dobrú noc
/ˈdɔbruː nɔt͡s/
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Slovak as dobrú noc.
dobrú noc is the most common and universally understood way to say "good night" in Slovak. While it serves as a farewell, it is specifically used when parting for sleep. You might also hear spokojnú noc to wish someone a peaceful night's sleep, or príjemný spánok to wish someone a pleasant sleep. For a more affectionate expression, you can say dobrú noc, moje zlato, which means "good night, my dear (sweetheart)".
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective dobrú (good) and the noun noc (night).
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between a greeting and a farewell. Use dobrý večer (good evening) as a greeting when arriving in the evening, and use dobrú noc only when parting for sleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the adjective dobrú is in the feminine accusative singular form to agree with the feminine noun noc in the accusative case, which is used here for expressing a wish.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdɔbruː nɔts/
Did you know?
- When saying dobrú noc to a pet or a child, Slovaks often use the diminutive nocinka, turning 'night' into a cute or tiny version of itself.
- In Slovakia, it is common to wish children spinkaj sladko, which literally translates to 'sleep sweetly' rather than just saying 'good night'.
- The word noc shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'night', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *nókʷts.
Examples in context
- Dobrú noc a spi sladko!Good night and sleep tight!This sentence shows how to combine dobrú noc with a wish for someone to sleep tight.Tatoeba #9071270 by Dominika7, translation #4597870 by Ricardo14
- Zaželal som jej dobrú noc.I bade good night to her.This sentence uses dobrú noc to show the act of bidding good night to someone.Tatoeba #12686673 by Dominika7, translation #261141 by mamat
- Poprial som jej dobrú noc.I wished her a good night.This sentence uses dobrú noc to show the act of wishing someone a good night.Tatoeba #12686674 by Dominika7, translation #457128 by FeuDRenais
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dana and Jakub are going to bed.
- DanaUž som unavená. Dobrú noc, Jakub.I am tired already. Good night, Jakub.
- JakubAj ja. Dobrú noc, Dana.Me too. Good night, Dana.
- DanaZhasíš prosím svetlo?Will you turn off the light, please?
- JakubJasno, spíme.Sure, let's sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations and entries dobrú noc, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
