35+ Wonderful Ways To Wish Goodnight In German

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)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Auf Wiedersehen[/Speechword] 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 [Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ein gutes Gewissen ist ein sanftes Ruhekissen[/Speechword]

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)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]eine gute Nacht[/Speechword] and goodnight (Gute Nacht).[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Gute Nacht[/Speechword] 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)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ich hoffe, es ist eine gute Nacht[/Speechword]
• I hope you have a good night (Ich hoffe du hast eine gute Nacht mein schatz)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ich hoffe du hast eine gute Nacht mein schatz[/Speechword]
• I hope you had a good night (Ich hoffe, Sie hatten eine gute Nacht)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ich hoffe, Sie hatten eine gute Nacht[/Speechword]
• Have a good night (Gute Nacht)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Gute Nacht[/Speechword]
• I wish you a good night (Ich wünsche Ihnen eine gute Nacht)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ich wünsche Ihnen eine gute Nacht[/Speechword]

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?

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?)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Hattest du eine gute Nacht[/Speechword]
• Was it a good night? (War es eine gute Nacht?)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]schöne[/Speechword]
• A good night, was it? (Eine gute Nacht, oder?)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Eine gute Nacht, oder[/Speechword]
• You sleep well? (Du hast gut geschlafen/ihr habt gut geschlafen)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Du hast gut geschlafen/ihr habt gut geschlafen[/Speechword]
• Did you have a pleasant night? (Hattest du eine angenehme Nacht?)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Hattest du eine angenehme Nacht?[/Speechword]

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?)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Guten Morgen! Hast du gut geschlafen[/Speechword]

The answer would be “Ja Ich habe gut geschlafen” (Yes, I slept well)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Ja Ich habe gut geschlafen[/Speechword] or “Nein, ich habe nicht gut geschlafen” (No, I did not sleep well.)[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Nein, ich habe nicht gut geschlafen[/Speechword]

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;

• A guats Nächtle or Guat Nacht.[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]A guats Nächtle[/Speechword] / [Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Guat Nacht[/Speechword]

While over in Switzerland people say;

• Schlof guet or Guäts Nachtli.[Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Schlof guet[/Speechword] / [Speechword voice=”Deutsch Female” isinline]Guäts Nachtli[/Speechword]

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.

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