labdien
good day in Latvian is expressed as labdien. Wiktionary also lists laba diena.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
Ways to say it
| Latvian |
|---|
| labdien |
| laba diena |
Labdien is a way to say 'good day' in Latvian, specifically used as a greeting between sunrise and sunset.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase laba diena is a literal combination of the adjective laba (good) and the noun diena (day).
Which one should you use?
While laba diena is the full noun phrase, labdien is the standard, more natural-sounding form used when greeting someone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Labdien is a polite, standard greeting suitable for formal or professional settings, as well as meeting strangers. For a formal way to wish someone a good day, you can use Lai jums laba diena! If you are greeting someone specifically in the morning, the formal and polite way is Labrīt. For informal greetings at any time of the day, you may use Sveiki!
Did you know?
- The root of diena is related to the word for 'god' or 'sky' in several ancient Indo-European languages, linking 'good day' to the brightness of the heavens.
- In Latvian culture, omitting the greeting labdien when entering a small shop or a lift can be perceived as a sign of poor upbringing or rudeness.
- In many Baltic cultures, including Latvia, a polite greeting like labdien is often accompanied by a slight nod of the head to show respect to the person being addressed.
Examples in context
- Labdien!Good day!This example shows the use of labdien as an exclamation.Tatoeba #12914742 by GemMonkey, translation #855284 by pirytm
- Labdien.Good day.This example shows the use of labdien as a polite statement.Tatoeba #435270 by FeuDRenais, translation #1844755 by wwkudu
- Labdien! Prieks iepazīties.Good day! A pleasure to meet you.This example shows labdien used alongside a polite introduction.Tatoeba #10929107 by mackay, translation #10929108 by mackay
- Sveiks! Labdien! Kā jums klājas?Hello! Good day! How are you?
- Labrīt! Ceru, ka jums būs veiksmīga diena!Good morning! I hope you have a successful day!
- Sveiki, kā klājas?Hi, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Māris and Zane meet on the street during the afternoon.
- MārisLabdien, Zane!Good day, Zane!
- ZaneLabdien, Māri! Kā tev iet?Good day, Māris! How are you?
- MārisMan viss lieliski, paldi спасибо.Everything is great with me, thank you.
- ZaneTas ir lieliski!That is great!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries labdien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
