The French believe in “la belle vie”, the beautiful life. Part of their dedication to enjoying the beautiful or good life is to make sure that they recognize the good things around them – including the good things that happen to them and others.

One key to living a beautiful life is being able to express genuine happiness for the good fortune of others. You need to know how to acknowledge other’s accomplishments and wish them all the best.

The most basic way to express happiness for someone’s accomplishments is to know how to say a sincere “congratulations”. In this post, we’re going to cover some of the many different ways that French speakers say “congratulations”.

Three Main Ways You Can Say “Congratulations” In French

As with most world languages, several French words and phrases are used to say “congratulations”. The most basic way to congratulate a French speaker, however, centers around the word “félicitations”. Let’s take a closer look at the three main ways that you can say “congratulations” in French.

1. Félicitations

Meaning: Congratulations

If you were to use a translation app to ask “how do you say congratulations in French”, the answer you’re likely to get is this word. It is the most basic and common way to say congratulations in French. 

2. Félicitations pour

Meaning: Congratulations on

It is perfectly acceptable to just say “Félicitations!” if you want to congratulate someone, but if you want to be more specific, you can say “Félicitations pour” then add the event that you are congratulating them for.

Here are a few examples: 

French: Félicitations pour ton mariage!

English: Congratulations on your marriage!

French: Félicitations pour ton avancement!

English: Congratulations on the promotion!

French: Félicitations pour l’achat de ta maison!

English: Congratulations on buying a house!

French: Félicitations pour la naissance de votre fille!

English: Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!

French: Félicitations pour la naissance de votre petit garçon!

English: Congratulations on the birth of your son!

French: Félicitations pour ton nouvel employ!

English: Congratulations on your new job!

3. Félicitations pour avoir/être

Meaning: Congratulations on

If you want to congratulate someone on an action, you need to add either “avoir” or “être” then add the action that you are congratulating them on.

If the verb or the action that you are congratulating them on is transitive, you use avoir. If it is intransitive, you use être. A transitive verb has an action, while an intransitive verb has an object. 

Here are a couple of examples:

French: Félicitations pour être arrivé sain et sauf.

English: Congratulations on arriving safely!

French: Félicitations pour avoir gagné le match

English: Congratulations on winning the game!

Other Phrases French-speakers Use When They Want To Say Congratulations

Now that we’ve explained the three basic ways to say “congratulations” in French, let us look at a few other ways that French speakers express their good wishes and admiration for someone and their accomplishments.

The following are other ways to say “congratulations” in French. Some of these words and phrases can be used in general situations, but we’ve also included a few phrases that are used for specific life events or accomplishments.

1. Mes sincères felicitations

Meaning: My sincere congratulations 

2. Nos sincères felicitations

Meaning: Our sincere congratulations

3. Mes vives felicitations

Meaning: My enthusiastic congratulations

4. Nos vives felicitations

Meaning: Our wholehearted congratulations

5. Je te félicite

Meaning: I congratulate you (informal)

6. Je vous félicite

Meaning: I congratulate you (formal); I congratulate you (more than one person)

7. Bien joué

Meaning: Well played or nicely done

8. Bon travail

Meaning: Good work

9. Bravo

Meaning: Congratulations (French slang, informal).

10. Chapeau

Meaning: Congratulations or “Hats off” (French expression)

11. Chapeau bas 

Meaning: Hats off 

12.. Je suis heureux/euse pour toi/vous 

Meaning: I’m happy for you

13. Je suis fier/fière de toi/vous

Meaning: I’m proud of you

14. On va fêter ça!

Meaning: Let’s celebrate

15. Tu l’as bien mérité!/Vous l’avez bien mérité

Meaning: You earned it. 

16. Tous mes compliments

Meaning: All my congratulations or sincere congratulations

17. Tous nous compliments

Meaning: All our congratulations or sincere congratulations

18. Tous mes voeux

Meaning: All my wishes (mostly used during weddings)

19. Tous nos voeux

Meaning; All our wishes (mostly used for just married couples)

20. Tous mes meilleurs vœux de santé et de bonheu

Meaning: All my best wishes for your health and happiness.

21. Je t’adresse mes felicitations

Meaning: I extend my congratulations to you

22. Je lui fais mes felicitations

Meaning: I congratulate you

23. Bonne réuissite

Meaning: Great success

24. Addressez tous mes compliments à

Meaning: Give my compliments to (name)

25. Je veux vous féliciter

Meaning: I want to congratulate you.  

