добар ден
dobar den[dɔbar ˈdɛn]
The phrase 'good afternoon' in Macedonian is добар ден (dobar den).
While it literally means 'good day', it is the standard greeting used from midday through the afternoon.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase добар ден literally translates to 'good day'.
How do you pronounce it?
dobar den
Did you know?
- The word ден in the phrase shares a common ancestor with the English word 'day', stemming from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- In many parts of Macedonia, it is common to pair добар ден with a slight nod of the head to show respect to elders or strangers.
- If you are leaving a location in the afternoon, you can use the exact same phrase, добар ден, to mean both 'good afternoon' and 'have a good day'.
Examples in context
- Добар ден на сите!Dobar den na site!Good afternoon to everyone!
- Добар ден, како сте денес?Dobar den, kako ste denes?Good afternoon, how are you today?
- Ви посакувам добар ден.Vi posakuvam dobar den.I wish you a good afternoon.
Example conversation
Philip and Elena meet at a cafe in the afternoon.
- Филип FilipДобар ден, Елена!Dobar den, Elena!Good afternoon, Elena!
- Елена ElenaЗдраво, Филип!Zdravo, Filip!Hello, Philip!
- Филип FilipКако си денес?Kako si denes?How are you today?
- Елена ElenaДобро сум, благодарам.Dobro sum, blagodaram.I am well, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries добар ден, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ден, добар, добар ден, CC BY-SA 4.0.
