Level A2-B1 (Upper Beginner – Lower Intermediate)
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.
The French Word of the Day is meilleurs vœux, a greeting meaning “best wishes” that is commonly used at New Year’s. I specifically picked this greeting because its pronunciation is very difficult for most students. How do you pronounce the œux in vœux? What’s going on? What is the œ letter? Read my tips and listen to Marie’s audio clips, and you’ll get a much better grasp of pronunciation!
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
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📘 Meilleurs vœux meaning in French
Meilleurs vœux is a French greeting meaning “best wishes.” It’s a warm, polite expression used to wish someone happiness, success, or good health during important moments. You’ll hear it most often around the New Year and the holidays, but it’s also used for weddings, professional milestones, and other life events. The examples below show how to use meilleurs vœux naturally in greeting cards, emails, and short messages.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année ! | Best wishes for the New Year! |
| Meilleurs vœux de bonheur et de santé. | Best wishes for happiness and health. |
| Tous mes meilleurs vœux ! | All my best wishes! |
| Meilleurs vœux pour votre mariage. | Best wishes for your marriage. |
| Meilleurs vœux pour votre nouveau poste. | Best wishes for your new job. |
| Meilleurs vœux pour votre réussite. | Best wishes for your success. |
🎧 Meilleurs vœux pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of meilleurs vœux is /mɛ.jœʁ vø/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “meh-YUR vuh.” The common mistake is for students to pronounce it like “meilleurs voh.” This is WRONG.
Pronunciation tips:
➔ meilleurs /mɛ.jœʁ/ — Say it like “may-yur” — don’t pronounce the final s.
➔ œ sound /ø/ — This is one of the most difficult sounds in the French language and is called l’e dans l’o (the “e” inside the “o”). Round your lips tightly as if saying “o,” but try to say “eh” inside your mouth.
➔ vœu (wish) /vø/ — simply attached v to /ø/.
📝 Meilleurs vœux examples & usage
Meilleurs vœux est une expression utilisée pour souhaiter une bonne nouvelle année.
“Meilleurs vœux” is an expression used to wish someone a happy New Year.
Je t’envoie mes meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année.
I’m sending you my best wishes for the New Year.
Ils présentent leurs meilleurs vœux à leurs collègues.
They offer their best wishes to their colleagues.
Nous écrivons meilleurs vœux sur nos cartes de vœux.
We write “best wishes” on our greeting cards.
Want to sound more natural during the holidays? Explore these related lesson:
👉 Joyeux Noël — merry Christmas »
👉 le réveillon — Christmas / New Year’s Eve dinner »
👉 French greetings vocabulary »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- joyeuses fêtes — happy holidays
- bonne année — happy new year
- bonne santé — good health
- plein de bonnes choses — lots of good things
- mes vœux les plus sincères — my most sincere wishes
- formuler des vœux — to express wishes
- les fêtes de fin d’année — the holidays
- le jour de l’an — New Year’s Day
- le Nouvel An — the New Year
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 Joyeux Noël — merry Christmas »
👉 le réveillon — Christmas / New Year’s Eve dinner »
👉 souhaiter (to wish) — examples and usage »
👉 félicitations — congratulations »
👉 French greetings vocabulary »
🚀 Continue learning French online on FrenchLearner!
👉 French Word of the Day »
👉 French Vocabulary lists »
👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
❓ Meilleurs vœux — Common Questions
What does “meilleurs vœux” mean?
It translates to “best wishes.” While popular for the New Year, it is also used for weddings, new jobs, and other major life milestones.
How do you pronounce “vœux”?
It is pronounced /vø/ (roughly like “vuh”). To get the œ sound right, round your lips for an “o” but try to say “eh” inside your mouth; the final “x” is silent.
Is meilleurs vœux only for New Year’s?
No. Use it for any “important moment,” such as “Meilleurs vœux pour votre mariage” (Best wishes for your marriage) or success in a new role.
