Ways to say it
| Serbian | Note |
|---|---|
| добар дан | Cyrillic |
| dobar dan | Latin |
добар дан is a greeting used between sunrise and sunset. It is the standard and most common way to say good day in Serbian.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective добар (good) and the noun дан (day).
Which one should you use?
While добар дан is used throughout the day, добро јутро (good morning) is specifically used in the early morning hours, typically until around noon or early afternoon. Once the sun begins to set, добро вече (good evening) is typically used instead of добар дан.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
добар дан is a standard, polite greeting suitable for formal or semi-formal situations, such as entering a shop or meeting an acquaintance. If you wish to be even more polite and formal, you can say Dobar dan vam želim, which means I wish you a good day. For informal situations, you might use Zdravo among friends or Ćao to say hi or bye.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase добар дан, the adjective добар is in the masculine singular nominative form to match the masculine noun дан.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'Good day' is often a way to end a conversation, добар дан is almost exclusively used to start one.
- The word добар (good) is so versatile that it is also the root for the name 'Dobrica', a common diminutive for the name 'Dobrosav'.
- If you say Dobar dan to a stranger in a small Serbian town, it is often a social cue to pause and engage in a few minutes of small talk rather than just a quick passing greeting.
Examples in context
- Bio je dobar dan.It was a good day.This sentence uses dobar dan to show a past state.Tatoeba #4238281 by Lebad, translation #4234245 by User66640
- Добар дан.Good day.This sentence shows the Cyrillic form of добар дан.Tatoeba #8830509 by Lebad, translation #1844755 by wwkudu
- Добар дан, како си?Good day, how are you?This sentence shows добар дан used in a greeting with a follow-up question.Tatoeba #476800 by FeuDRenais, translation #415678 by blay_paul
- Dobro jutro! Drago mi je što vas upoznajem.Good morning! Nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Marija and Stefan meet on the street during the afternoon.
- MarijaДобар дан, Стефане!Good day, Stefan!
- StefanЗдраво, Марија, како си?Hello, Marija, how are you?
- MarijaДобро сам, хвала.I am well, thank you.
- StefanДраго ми је.I am glad to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
