Hanhepi wašté
Good night in Lakota is Hanhepi wašté.
Hanhepi wašté is used as a farewell phrase when you are parting ways with someone during the night or before going to sleep.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of hanhepi (night) and wašté (good).
Did you know?
- While Hanhepi wašté is used for parting, Lakota has distinct ways of greeting people that depend on whether the speaker is entering or leaving a space, reflecting a cultural emphasis on the transition between environments.
- In Lakota, the word wašté can be used to describe not just a 'good' night, but also a 'good' or 'righteous' way of living and behaving.
- The Lakota language utilizes a system of nasalization and glottal stops that can change the feel of a word like hanhepi, which may sound very different to a native speaker than it does to an English speaker.
Examples in context
- Hanhepi wašté.Good night.
- Hanhepi wašté, tate.Good night, father.
- Hanhepi wašté, okici.Good night, warrior.
Example conversation
Joyce and Curtis are saying goodbye before going to sleep.
- JoyceHanhepi wašté, Curtis.Good night, Curtis.
- CurtisHanhepi wašté, Joyce.Good night, Joyce.
- JoyceWíŋyan tȟáŋka wašté.Sleep well.
- CurtisPhíyellakȟe.Thank you.
