# Bon courage



## Jeannine

Could anybody in this forum give me the English Translation for French "Bon courage"
Thank you

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


----------



## timpeac

"Stiff upper lip!" if you are going to face some adversity. or "hang in there!" is probably more common.

"Break a leg" if you are in some way going to "perform" (theatre, exam etc)


----------



## sophievm

"Break a leg" ?!? That's a funny way of wishing someone something good ! In France also, for this kind of performances (especially theatre play) it's forbidden to say "bonne chance" so the set phrase to say is "merde"...


----------



## RODGER

You can say "keep you pecker up" which may sound sexually incorrect or whatever to Americans but what the heck !

In English it means what you peck with, ergo your beak or mouth or chin, as we also say keep your chin up so "bec" en français, in American, by some strange gymnastics, it means "verge" !

Rodger


----------



## Jabote

RODGER said:
			
		

> In english it means what you peck with, ergo your beak or mouth or chin, as we also say keep your chin up so "bec" en français, in american, by some strange gymnastics, it means "verge" !


Maybe "chin up" would be safer and more pc everywhere then what do you think ?! Could save some embarassment... lol


----------



## Catani

Maybe by ...

Hang in there
Keep your chin up
Keep trying
Don't give up
Keep at it


----------



## Kelly B

In some contexts, "good luck!"


----------



## LV4-26

Catani said:
			
		

> Hang in there
> Keep your chin up
> Keep trying
> Don't give up
> Keep at it


 All those translations seem to suggest a situation where someone is in the middle of some task, not through yet but having already started.

Very often, we say "bon courage" before. A potential context : someone is suddenly confronted with an unusually huge amount of work. Let's say he's working in an office and when he arrives an enormous pile of files is awaiting on his desk. His colleague at the desk next to his will say "bon courage".
(in this case there may be an ironic undertone - "whew, you'll really need a _bon courage_" - but not always).


----------



## Tresley

When French speakers say or write "bon courage" to me, I usually mentally translate it as "do your best".  This seems to fit all situations and is something that British people would say to other work mates who have been presented with a large/difficult task to perform. Any comments/better ideas?


----------



## Isotta

The other day an Anglophone friend and I joked that
Bonne chance! = "Good luck!"

Bon courage! = "Good _LUCK!_" If you emphasize "luck" in a certain way, it implies that you'll really need it in the same way "bon courage" does in French. I think that's the best one.

You could also just say, "Good luck--you'll need it." But it could sound a bit rude, so I'd sooner say, "Courage, my good man, courage." But saying, "Good _luck_" is better than either.

Z.


----------



## DearPrudence

That still doesn't help us for "bon courage".  
It's a thing I keep saying but "break a leg", "stiff upper lip" sound too strong.
For instance, if I'm leaving a colleague who is working, even if it's no hard work at all but has to stay there doing it, I'll say: "bon courage".

"hang in there" may work but I can't quite "grasp" it.


----------



## Bonjules

So then, Prudence,
'Keep it up' or even better: 'Hang in there!' seem fairly good choices to me (... without having to refer to the 'pecker' or even think of him/it either way at all ...)
saludos


----------



## texasweed

Hang in there = good luck
Break a leg = bonne chance and doesn't belong on this thread.
"Keep it up" is somewhat different, as when you've been doing great work and you're being encouraged to keep going. Not exactly "bon courage".

Now, some of you need to take a cold shower


----------



## Bonjules

Texasweed,
Allow me, respectfully, to disagree with you.
'Hang in there' is not 'good luck' . It encourages persistence and keeping up the spirit in a disagreeable or unpleasant situation, as Prudence is describing it. I agree though, that 'keep it up' would not be as good a choice.
Greetings from PR, where I actually don't have a hot water system...
bj


----------



## texasweed

Yikes, what else to say but BON COURAGE! to someone who is "in a disagreeable or unpleasant situation"

You're going on vacation : bon courage ?!!!


