2 syllables: Bonne an, née. Stress on Bonne an.
BOHN NAY
/ˈboʊn ˈneɪ/
Bonne année is pronounced BOHN NAY (/ˈboʊn ˈneɪ/). It has two syllables (Bonne an-née), with the stress on "Bonne an". Bonne année is a French greeting meaning “Happy New Year.” It’s pronounced as two syllables in fluent speech, roughly “baan ah-nay” in English phonetic spelling, with the emphasis on the second word. The phrase blends /bɔn‿ane/ with liaison between /n/ and /a/, yielding a smooth, festive cadence used from late December through early January.
verbBonne année is a French greeting meaning “Happy New Year.” It’s pronounced as two syllables in fluent speech, roughly “baan ah-nay” in English phonetic spelling, with the emphasis on the second word. The phrase blends /bɔn‿ane/ with liaison between /n/ and /a/, yielding a smooth, festive cadence used from late December through early January.
How to Pronounce Bonne année
"Bonne année à tous!"
"On se souhaite une bonne année et une bonne santé."
"Elle a dit, en souriant, Bonne année à toute l’équipe."
Pronounce as /bɔn‿an.e/ in careful speech. The first syllable /bɔn/ rhymes with ‘bone’ but with a nasal vowel [ɔ̃] before the nasal /n/. The second word /an/ is a short, nasal vowel followed by /e/. In connected speech, you often hear [bɔn.an]. Stress falls lightly on the second syllable of the phrase, but overall rhythm is smooth and festive. IPA guides: US: /bɔ̃n‿ane/ or /bɔn‿ane/; UK: /bɒn ˈɑːneɪ/; AU: /bɒn ˈaːneɪ/. You’ll hear a subtle nasalization across the boundary. Audio references: listen to native speakers on Forvo or YouGlish; search for “Bonne année prononciation.”
Common errors: 1) Overpronouncing the nasal vowel, turning /ɔn/ into a pure /ɔ/—keep the nasalization. 2) Splitting the phrase with equal emphasis on both words; natural speech uses a light tie between syllables. 3) Misplacing the final /e/ in année as a silent or hard vowel; aim for a soft [e] at the end. Corrections: practice /bɔ̃ n‿an e/ with a gentle link, avoid forcing an extra consonant after /e/; let the final vowel be short and crisp.
US speakers tend to approximate the nasal /ɔ̃/ as a rounded [ɔ] with a light nasalization, delivering /bɔ̃.nan/. UK speakers may render it closer to /bɒn ˈɑːneɪ/, emphasizing the second word with a clear /neɪ/. Australian speakers often resemble US or UK patterns depending on individual background, with a brighter /eɪ/ diphthong in année. Across accents, the liaison remains, but final vowel quality and vowel length change, influencing the overall festive tone.
Key challenges: nasality of /ɔ̃/ in /bɔn/ and the muted final /e/ in année; linking /n/ between words creates a nasalized transition that’s easy to mispronounce; stress is subtle, not heavy, so the phrase should flow. Beginners often flatten the nasal vowel or over-articulate the second word’s ending. Focus on the nasal vowel quality, the smooth link between /n/ and /a/, and the final polite /e/ sound.
A distinctive feature is the subtle nasal coupling across the word boundary: the /n/ at the end of bonne and the initial /a/ of année share a connected resonance. In careful speech you’ll hear a gentle nasalization across the boundary, contributing to the phrase’s warmth. Also, the final /e/ in année tends to be lightly released or even devoiced in rapid speech; keep it soft and not drawn out.
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US: rhotic? American speakers should keep a neutral r-lessness; vowel length is shorter and the final /e/ tends to be more open. UK: non-rhotic, more extended diphthong in /eɪ/ of année, clearer enunciation of final syllable. AU: variable, often closer to US with more open vowels; pay attention to Australian vowel shifts; ensure the final /e/ is not swallowed. IPA references: /bɔ̃n.an.e/ (US), /bɒn ˈɑː.neɪ/ (UK), /bɔn æˈneɪ/ (AU).
Bonne année vient du français ancien bonn (bon, lit. ‘good’) et de année (année, ‘year’). L’expression sémantiquement s’est cristallisée comme vœux de début d’année. Le mot bonne est l’adjectif féminin accordé au nom année. L’usage liturgique et civil s’est largement consolidé au XVIIe siècle, lorsque les échanges festifs autour du passage d’une année à l’autre se sont institutionnalisés. Dans le français moderne, l’expression est quasi universelle dans les voeux et slogans du Nouvel An, et elle est devenue une formule standard, parfois abrégée en “bonne année” même hors contexte festif. Le phrasal liaisonne naturellement: “bonne-née” dans un débit fluide, et l’accent final se porte sur le /e/ de année, créant la prosodie rythmée et chaleureuse associée aux vœux. Première utilisation attestée se trouve dans les textes français des périodes postmédiévales, où l’on voit des célébrations et des souhaits enregistrés dans les recueils de poésie et les actes publics. Au fil du temps, l’expression s’est répandue dans toute la francophonie, variant légèrement selon les dialectes locaux mais conservant la structure fondamentale bon-ne/an-née et le sens de bénédiction pour l’année à venir.
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Words that rhyme with "Bonne année"
-née sounds
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