Literally translated as “good day”, bonne journée is similar to the English “have a nice day”, and has long been an important part of French everyday-etiquette.
People wish each other bonne journée after paying in the shop, before signing off an email or hanging up a phone call. It's an automatic language tic equal to merci (thank you).
It's one of many bon phrases that form the basis of good manners in French, from wishing colleagues bonne après-midi or bon weekend to the more specific bon voyage, bon match or bonne dégustation when someone is about to travel, go to a match or eat.
So widespread is this habit that we even heard a few people wishing each other bon confinement during lockdown, albeit with a bit of irony.
READ ALSO Bon bon – why everything is good when you are speaking French
Avez-vous reçu des voeux de #belleannée pour 2020 ? En avez-vous distribué ? Si oui, vous êtes très tendance ! On se penche sur ce phénomène « d’emphase » aujourd'hui dans #lhumeurdelinda
?? pic.twitter.com/rLiRthe4dl— TV5MONDE Info (@TV5MONDEINFO) January 9, 2020
At least this is not as bad as the distressing trend in the U.S. of people saying “Have a blessed day.”
Ha!! YES! Spot on…
“No thanks I’ve made other plans” still works but I agree it is a really distressing trend… Maybe Trump is to blame?
Bonne means good. So “bonne journée” means correctly “have a good day”, which in english is the appropriate expression.