bona notti
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Sicilian as bona notti.
bona notti is used as a farewell phrase.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
Did you know?
- Sicilian is a distinct language from Italian, meaning bona notti differs from the standard Italian buona notte in its vowel sounds and spelling.
- Because Sicilian has been influenced by Arabic, some words related to the night and stars have roots entirely different from the Latin origin of notti.
- In many parts of Sicily, a person might say bona notti not just to go to sleep, but as a way to signal the absolute end of an evening's social gathering.
Examples in context
- Bona nuttata, Signuri!Good night, sir!
- Bona notti a tutti.Good night to everyone.
- Bona notti, carissima.Good night, dearest.
- Ti auguru na bona notti.I wish you a good night.
Example conversation
Antonio and Agata are saying goodbye at the end of the evening.
- AntonioFusti molto gentile, Agata.You were very kind, Agata.
- AgataNenti di speciale, Antonio.It was nothing special, Antonio.
- AntonioOra vaju a dormiri, bona notti.I am going to sleep now, good night.
- AgataBona notti, a dumani!Good night, see you tomorrow!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries bona notti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
