शुभरात्री
śubharātrī
The Sanskrit phrase for "good night" is शुभरात्री (śubharātrī).
शुभरात्री is used as a parting salutation when someone is retiring for the night or leaving a social gathering late in the evening.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of śubha meaning auspicious or good and rātrī meaning night.
How does it change in a sentence?
शुभरात्री is a feminine noun in its base form, matching the gender of night.
How do you pronounce it?
śubharātrī
Did you know?
- Rātrī is also a Vedic goddess of the night, praised in a hymn of the Rigveda (10.127).
- While शुभरात्री is understood today, ancient Sanskrit texts rarely used a specific phrase for 'good night'. Instead, speakers used general auspicious greetings like नमस्ते or focused on the deity of the night.
Example conversation
Two friends are ending their conversation before going to sleep.
- विवान Vivaanईशा, अहम् इदानीम् शयनं करोमि।Īśā, aham idānīm śayanaṃ karomi.Isha, I am going to sleep now.
- ईशा Ishaअस्तु, विवान।astu, Vivāna.All right, Vivan.
- विवान Vivaanशुभरात्री!śubharātrī!Good night!
- ईशा Ishaशुभरात्री, स्वप्नसुखम्।śubharātrī, svapnasukham.Good night, sweet dreams.