----------



## NYCPrincesse

So to recap:

Bon courage 
before a race or athletic competition "Good Luck"
before a play or musical performance "Break a leg"
to a friend who's having a tough time "Hang in there" or possible "Power to ya"
Am I forgetting any others?


----------



## vince

I guess the best explanation would be "Good luck, you can do it!"


----------



## DearPrudence

I know that "break a leg" is not strong.
I'll try to take a better example.
I go past my neighbour who is gardening (and actually he quite enjoys it. He wants to finish doing something to make it look nice).
« Bonjour, Mal. Comment allez-vous?
- Bien, bien. J'ai presque fini de faire ça.
- bla bla.
- On se voit tout à l'heure pour l'apéro chez les Martin.
- Oui. Bon courage et à tout à l'heure.»

So "power to you" seems a bit too colloquial.
I'm sorry, I'm never satisfied  
+ I don't think he needs luck but just have to work on it.


----------



## NYCPrincesse

How about "keep up the good work"?


----------



## TRG

Bonjour-
A long time ago Dan Rather (of CBS evening news) decided to sign off his broadcast with a single word, "courage". This thread makes me wonder if he got the idea from French. But, in any case, it did not go over well in the US and he soon dropped it. Perhaps he should have gone with "bonne nuit et bonne chance". 

TRG


----------



## mimiose

Now then, could anyone comment on "Good cheer", which is the proposed translation for "bon courage"  in WordReference (found in the page "courage Fr > En").  When to use it? To whom? What level of language? How strong is it?


----------



## NYCPrincesse

All I can say is that "good cheer" is NOT really used in American English. Actually, I don't think that I've ever heard it except maybe in some old British films...

Thanks for the correction, Mimiose!


----------



## carolineR

I agree with Dear Prudence : "bon courage" is often just another of saying "good bye" to someone who is keeping on working when you are leaving. It just expresses sympathy. Nothing to do with "merde" in that (frequent) context. So "_Keep it up"_ seems best to me


----------



## dominixque

depending on the context, i would say good luck is sometimes pretty accurate for "bon courage".

if it's from a friend saying to another, as one goes to finish work before a deadline or before going on an all nighter of studying : good luck! -bon courage!
--
or sometimes, it could mean : "be strong !" (after hearing bad news, someone might tell you:  "bon courage !" which would translate as "be strong!")


----------



## "~sganarelle~"

good cheers is wrong, even if the dictionary says its not, and as for bon courage, having spent a few months in france, i would add that i rarely here bonne chance, and bon courage seems to take over for good luck and whatever other good luckish things you might want to say.


----------



## monsieurj

Another possible translation in the workplace could be "work hard!" (in the same line as "do your best").


----------



## funnyhat

I like "hang in there," but if that's not workable, maybe something like "Don't worry. You can handle it."


----------



## giraffefreckles

How about "stay strong"? This works in both in general and in times of adversity - the contexts where I've heard "bon courage".


----------



## Icetrance

Bon Courage = Don't despair (stay strong, don't give up, hang in there)


----------



## Jules.LT

dominixque said:


> after hearing bad news, someone might tell you:  "bon courage !" which would translate as "be strong!"



This sounds odd to me. After hearing bad news someone might tell me "courage!" in France, but not "bon courage!", which seems either too cheerful or too practically oriented (bon courage pour la tâche à accomplir).

But that might be a difference with Québecois...


