شب بخیر
shab bekheir
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Persian as شب بخیر (shab bekheir).
شب بخیر is used exclusively as a farewell when parting ways at night or before going to sleep, not as a greeting upon arriving.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of shab (night) and bekheir (with goodness or blessing).
How does it change in a sentence?
شب بخیر is a fixed expression and does not change its form based on the gender or number of the people being addressed.
How do you pronounce it?
shab bekheir
When do people say it?
The standard response to شب بخیر is to repeat the same phrase back: شب بخیر.
Did you know?
- The word khayr used in shab bekheir is an Arabic loanword, showing how Persian historically integrated Arabic religious and philosophical terms into daily greetings.
- The word شب (night) shares a common ancestor with the Sanskrit word 'kṣap', meaning 'night', which highlights the deep Indo-European roots shared between Persian and ancient Indian languages.
- If you want to be even more affectionate with family or loved ones, you might say شب خوش (shab khosh), which uses 'pleasant' or 'sweet' instead of 'blessed'.
Examples in context
- شب بخیر.Good night.This sentence shows the use of شب بخیر.Tatoeba #13496449 by Adelpa, translation #2362724 by NotApplicable
- خوب بخواب!Sleep well!
- شبت خوش!Have a nice night!
Example conversation
Sara and Ali are saying goodbye at the end of a phone call late at night.
- سارا Saraخیلی ممنون از تلفنت، علی.kheyli mamnoon az telefonat, Ali.Thanks a lot for your call, Ali.
- علی Aliخواهش میکنم، سارا جان.khohesh mikonam, Sara jan.You're welcome, dear Sara.
- سارا Saraشب بخیر.shab bekheyr.Good night.
- علی Aliشب بخیر عزیزم.shab bekheyr azizam.Good night, dear.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries شب, شب بخیر, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
