep.
Yes, it's a very common way to end an informal or semi-formal email sent in the late afternoon or evening.
It is always 'Bonne soirée' because 'soirée' is feminine.
No, the phrase remains the same regardless of the gender of the speaker.
Stick with 'Bonne soirée'. It's the safer bet. 'Bonne nuit' is very specific.
Not really, but it is more 'chic' or 'poetic'. It's very common in boutiques or on Instagram.
Say 'Bonne soirée à tous !' or 'Bonne soirée tout le monde !'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Bonsoir
similarGood evening (greeting)
Bonne nuit
similarGoodnight
Bonne journée
contrastHave a good day
Passe une bonne soirée
builds onHave a good evening (informal)