----------



## DrD

This thread is so long, I hardly know where to start. Well, there's nothing 'strong' about 'break a leg', but I don't think it would really work for a way of saying 'Bon courage' to a colleague who is staying on at work while you go home. 'Break a leg' is simply the traditional way to wish good luck to actors - they're a superstitious bunch of people and apparently saying 'good luck' will bring bad luck so you say 'break a leg' instead (you must also never say 'Macbeth' in a theatre, it should always be referred to as 'The Scottish Play'). Because everyone knows it means good luck it's often used that way in other contexts, but always to wish someone luck for a specific event - exam, driving test, performance, not for any kind of ongoing effort, if you see what I mean.
The expression 'Be of good cheer' exists but is ridiculously old fashioned.
'Stiff upper lip' is also old fashioned but can be used in a tongue-in-cheek way - so actually this would be quite a good way of saying 'bon courage' to the poor sod who's stuck working in the office while you're off home. Otherwise, I'd go for 'hang on in there' or 'stick with it' or even, simply, 'good luck' (which in this context would be taken to mean 'good luck finishing your work and getting home before midight'). 
'Power to ya' sounds absolutely awful to me, but I guess it's more of an AE thing.
And again this might be a difference between AE and BE, our cousins across the pond are in many ways so much nicer than us, but if I was the person stuck at work and someone who was about to go home said to me 'Keep up the good work' I'd probably punch them - it sounds rather smug and sarcastic in BE....


----------



## Nicolas_C

Literally it means "Good courage" or "I wish you courage"

"Hang in there" and "Keep your chin up" are good approximations. 

Approximations that evoke the same feelings.
Keep up the spirit, Keep it up.  ....
"Could be worse, could be me?" ... Always my favorite. Nothing cheers me up more than blunt dark humor from close friends to assure me that they care when I'm really in it.


Anything that mentions luck or good fortune is wrong.
ie. Bonne chance - Break a leg, good luck etc.

Bon Courage is wishing a person strength, resolve and fortitude despite insurmountable odds or bad luck. Where as Bon chance is wishing them that their fate will change.


----------



## Keith Bradford

*Good cheers* doesn't exist
_*(Be of) good cheer*_ did exist in earlier years - it sounds archaic now
_*Cheers*_ is very common, with various meanings (see other threads)

I'd suggest *keep smiling* or _*good luck*_ to translate _bon courage_.  (Don't tell me that's not what it 'means' -- it's what English people say in those circumstances.)


----------



## Misschocolat

How would you translate "bon courage" when it is said to someone who is going to the funerals of his grandfather? In France, we say "bon courage!" because it's going to be a difficult moment.


----------



## Keith Bradford

I think the suggestions on posts 7 and 8 above might serve: _Do your best_ and _Courage_.


----------



## Misschocolat

Thank you!


----------



## franc 91

In the example given above by Dear Prudence for me there's the idea of  -  here's hoping that you have the ways and means of succeeding to do it and quite often in this context there's a reply or additional comment - il (ne) faut pas se laisser abattre  (said tongue in cheek) you mustn't let it get you down.                                       It makes me think of what they say in Irish -God's blessing on the work, when they see someone hard at it.


----------



## SusanL

Circumstances alter cases. I first ran into this expression when I was in hospital in France. As I was being taken out of the emergency area, one of the nurses and another patient wished me "bon courage," and my husband and daughter told me that they also heard it in the waiting room. (One of the things we like about France is the way that people in waiting areas say hello and goodbye to each other.) Under those circumstances, I took it to mean "stay strong." 

When I got home (to Canada), I spoke to a francophone colleague, who told me that it was also something you would say after you'd had lunch with a friend who told you that they were about to get a divorce or lose their job. "Stay strong" might seem a little formal between friends. In North American English, I would say "hang in there." 

It's interesting to read about it being used in a work situation. If I had to work late, a boss (of the stuffier sort) could get away with saying "Keep up the good work"; a friend would be more likely to say "hang in there" (or "sucks to be you" —but that's a whole other discussion).

When I left the hospital, I said "bon courage" to my new roommate, who was waiting for an appendectomy.  It would be nice if English had a similar phrase; "good luck" can seem a little glib.


----------



## Icetrance

In the waiting room of a hospital, I wouldn't think "good luck" would work very well (possible, though...) I really like "stay strong" for this context, because we'd actually say that in the US to someone in a hospital waiting room. "Hang in there" is fine, too.  I think "stay positive" may work as well.


----------



## timpeac

Icetrance said:


> In the waiting room of a hospital, I wouldn't think "good luck" would work very well (possible, though...) I really like "stay strong" for this context, because we'd actually say that in the US to someone in a hospital waiting room. "Hang in there" is fine, too.  I think "stay positive" may work as well.


