dobrou noc
[dobrou̯ not͡s]
In Czech, good night is said as dobrou noc.
dobrou noc is used specifically as a farewell when someone is going to sleep or when parting ways late at night.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective dobrou (good, feminine accusative case) and the noun noc (night, feminine accusative case), literally meaning "a good night".
Which one should you use?
Unlike dobré ráno (good morning), dobrou noc is strictly a parting phrase and is not used as a greeting upon arriving somewhere at night.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the accusative case because it is a shortened version of an expression such as "Přeji vám dobrou noc" (I wish you a good night).
Did you know?
- Czech has a distinct word polnoce for midnight, which literally translates to 'half-night', treating the noc as a measurable unit of time.
- The word noc shares an ancient root with the English word 'night', both descending from a common Proto-Indo-European source.
- While English speakers often say 'Good night' to mean 'Goodbye' in the evening, Czechs will use dobrou noc only if sleep is actually involved.
Examples in context
- Popřál jsem jí dobrou noc.I wished her a good night.This sentence shows how to use dobrou noc when wishing someone a good night.Tatoeba #8323335 by Ergulis, translation #457128 by FeuDRenais
- Nastal čas popřát dobrou noc.Now it's time to say good night.This sentence demonstrates the moment one decides to say dobrou noc.Tatoeba #7256333 by Ergulis, translation #31744 by CK
- Popřál jsem jim dobrou noc a odešel.I wished them good night and left.This sentence illustrates using dobrou noc before leaving a group of people.Tatoeba #8241379 by Ergulis, translation #8241380 by Ergulis
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tereza and Lukáš are going to bed.
- TerezaJsem už velmi unavená.I am very tired already.
- LukášJá taky, pojďme spát.Me too, let's go to sleep.
- TerezaDobrou noc, Lukáši.Good night, Lukáš.
- LukášDobrou noc, Terezo.Good night, Tereza.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries dobrou noc, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
