goedenavond
/ˌɣu.dəˈnaː.vɔnt/
goedenavond is the Dutch way to say good evening.
goedenavond is used as a greeting when arriving or meeting someone in the evening, rather than as a way to say goodbye.
Meaning: greeting said in the evening (intj)
Which one should you use?
goedenavond is the common single-word form, while goede avond is a formal way to say good evening where the words are separate.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Goedenavond and goede avond are both standard formal greetings. In very casual settings, one might simply say avond! as a shortened greeting.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the common single-word form goedenavond, the 'n' is added to goede as a linking element, even though avond is a common gender noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌɣu.dəˈnaː.vɔnt/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- When greeting someone with goedenavond in a professional Dutch setting, direct eye contact is culturally vital. Failing to look the person in the eye while delivering the greeting can make you appear untrustworthy or dishonest.
- The 'n' in goedenavond is a fossil from an old grammatical case used for objects that has otherwise vanished from most of the language.
- The word avond shares a common ancestor with the English word 'eventide'. Both words trace back to a Germanic root that describes the end of the day.
Examples in context
- Goedenavond, hoe gaat het?Good evening, how're you doing?This example shows how to use goedenavond when asking how someone is doing.Tatoeba #11770729 by nieki2000, translation #7926090 by shekitten
- Goedenavond, hoe maakt u het?Good evening, how are you?This sentence uses goedenavond as a greeting while asking a more formal version of how someone is.Tatoeba #5959 by Dorenda, translation #413820 by Dorenda
- Goedenavond, ik had graag een glas volle melk.Good evening. I'd like a glass of whole milk.This shows goedenavond being used when placing an order in a setting like a restaurant.Tatoeba #3498193 by PaulP, translation #3499041 by danepo
- Goedenavond, meneerGood evening, sir
- Goede avond, mevrouwGood evening, ma'am
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Julia meet at a cafe in the evening.
- LucasGoedenavond, Julia.Good evening, Julia.
- JuliaGoedenavond, Lucas. Hoe is het met jou?Good evening, Lucas. How are you?
- LucasMet mij gaat het goed, dank je.I am doing well, thank you.
- JuliaFijn om te horen!Good to hear!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good evening” translations and entries goedenavond, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries goedenavond, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
