godnat
/ɡoˈnat/
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Danish as godnat.
godnat is used as a farewell. While the English "good night" can sometimes function as a greeting in very specific contexts, godnat is strictly a farewell.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word godnat is a compound of god, meaning "good" and nat, meaning "night".
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡoˈnat/
When do people say it?
You may also use the phrase Sov godt og drøm sødt to wish someone a good night and sweet dreams. For a more affectionate and playful way to say good night, you can use Nat nat.
Did you know?
- Danish is a North Germanic language, making godnat a close relative of the Swedish god natt and Norwegian god natt. Only the spelling and the compounding of the words differ slightly.
- The phrase drøm sødt means 'dream sweet' rather than 'sweet dreams'. In Danish, the adjective follows the verb in this specific wish.
- The phrase Sov godt literally means 'sleep well' and is often used interchangeably with godnat as a final farewell before bed.
Examples in context
- Jeg sagde godnat til ham.I told him good night.This sentence shows how to use godnat when telling someone good night.Tatoeba #3250248 by danepo, translation #3249371 by nava
- Nu er det tid til at sige godnat.Now it's time to say good night.This sentence shows the common phrase for saying it is time to say godnat.Tatoeba #2457516 by danepo, translation #31744 by CK
- Han sagde godnat til sine forældre.He said good night to his parents.This sentence demonstrates using godnat when saying good night to parents.Tatoeba #475027 by danepo, translation #304718 by CK
- Godnat, skatGood night, sweetheart
- Godnat og sov godt. Hav en dejlig dag i morgenGood night and sleep well. Have a wonderful day tomorrow
- Sov godt. Pas på dig selvSleep well. Take care of yourself
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Freja and Mads are leaving a dinner party late at night.
- FrejaDet var en hyggelig aften, godnat.It was a cozy evening, good night.
- MadsJa, tak for i aften, godnat.Yes, thanks for tonight, good night.
- FrejaSov godt, Mads.Sleep well, Mads.
- MadsTak, godnat, Freja.Thanks, good night, Freja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries godnat, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
