Some of you may already know how to say goodnight in Japanese, especially if you watch anime or you’ve learned Japanese before. I’m sure the Japanese word you learned for goodnight was おやすみ (oyasumi). But, did you know that there are many other phrases that you can use instead of saying oyasumi every time?
You will learn 9 different and cool phrases to say goodnight in Japanese. You will also be able to distinguish which Japanese expression is the best for different situations.
So, let’s get started!
1. Goodnight
Romaji: oyasumi
The most common and simple way to say goodnight in Japanese is おやすみ (oyasumi). You can use this phrase before going to bed or when leaving somewhere at night and saying goodbye to your friends. You can also use it before hanging up the phone if it is nighttime.
Oyasumi Or Oyasuminasai?
People who have just started to learn Japanese sometimes use these two words interchangeably, but they are not the same.
おやすみなさい (oyasuminasai) is the more formal form of おやすみ (oyasumi). So, if you want to wish goodnight to someone who is your senior, in terms of ranking and age, you should use oyasuminasai.
Japanese people generally use oyasumi for family members and friends.
2. It’s Time To Get Under The Blanket
Romaji: sorosoro ofuton ni hairune
This Japanese phrase is commonly told to kids to imply that their bedtime is coming. They are expected to stop whatever they are doing and go to bed. It’s also okay to say this to a close friend, but keep in mind that this phrase is very casual and not appropriate for people older than you.
3. Sweet Dreams
Romaji: yoi yume mitene
This is the second most common goodnight phrase in Japan after oyasumi. Remember that it is a casual and informal expression, so you should only say it to your family and friends.
4. Let’s Meet In Our Dreams
Romaji: mata yumede aoune
This Japanese phrase has a meaning similar to ”see you again in our dreams” or ”let’s meet in our dreams.” As you can probably guess, this phrase is only appropriate for couples who are in love.
5. Sleep Tight
Romaji: yukkuri oyasumi
This Japanese phrase means to sleep deeply and well enough to restore your energy for the next day. It is a casual and informal phrase, so you can use it with anyone except for people who have seniority over you.
6. See You In The Morning
Romaji: asa ni mata aoune
You can hear Japanese people say this phrase in daily life, but it can be both formal and informal depending on the situation. You can use this phrase as a goodbye, rather than a goodnight when leaving a group of people. Just make sure that you will see them tomorrow morning otherwise it would be pointless to use this phrase.
7. Dream Of Me
Romaji: watashi no yume wo mitene
This is an informal phrase, so you should only say it to your close friends or romantic partner. It might be a good choice to say this phrase if you are talking to your lover over the phone or texting.
8. Sleep With Angels
Romaji: tenshi to isshoni netene
This particular phrase has two different meanings, but they have no relevance to each other, so you should be careful and aware of the situation before saying it.
The first meaning is literally wishing someone to sleep with angels, as in sleeping so well and comfortably.
The second meaning of this phrase has to do with death. When talking about someone who has passed away, you can say something like 彼女は今天使と寝ています (kanojo wa ima tenshi to nete imasu). This means that she is sleeping with the angels now.
9. I’ll Be Dreaming Of You
Romaji: anata no yume wo mirune
Here is another romantic way of wishing someone a goodnight in Japanese. If you are dating a Japanese person and want them to know that, even in sleep, you always want to be with them, then this is the phrase for you.
Other Sleep-Related Japanese Vocabulary
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