Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| goedenacht | /ˌɣu.dəˈnɑxt/ | |
| goeienacht | ||
| welterusten | /ˈʋɛl.təˌrʏs.tə(n)/ /ˌʋɛl.təˈrʏs.tə(n)/ |
|
| trusten | familiar | |
| slaapwel | /ˈslaːpˌʋɛl/ | Belgium |
Dutch has several ways to say "good night" depending on whether you are simply saying goodbye or specifically wishing someone a good rest as they head to bed. While goedenacht is a general farewell, welterusten is the most common way to say "good night" when someone is actually going to sleep, as it functions as a wish for a good rest.
Which one should you use?
goedenacht and goeienacht are general farewells used at night. In contrast, welterusten is specifically used to wish someone a good rest when they are going to bed. In very informal settings, you might also hear the shortened version trusten.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The variation goeienacht is more colloquial. welterusten is a standard and widely used way to wish someone sleep, though it can also be used informally. The form trusten is a shortened, colloquial version intended for use among friends or family. Slaap lekker is an informal way to say "good night".
Is it said differently in some regions?
slaapwel is a common way to say good night in Flanders, which is the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.
Did you know?
- While welterusten is the standard wish for sleep, some Dutch people say slaap lekker, which literally means 'sleep tastily'.
- The word welterusten is an example of univerbation, where the separate words wel, te, and rusten merged over time into a single term.
- If you use the shortened form trusten with a stranger or a superior, it could be perceived as strangely over-familiar or even slightly rude.
Examples in context
- Goedenacht, en zoete dromen.Good night and sweet dreams.This example shows how to use goedenacht in a farewell.Tatoeba #974442 by martinod, translation #64653 by Eldad
- Goedenacht. Droom maar lekker.Good night. Sweet dreams.This example shows a way to use goedenacht with a wish for sweet dreams.Tatoeba #388257 by Dorenda, translation #2194 by laurafults
- Ze kuste haar moeder slaapwel.She kissed her mother good night.This example shows the use of slaapwel when a person is being kissed good night.Tatoeba #12671367 by Yuzu_Sa_sushi, translation #310642 by CK
- Welterusten, mevrouw. Ik hoop dat u goed slaapt.Good night, madam. I hope you sleep well.
- Slaap lekker, vriend. Tot morgen!Sleep well, my friend. See you tomorrow!
- Welterusten, lieverd. Droom zoet!Good night, darling. Sweet dreams!
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Lisa are going to bed.
- LucasIk ga nu slapen, Lisa.I am going to sleep now, Lisa.
- LisaIs goed, goedenacht Lucas.Alright, good night Lucas.
- LucasGoedenacht, tot morgen.Good night, see you tomorrow.
- LisaSlaap lekker!Sleep well!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries goedenacht, goeienacht, welterusten, slaapwel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries welterusten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