I definitely agree! As for you, "good luck" would be a very inappropriate thing to say in such circumstances in the UK. However, "stay strong" doesn't sound very idiomatic to me here (although very readily understandable). Perhaps "chin up" for here?


----------



## Icetrance

timpeac said:


> I definitely agree! As for you, "good luck" would be a very inappropriate thing to say in such circumstances in the UK. However, "stay strong" doesn't sound very idiomatic to me here (although very readily understandable). Perhaps "chin up" for here?


 
Or even "keep your spirits up", or something along those lines.


----------



## franc 91

I wish you well


----------



## carog

franc 91 said:


> I wish you well


 
If you were to try to say " (Souhaitez) bon courage de notre part à X" (X is just recovering from an operation), could I say :
"Wish X well from us"?  It just doesn't sound right at all.....


----------



## timpeac

carog said:


> If you were to try to say " (Souhaitez) bon courage de notre part à X" (X is just recovering from an operation), could I say :
> "Wish X well from us"?  It just doesn't sound right at all.....


It's ok - but I think we'd be more likely to say "please give X our best".


----------



## carog

timpeac said:


> It's ok - but I think we'd be more likely to say "please give X our best".


 
Sounds a lot better, thank you timpeac!


----------



## Fredddd

What about "Cheer up !" ?
And when the circumstance is just at the end of an e mail/letter you send to someone  you work for when you're going to bed and he is beginning his day of work (not anything difficult, just a normal day of work) ?
or to someone you don't know who sent you any needed information, for exemple in the "administration" (sécurité sociale, banque, caf, ...) a way to say you care and you want to say thank you and don't want to be formal, juste a little "bon courage" on a post-it stuck to the paper ?
"good luck" would sound sarcastic and would produce the opposite effect.All the other expressions would me much too strong and familiar.  "Bon courage" has something sincere in it (except when you say it in a certain way as a joke of course, like in "could be worse, could be me").
Thanks


----------



## Icetrance

Fredddd said:


> or to someone you don't know who sent you any needed information, for exemple in the "administration" (sécurité sociale, banque, caf, ...) a way to say you care and you want to say thank you and don't want to be formal, juste a little "bon courage" on a post-it stuck to the paper ?


 
I never knew that one could say "Bon courage" in such a case?? 
That's pretty neat.


----------



## SteveCJD

Lots of good suggestions for something that is very context-dependent in English.  

In American English, I would never say "power to ya" in any context, but it's possible that this is regional (I'm a native to New England) or specific to a certain generation (I'm 40-ish).

"Hang in there" is probably the most commonly-used and versatile expression, but it suits only the scenario where the person you are addressing is in (or is about to enter) a difficult situation.  It does NOT equate to "merde" for someone about to go onstage.  There, in addition to "break a leg," we say "knock 'em dead" or even "go get 'em."

One additional suggestion is "buck up," but this must be used with great care.  This is a rather quaint expression and more appropriate for use in addressing small children - as in "Buck up, little fella, you'll get a ribbon next time."  If used with an adult (or precocious child), it can be quite insulting.


----------



## franc 91

more power to the work


----------



## pvarda

Also
Go for it


----------



## gao

"Good luck" and "keep it up" doesn't work in difficult/unpleasant situations one has not control over, as noted earlier.
"Hang in there" sounds extremely colloquial.
Any suggestions on how to end an email to a formal acquaintance explaining how she's trying to cope as best she can with a severe skin allergy?
In French "bon courage!" would be perfect (and formal enough).


----------



## dominixque

perhaps...
- Hope you feel better soon
- Feel better
- Take good care
- Best wishes for your recovery
etc?


----------



## gao

thanks! i like "take good care"


----------



## Salvage

My interpretation of « Bon courage » is fairly literal: 
"Have heart" with the idea of desire, bravery, and determination.

I always think of « Bon courage » as perfect to urge on Tour de France riders.

I am a student of French, not a native speaker.


