noapte bună
/ˌno̯ap.te ˈbu.nə/
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Romanian as noapte bună.
Noapte bună is used exclusively as a farewell when someone is going to sleep or leaving for the night.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of noapte (night) and bună (good).
Which one should you use?
While noapte bună is a farewell for the night, you should use Bună seara (Good evening) if you are greeting someone in the evening.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective bună is in the feminine singular form to agree with the feminine noun noapte.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˌno̯ap.te ˈbu.nə/. It has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Romanian, the word bună is often used alone as a casual 'hi' or 'hello' among friends.
- While noapte bună is the standard farewell, Romanians often pair it with the phrase somn ușor, which literally translates to 'easy sleep'.
- The word noapte shares a common ancestor with the English word 'night' and the Latin 'nox', making it a distant relative of the English term.
Examples in context
- I-am spus noapte bună.I wished him a good night.This sentence is useful for seeing the phrase used with a person.Tatoeba #6587395 by CataG, translation #457127 by FeuDRenais
- Noapte bună. Vise dulci.Good night. Sweet dreams.This sentence shows a common way to follow a good night wish with sweet dreams.Tatoeba #3319912 by radubradu, translation #2194 by laurafults
- Noapte bună și somn ușor!Good night and sleep tight!This sentence shows an informal way to wish someone a good night and sleep tight.Tatoeba #4598061 by radubradu, translation #4597870 by Ricardo14
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ioana and Andrei are going to their separate rooms to sleep.
- IoanaNoapte bună, Andrei!Good night, Andrei!
- AndreiNoapte bună și ție, Ioana.Good night to you too, Ioana.
- IoanaNe vedem dimineață.See you in the morning.
- AndreiDa, ne vedem atunci.Yes, see you then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries noapte bună, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bună, noapte, noapte bună, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
