Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| placidē quiēscās | |
| bene quiēscās | |
| molliter cubēs | |
| ōtiōsē dormiās | |
| in utramvīs aurem dormiās | |
| in dextram aurem dormiās | |
| vale | [ˈwa.ɫeː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈvaː.le] (narrow) |
| placidam noctem | |
| bonam noctem (calques) |
In Latin, speakers often use optative subjunctive phrases to express a wish for someone's rest. While bonam noctem exists as a calque of the English "good night", it is less idiomatic in classical Latin than the various subjunctive expressions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase placidē quiēscās literally means "may you rest peacefully".
Which one should you use?
The word vale is a general farewell used at any time of day, whereas the other phrases provided are specific to the night. While bonam noctem is a direct way to say "good night", it is considered a calque and is less idiomatic than phrases like placidē quiēscās, bene quiēscās, molliter cubēs or ōtiōsē dormiās.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms quiēscās, cubēs and dormiās use the subjunctive mood to express a wish.
Did you know?
- The phrase in utramvīs aurem dormiās , 'may you sleep on either ear', comes from Roman comedy and means 'sleep soundly, without a worry'.
- While vale is a standard farewell, it is etymologically linked to the idea of being 'strong' or 'healthy', effectively wishing the person 'be well' as they depart for the night.
- The phrase cubēs comes from a verb that specifically refers to the act of reclining or lying down, which was the standard posture for resting and dining in the Roman world.
Examples in context
- Vale et bonam noctem.Goodbye and good night.This sentence shows how to use vale in a farewell.Tatoeba #11136903 by carlosalberto, translation #11136879 by carlosalberto
Example conversation
Claudia and Marcus are saying goodbye for the night.
- ClaudiaIam dormīre volō.I want to sleep now.
- MarcusEt ego fessus sum.And I am tired too.
- ClaudiaPlacidē quiēscās, Marce.Good night, Marcus.
- MarcusGrātiās tibi, Claudia.Thank you, Claudia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries vale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