----------



## dominixque

I've lived in Paris for 3 years and parisians use it in allllllll occasions. 
it's probably their most often used expression. very versatile, in so many different contexts, formal and informal (students, workplace, friendship/family, deadlines, illness, performance, etc).
That said, in some contexts, have heart could work yes.


----------



## Icetrance

You really need to the context to know the best translation (yes, it's one of those expressions) That said, and although I'm sort of contradicting myself in saying so, I think could get away with "Everything will be fine/It'll be fine/You'll be fine" as an all-purpose translation for "Bon courage" (letting someone know that everything is going be ok...just hang in there).

All said in my very humble opinion.


----------



## synnove

Another somewhat less frequent expression in English is the simple word, "Godspeed," particularly at the start of a journey, but which can also be used in other situations.


----------



## Green Linnet

Not really relevant to the original question, but just to point out that in vernacular English as spoken in Ireland, "Good luck" is very often just an informal way of saying, "Goodbye".


----------



## culture_clash

Sophievm: "*"Break a leg" ?!? That's a funny way of wishing someone something good !"*

"Break a leg" has many different stories of origin, stemming from the theatre world -- from how you "break" (or bend) the leg when you bow for the audience, to the common idea that wishing someone good luck may actually bring them bad luck (so you say something bad instead). 

The one I have found the most credible is that the "legs" in a theatre are actually the name for the side curtains. To "break a leg" means that you did so well that the audience demands multiple bows and, after working the curtains so much, you end up breaking...the...leg...(aka the side curtain).


----------



## franc 91

There another variation on this in French which I use when I've been to see someone in their office and they have shown themselves to be useful and polite, and that's 'Bonne continuation' - I also say that or Bon courage to the lady at the check-out in the supermarket, once I've paid and I am leaving her to deal with the next customer.


----------



## catwin

"Good luck with the work" or just "good luck" in a work context if it's just a way of expressing sympathy or saying goodbye to someone who has work to do, even if they're doing their usual tasks.

If you google it you'll find 99,300,000 results which is an excellent indicator IMO.

So, good luck everyone!


----------



## Attâr

I read all the thread, and here are my conclusions. I separate what never really correspond to "bon courage !" (or there is better), and what may correspond.

*No*

_Have heart, hang it there, keep trying, stay strong_, etc. would rather correspond at the French "tiens bon !". It's too hard for "bon courage", that we say very frequently. It may be translated by "courage !" also, that we say only when there is a special difficulty ahead. Perhaps these expressions are also commoly used but they haven't the same meaning.
"Bon courage" may be used when there is a difficulty, but there is a subtility to understand. There may be a real difficlty ahead, but thus this is not stressed. I mean that when we say "tiens bon !", it is clear that the recipient will have to face a real problem, whereas by "bon courage !", there is a more friendly tone, like if we will soon forget the difficulty once it will be finished. Moreover, it's more something to bear for a while, whereas "tiens bon !" or "courage !" is more something to really face.
For example, if somebody that I don't know goes to a commission to present a thesis. If before to enter, I hear someone tell him "bon courage !", it would say nothing special, or that he will have to bear the little stress to be in front of all those important people, but after it will be finished and they will surely celebrate his PhD. Whereas is someone tell him "courage !" or "tiens bon !", I will think that there is real reason to be afraid that he will received a lot of serious critics and pehaps they will not give him a PhD at all... I think "good luck" means quite the same that "bon courage !" here.

_Good luck_ corresponds to "bonne chance".
_Breack a leg_ to "merde".
_Godspeed_ more to "bon vent !".

I don't know if _Keep it up_ or _Chin up_ can be said for something not important.

Note also that "bonne continuation" is definitively not a real equivalent for "bon courage !". We use it when we have had friendly relations with someone (even for half an hour, what counts is that we have talked with each other about something personnal : work, life, hobbies, etc.) and that we will not see him soon (the person goes back in his country for example) or never (it's just someone with whom I've talked in a train travel but we didn"t exchanged contact information). Then we say as final greetings "bonne continuation", but with implied "dans la vie" or "for the rest of your life" or "for your life until we meet again". It's very odd to say that to a cashier, unlike "bon courage !"


