Level A1 (Beginner)
Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
* Updated November 7, 2025 — new native audio and example sentences added for the 2025 Christmas season.
The French Word of the Day is joyeux Noël, meaning “merry Christmas.” Many learners find the word joyeux challenging to pronounce — but once you hear it correctly, it’s easy to master. In this lesson, you’ll get clear audio at three speeds and natural holiday greetings you can really use in France.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
Subscribe to the French Word of the Day
📘 Joyeux Noël meaning
Joyeux Noël means “Merry Christmas” in French. The literal translation is “joyous Christmas.” You’ll hear it and see it everywhere in France during the holiday season — in shop windows, Christmas cards, and festive greetings among friends and family.
🎧 How to pronounce joyeux Noël in French
The pronunciation of Joyeux Noël is /ʒwajø nɔ.ɛl/ — roughly “zhwah-yuh noh-el”. To help you perfect it, listen to Marie’s recordings at three different speeds:
Joyeux Noël (slow)
Joyeux Noël (medium)
Joyeux Noël (fast)
The first syllable jo- sounds like “zhwah”, the -eux ends softly with a muted “uh”, and Noël is pronounced as two clear syllables: “noh-el”.
📝 Joyeux Noël example sentences
Joyeux Noël à tous !
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Joyeux Noël et bonnes fêtes de fin d’année !
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
Je vous souhaite un joyeux Noël plein de bonheur.
I wish you a Merry Christmas full of happiness.
Joyeux Noël à vous et à toute votre famille !
Merry Christmas to you and all your family!
👉 See also: French Christmas vocabulary (with audio) »
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🎅 Do French people really say “Joyeux Noël”?
Yes, French people really do say Joyeux Noël, but it’s not used constantly during the holiday season the way English speakers say Merry Christmas. You’ll usually hear it once per interaction — when greeting or saying goodbye around December 24 or 25. In conversation, French speakers often combine it with Bonnes fêtes (happy holidays) or Bonne année (happy new year), depending on the timing.
So while Joyeux Noël is completely natural, it’s mostly said on or around Christmas Day, rather than repeated throughout December.
🔗 Related words and expressions
- Bonne année (full lesson) — Happy new year
- joyeuses fêtes — happy holidays
- bonnes fêtes de fin d’année — happy end-of-year holidays
- meilleurs vœux — best wishes
- joyeux noël et bonne année — merry christmas and happy new year
- passez un joyeux noël — have a merry christmas
- je vous souhaite un joyeux noël — i wish you a merry christmas
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