نهارك سعيد
naharak sa'eedto a man
In Dubai, 'good day' in Emirati Arabic said to a man is نهارك سعيد (naharak sa'eed). If unsure, use نهارك سعيد.
Meaning: a wish for a pleasant day (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Emirati Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| نهارك سعيد | naharak sa'eed | to a man |
| نهارك سعيد | naharik sa'eed | to a woman |
This is said when greeting or parting during the day, wishing someone well, and often answered with the same phrase back.
What does it mean word for word?
نهارك means 'your day' and سعيد means 'happy', so the phrase wishes 'your day happy'.
Which one should you use?
There is no separate casual or formal version, only the ending changes with the gender of the person addressed.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase is warm and polite, suitable for anyone from a shopkeeper to a close friend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
It is used across the Gulf, including in Dubai, with the same wording.
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive ending shifts for gender, 'naharak' to a man and 'naharik' to a woman, even though the spelling looks the same.
How do you pronounce it?
سعيد is said 'sa-EED', with a long stressed vowel at the end.
Did you know?
- Possessive endings carrying the gender marker, as in نهارك, are typical of Gulf Arabic and often go unnoticed in writing since the spelling does not change.
Examples in context
- صباح الخير، نهارك سعيد.sabah al-khair, naharak sa'eed.Good morning, good day to you.
- شكراً على زيارتك، نهارك سعيد.shukran ala ziyartak, naharak sa'eed.Thank you for your visit, good day.
- نهارك سعيد يا أم سالم.naharik sa'eed ya om Salem.Good day to you, mother of Salem.
Example conversation
A hotel receptionist named Fatima says goodbye to a guest named James in Dubai.
- Jamesشكراً على كل شي، مع السلامة.shukran ala kol shay, ma'a al-salama.Thank you for everything, goodbye.
- Fatimaالعفو، نهارك سعيد.el-afw, naharak sa'eed.You're welcome, have a good day.
- Jamesوانتي كمان، نهارك سعيد.w inti kaman, naharik sa'eed.You too, have a good day.
- Fatimaالله يحفظك في سفرك.Allah yahfazak fi safarak.God protect you on your trip.