*Yes*

For what I've understood, I would use _Bon courage !_ whan there is a temporary and specific difficulty ahead. Or _Do your best !_

_Be strong, keep smiling, cheer up_ could correspond to _"_bon courage !" when we say that after a bad news, when someone live something sad but whithout something special to do with it.

It can be a bold proposition, but I think that what correspond the best in situations where there is no special difficulty but in which there is "something" is _All the best_, even if it is less personnel because it doesn't suppose the personal efforts to give.
I read this topic because I was writing to my brother who's in the US for a months, making english courses. He wrote me that all is great: there is no difficulty, but something to do, a special event for one month. My relfex was to put above my first name "Bon courage,", but my email was written in English, so I was looking for an equivalent, and read propositions on the internet. Finally, I wrote _All the best _which fits at best for the idea I wanted to communicate to him.
You could argue that there is a a better expression : _Take good care_. It's like _All the best_, but you don't hope that the environment happens to be good but that the recipient act positively and well on the following. _Take care_ can be the best. Of course, there is a little difference : in _Take care_, it's more a question of paying attention to him while acting whereas in "bon courage !", it's more a question to have the motivation to act.
_All the best_ has nevertheless the advantage of less express a worry that the recipient has problem, it seems more formal, like "bon courage". In my letter, I would not have written _Take care_, the first expression is more neutral I think. For example, we say "prend soin de toi" in French only for intimate conversation (at least me, some women can use it more frequently), but I don't know if it's the same for _Take care_.


----------



## mireillec

Hi,  
How would I translate "Bon courage" in this situation:
My friend's mother is in a critical condition at the hospital.


----------



## Chat Perché

Est-ce que 'Be brave' conviendrait ?


----------



## Kelly B

_Hang in there_ is informal, but that's often what I say in that case.


----------



## ain'ttranslationfun?

Tough one, mireillec...both your friend's situation and finding the right expression. I'd go with "Hang in there." and "Keep me posted." If you both believe in a religion, you could add "I'll be praying for her (your friend's mother).", but only if that's the case. 
"Bon courage!" to both of you!


----------



## mireillec

Thank you all.  It was helpful.


----------



## ain'ttranslationfun?

Sorry, I should have been more explicit: I meant "Hang in there" for "Bon courage.", and you could add "Keep me posted." to let your friend know you want to be kept up-to-date on her mother's condition.


----------



## mireillec

Will say that.  Thanks again.


----------



## AmaryllisBunny

I would say: "Head up, chin high!" "Good luck!" "Go get'em!" "Hang in there!"

Since at many a time, « bonne chance » can be seen sarcastic, « bon courage » is the safer less often sarcastic expression.


----------



## jlan

Icetrance said:


> You really need to the context to know the best translation (yes, it's one of those expressions) That said, and although I'm sort of contradicting myself in saying so, I think could get away with "Everything will be fine/It'll be fine/You'll be fine" as an all-purpose translation for "Bon courage" (letting someone know that everything is going be ok...just hang in there).


I would like to stress something that hasn't been brought out well in this long thread. As gao (#51) remarked, _bon courage_ works both in *formal and informal* settings. Many of the possible translations given in this thread  -- _hang in there_, _break a leg_, _keep it up_, _chin_ (or anything else...) _up_, _be brave_ -- (whether apposite translations, sometimes or always, or not) can really only be used in *informal* contexts.

You wouldn't tell your boss (at least not in a normal/typical hierarchical relationship that you have with a superior or senior) to _hang in there_, _be brave_, or _keep it up _-- and definitely not _everything will be fine/it'll be fine/you'll be fine_, which sounds very condescending. You can however very well tell your boss (at least your immediate one, maybe not someone who's several grades above you)_ bon courage_, without coming across as being insubordinate.