26. Je tiens à vous féliciter pour

Meaning: I must congratulate you for

27. Bonne chance!

Meaning: Good luck

28. Bon courage

Meaning: I wish you well

29. Tous mes voeux vous accompagnent

Meaning: I wish you the best

30. Je te souhaite plein de bonheur en cette journée spéciale.

Meaning: Wishing you every happiness on your special day (often used on someone’s birthday)

31. Joyeux anniversaire!

Meaning: Happy anniversary

32. Nous voudrions te féliciter pour

Meaning: We would like to send you our congratulations on

33. Nous savions que tu pouvais le faire.

Meaning; We knew you could do it.

34. Félicitations pour la nouvelle arrivée dans votre famille !

Meaning: Congratulations on the new arrival in your family (used when a baby has been born)

35. Félicitations pour ton entrée à l'université

Meaning: Well done getting into university

36. Bien joué pour les examens.

Meaning: Well done on your exams.

37. Félicitations pour tes examens!

Meaning: Congratulations on passing your exams.

38. Félicitations pour ton diplôme!

Meaning: Congratulations on your graduation!

39. Félicitations pour tes fiançailles

Meaning: Congratulations on your engagement.

40. J'espère que vous serez très heureux ensemble.

Meaning: I hope you’ll be very happy together. 

41. Félicitations. Nous vous souhaitons à tous les deux tout le bonheur du monde.

Meaning: Congratulations. We wish both of you all the happiness in the world.

42. Félicitations et meilleurs vœux à vous deux pour votre mariage.

Meaning: Congratulations and best wishes to you both on your wedding day.

43. Félicitations pour vous être dit "oui" !

Meaning: Congratulations on saying yes/I do (informal way to congratulate newlyweds)

44. Félicitations pour avoir décroché ce poste

Meaning: Congratulations on getting the job.

45. Nous te souhaitons beaucoup de succès dans cette prochaine étape professionnelle.

Meaning: We wish you every success on your latest career move. 

46. Tout le Meilleur

Meaning: All the best

47. Soyez chanceux!

Meaning: Be lucky

48. Je te souhaite bonne chance et tout le succès que tu mérite.

Meaning: I wish you the best of luck and every success.

49. Bien joué pour les examens et bonne chance pour le futur.

Meaning: Well done on your great exam results and all the best for the future

50. Félicitations pour tes examens et bonne chance dans ta future carrière professionnelle.

Meaning: Congratulations on your exam results. Wishing you all the best in your future career. 

Conclusion

To be prepared to celebrate important life events and accomplishments, you need to know phrases and words that mean congratulations – and the appropriate times and places to use them.

To help you learn the different ways to say congratulations in French, we’ve compiled the list of words and phrases we’ve discussed here into a downloadable PDF file. You can take this list and study it at your own pace.

Félicitations! You are starting your French language learning journey on the right foot!

To further enhance your vocabulary, consider these interactive learning options: Babbel provides enjoyable lessons that are easy to fit into your daily activities. If you're seeking a thorough exploration of French, Udemy's extensive course offers in-depth coverage of essential to advanced content. If direct interaction is what you prefer, Lingoda's native speaker-led classes can significantly boost your speaking skills.

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How to say Congratulations in French?

1. Félicitations, 2. Félicitations pour, 3. Félicitations pour avoir/être

What are some alternatives to Felicitations in French?

1. Mes sincères felicitations Meaning: My sincere congratulations 2. Nos sincères felicitations Meaning: Our sincere congratulations 3. Mes vives felicitations Meaning: My enthusiastic congratulations 4. Nos vives felicitations Meaning: Our wholehearted congratulations 5. Je te félicite Meaning: I congratulate you (informal) 6. Je vous félicite Meaning: I congratulate you (formal); I congratulate you (more than one person) 7. Bien joué Meaning: Well played or nicely done 8. Bon travail Meaning: Good work 9. Bravo Meaning: Congratulations (French slang, informal). 10. Chapeau Meaning: Congratulations or “Hats off” (French expression) 11. Chapeau bas Meaning: Hats off 12.. Je suis heureux/euse pour toi/vous Meaning: I’m happy for you 13. Je suis fier/fière de toi/vous Meaning: I’m proud of you 14. On va fêter ça! Meaning: Let’s celebrate 15. Tu l’as bien mérité!/Vous l’avez bien mérité Meaning: You earned it.

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