dobrý deň
/dɔbriː ɟɛɲ/
dobrý deň is the Slovak way to say "good day".
dobrý deň is a greeting used between sunrise and sunset.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective dobrý (good) and the noun deň (day).
Which one should you use?
While dobrý deň is used for the bulk of the daylight hours, dobré ráno is used specifically in the early morning. Once evening begins, you should switch from dobrý deň to dobrý večer.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dobrý deň is a formal greeting. It is the standard way to greet people when entering shops, meeting strangers or addressing elders. For informal situations, such as greeting friends, the word Ahoj is used instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective dobrý is in the masculine nominative singular form to agree with the masculine noun deň.
How do you pronounce it?
/dɔbriː ɟɛɲ/
Did you know?
- Although dobrý deň means 'good day', it is never used as a farewell. To say 'have a good day' when leaving, Slovaks use a different phrase: pekný deň.
- The word deň shares a prehistoric root with the English word 'day' and the Latin 'dies'. Both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *dyew-, which referred to the daylight sky.
- In some very formal or traditional settings, a person might extend dobrý deň by adding a title, such as dobrý deň, pán učiteľ, which means 'good day, Mr. Teacher'.
Examples in context
- Dobrý deň. Ako sa dnes máte?Good day. How are you today?This sentence shows how to use dobrý deň when asking how someone is.Tatoeba #9024246 by Dominika7, translation #54599 by AlanF_US
- Dobrý deň!Good day!This sentence shows a simple use of dobrý deň as an exclamation.Tatoeba #855295 by pirytm, translation #855284 by pirytm
- Dobrý deň, Tom.Good day, Tom.This sentence shows how to use dobrý deň when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #12735451 by Adelpa, translation #12735457 by Adelpa
- Dobrý deň! Rád/a vás spoznávam.Good day! Nice to meet you.
- Príjemný deň vám prajem.I wish you a pleasant day.
- Zdravím ťa! Maj sa krásne.I greet you! Have a great day.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jakub and Kateřina meet at a shop.
- JakubDobrý deň, hľadáte niečo konkrétne?Good day, are you looking for something specific?
- KateřinaDobrý deň, len sa pozerám.Good day, I am just looking.
- JakubRozumiem, dajte mi vedieť, ak pomôžem.I understand, let me know if I can help.
- KateřinaĎakujem pekne.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries dobrý deň, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deň, dobrý, dobrý deň, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