So, ruling out _good luck _(because it stresses something beyond your control, whereas _bon courage _is something that depends more on your -- indeed _be brave _sounds like the closest literal translation, but again it sounds rather insubordinate in English), and putting aside the fact that English speakers, and especially Americans, are generally less formal than the French (but this too is changing, and there are very subtle ways especially the British have to convey hierarchical superiority or inferiority even when using seemingly informal language), I believe that for a good translation of _bon courage _in a *formal* context, only few suggestions here could be used, possibly _wish you well for_, _all the best with_, and _best wishes. _

I'm still looking for a better one.


----------



## Icetrance

jlan said:


> I would like to stress something that hasn't been brought out well in this long thread. As gao (#51) remarked, _bon courage_ works both in *formal and informal* settings. Many of the possible translations given in this thread  -- _hang in there_, _break a leg_, _keep it up_, _chin_ (or anything else...) _up_, _be brave_ -- (whether apposite translations, sometimes or always, or not) can really only be used in *informal* contexts.


Hello,

In your particular situation, why not  "Stay strong"?

Best luck in your search!


----------



## jlan

Thanks  I didn't say anything about my particular situation, but I don't think it's appropriate to say _stay strong _to a hierarchical superior (if you're keen on holding on to that particular job, or foster that particular relationship, in the long run...) Again, it all depends on your particular relationship with your boss (or elder), but, at least in the non-US English-speaking world, this would be my feeling.


----------



## franc 91

If I were speaking to a superior, I would probably say something very formal such as - May I wish you every success for .....the future - or - for (whatever is more specific). In French, I would use similar language, as I don't think simply saying 'bon courage' to them would be appropriate. Of course this depends entirely on the context. Here are a few more suggestions -
I hope everything/it turns out OK for you.
I hope it all goes to plan.
Let's hope it won't be too bad, anyway.
I hope you can manage to get through it.
There's also the catch-all phrase - Well, all the best, anyway.


----------



## Mikeo38

My pennyworth to this long thread. The other day I was sitting (uncomfortably) on the outside steps painting the metal cupboard that houses the electricity meters and my neighbour said, "Bon courage." I wondered what I'd have said in English and came up with, "Keep up the good work."


----------



## franc 91

As has already been said, this very much depends on the context and probably the kind of person you are addressing. 'Keep up the good work' sounds vaguely patronising to me, unless it's meant and understood as a joke. In BE they'd probably come up with some kind of light banter such as - that looks like hard work ! or  - don't get yourself covered in paint, or we'll have to take you to the cleaners,  or - be careful with what you're doing with that paintbrush, won't you ? - etc etc but there's always that other catchall phrase - well, good luck with it anyway.


----------



## Mikeo38

Yes, I would have said it as a joke.
M


----------



## newuser10

bon courage = "best of luck."
or sometimes "chin up," or just "go for it"
depends on the context.


----------



## ain'ttranslationfun?

As DrD mentioned above, the theater has it superstitions ('the Scottish play'; 'the gentleman with the long tail' for a rat'...); I've never heard "break a leg" outside the theater context. A friend who was on the synchronized swimming team in college told me that before a meet they'd wish each other "Break a fin!". A humorous one:  Be of stout heart!" And don't Her Majesty's subjects say "Best of British luck (to you)!"?


----------



## Ali Smith

People sometimes say just "Courage !". This doesn't mean the same thing as "Bon courage !", does it? If I'm not mistaken:

Courage ! = Don't lose heart!
Bon courage ! = Good luck ! or Hope it goes well!


----------



## Chimel

Ali Smith said:


> People sometimes say just "Courage !". This doesn't mean the same thing as "Bon courage !", does it? If I'm not mistaken:


Yes and no... _Courage!_ is indeed stronger and is more used in serious situations (for instance when someone has just heard he is seriously ill). But you can also hear people say _Bon courage!_ in these contexts.

On the contrary, people tend to say _bon courage! _in everyday situations (like a colleague who has to work overtime), but _Courage! _(said with an ironical undertone, exaggerating the problem the person is facing) is also possible.

So, what you say is generally and theoretically right, but in real life both expressions tend to be mixed up.


----------

