laku noć
Latin
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Croatian as laku noć.
laku noć is used exclusively as a farewell when someone is going to sleep or leaving for the night, not as a greeting upon arrival.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "light night". It is a combination of laku (light/pleasant in the accusative case) and noć (night).
Which one should you use?
While laku noć is a farewell used at the end of the day, dobro jutro is a greeting used in the morning.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective laka is in the feminine accusative form to agree with the feminine noun noć.
Did you know?
- In a household setting, parents may replace laku noć with the diminutive laku noćku to sound more affectionate when speaking to children.
- The word laku means 'light' in terms of weight, implying that the night should be 'weightless' and free of burdens or worries.
- While laku noć is the standard wish for sleep, Croatians often say lijepu noć to wish someone a 'beautiful night' in more romantic or poetic contexts.
Examples in context
- Laku noć.Good night.This example shows the use of laku noć as a simple statement.Tatoeba #12584986 by Adelpa, translation #2362724 by NotApplicable
- Laku noć!Good night!This example shows the use of laku noć as an exclamation.Tatoeba #12585725 by Adelpa, translation #426950 by Pun_intended
- Laku noć, dragi mojGood night, my dear
- Laku noć, macoGood night, kitty
- Laku noć, vidimo se sutra.Good night, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Mateo and Petra are going to bed.
- MateoTired day, laku noć, Petra.Tiring day, good night, Petra.
- PetraLaku noć, Mateo.Good night, Mateo.
- MateoSutra se budimo rano.We are waking up early tomorrow.
- PetraZnam, spavajmi.I know, go to sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries laku noć, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
