avoir de la chance

You must conjugate the verb avoir (to have). For example, J'ai de la chance means "I am lucky." If you want to say someone is *very* lucky, add beaucoup. Say Tu as beaucoup de la chance. Wait, actually, it shortens to Tu as beaucoup de chance. It is a simple, versatile tool for your French kit. Use it just like you would use "to be lucky" in English.

Use it when things go your way. Use it at a restaurant when you get the last croissant. Use it when texting a friend who just booked a trip to Nice. It works perfectly in professional meetings too. If a project succeeds due to timing, you can say Nous avons eu de la chance. It shows humility and gratitude. It is a very positive, warm expression.

Don't use it for skill-based wins. If you studied hard and passed an exam, saying J'ai eu de la chance might sound like you cheated! French people value hard work. Also, avoid it in very tragic situations where "luck" sounds dismissive. If someone survives a minor scrape, it's fine. If they lost their house but kept their cat, maybe hold back.

Luck in France is often tied to the idea of 'le destin' (destiny). However, la chance is the more common, everyday term. Historically, French culture has a superstitious streak. You might see people mentioning luck while touching wood (toucher du bois). This phrase is the linguistic equivalent of a four-leaf clover. It is universally understood from Paris to Quebec.

You will often hear Quelle chance ! which means "What luck!" or "How lucky!" In casual speech, people might just say Pas de chance when something goes wrong. It's the French way of saying "tough luck" or "bummer." If you want to sound more formal, you could use avoir de la veine. That literally means "to have vein," which is a bit weird, right? Stick to la chance for now!