Ready for your next language-learning adventure? Today we’re going to teach you the various ways to say good night in German and goodnight too – there’s a big difference between the two!
The simple forms of goodnight in Germany can also be used to say goodbye (Auf Wiedersehen) to someone at the end of an evening. The two phrases can be used interchangeably.
However, when wishing someone goodnight at bedtime, you may wish someone a good night in German in a different manner, as in this situation you would not be bidding them goodbye. The Germans even have a sweet saying about getting a good night’s sleep:
Ein gutes Gewissen ist ein sanftes Ruhekissen
The literal translation is “a good conscience is a soft pillow” which means you will sleep well when your mind is at ease and nothing is bothering you.
So how do you send someone off in the evening in Germany? Do you say sweet dreams, good evening, good night, or goodnight?
The Difference Between A German Good Night And Goodnight
It doesn’t matter which foreign language you’re speaking, there’s a big difference between a good night (eine gute Nacht) and goodnight (Gute Nacht). People easily confuse the two so let’s learn when it’s appropriate to use each phrase.
Typically, you would say good night when describing an evening that was fun or nice. It was literally a good night. On the other hand, it’s appropriate to say goodnight as a send-off greeting to people who are heading home or to your friends you are saying goodbye to for the night.
Here are some examples of how to use good night in German:
- I hope it is a good night (Ich hoffe, es ist eine gute Nacht)
- I hope you have a good night (Ich hoffe du hast eine gute Nacht mein schatz)
- I hope you had a good night (Ich hoffe, Sie hatten eine gute Nacht)
- Have a good night (Gute Nacht)
- I wish you a good night (Ich wünsche Ihnen eine gute Nacht)
How To Say Goodnight In German And Other Related Expressions
The most common way to bid someone goodnight in German is “Gute Nacht!” You can even shorten it to sound more like a native speaker and say, “Gut’ Nacht!” A really informal way is to say, “Nacht!” However, anyone other than your close friends and family would find this word a bit rude.
Besides Gute Nacht, what are other acceptable ways to say goodnight in German?
| English | German | Pronunciation |
| Good evening | Guten Abend | |
| See you tomorrow | Bis morgen | |
| See you in the morning | Sehe dich am Morgen | |
| Sleep well / sleep tight | Schlaf gut | |
| Rest well | Ruhe gut | |
| It was lovely to see you tonight | Es war schön, dich heute Abend zu sehen | |
| Tonight was wonderful | Heute Nacht war wunderbar | |
| Get home safely | Sicher nach Hause kommen | |
| Thank you. Goodnight | Vielen Dank. Gute Nacht | |
| Have a good evening | Hab einen schönen Abend | |
| Have a nice evening | Schönen Abend | |
| Take care and goodnight | Machs gut und gute Nacht | |
| Goodnight and good luck | Gute Nacht und schlaf gut | |
| Good night, sleep tight. | Schlafen Sie gut | |
| It is time to say good night | Nun ist es Zeit gute Nacht zu sagen | |
| I wish you a good night | Ich wünsche dir eine gute Nacht | |
| Sleep nicely | Schlaf gut |
Romantic Or Personalized Ways To Say Goodnight In German
Wishing goodnight to a loved one can be made a tad more special when you add that extra touch! Here are some romantic ways to wish someone a meaningful goodnight in German.
Ways To Wish Children Goodnight In The German Language
You may have children or are being visited by those who do in Germany. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to wish them sweet dreams?
How to Ask A Friend Or Family Member About Their Evening
It can be nice to ask someone how their night out went. Here are some ways to greet people in the morning or the next day to see how their evening was.
- Did you have a good night? (Hattest du eine gute Nacht?)
- Was it a good night? (War es eine gute Nacht?)
- A good night, was it? (Eine gute Nacht, oder?)
- You sleep well? (Du hast gut geschlafen/ihr habt gut geschlafen)
- Did you have a pleasant night? (Hattest du eine angenehme Nacht?)
To ask “How was your night?” or “How did you sleep?” in the morning in Germany, the most common question is Guten Morgen! Hast du gut geschlafen? (Good morning! Did you sleep well?)
The answer would be “Ja Ich habe gut geschlafen” (Yes, I slept well) or “Nein, ich habe nicht gut geschlafen” (No, I did not sleep well.)
How To Say Good Night In Germany In Austria And Switzerland
Germany is spoken in many countries neighboring Germany although each country has its own dialect. For example, in Austria you might hear;
While over in Switzerland people say;
That’s All Folks!
If you’re reading this at night then we wish you a German goodnight,
Gute Nacht! Be sure to bookmark this for quick and easy access to all the ways to wish the people in your life goodnight in German, or soon to be in your life if you’re planning to visit Germany.
Let’s Continue To Learn German
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