おやすみなさい、いい夢を
oyasuminasai, ii yume o
The English phrase 'good night sleep well' is translated into Japanese as おやすみなさい、いい夢を (oyasuminasai, ii yume o).
This phrase is used to wish someone a restful night and pleasant dreams before they go to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The second part, いい夢を, literally means 'a good dream' followed by the object marker 'o', implying the unspoken verb 'see' or 'have'.
Which one should you use?
You can use the shorter おやすみなさい for just 'good night'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase いい夢を is an elliptical construction where the verb is omitted, which is common in Japanese wishes.
How do you pronounce it?
oyasuminasai, ii yume o
Did you know?
- While いい夢を is a lovely sentiment, it can sound slightly unnatural or 'Western' to native Japanese speakers. Traditional Japanese culture often focuses more on the quality of rest rather than the content of dreams.
- The phrase おやすみなさい contains the verb 'yasumu', which means to rest or to be absent. In a historical context, it shares a conceptual root with the idea of 'taking a break' from one's duties.
- The polite form おやすみなさい is used even when speaking to those much younger than you, unlike many other Japanese greetings that change strictly based on social hierarchy.
Examples in context
- おやすみなさい、いい夢を。Oyasuminasai, ii yume o.Good night, sweet dreams.
- おやすみなさい、いい夢を！Oyasuminasai, ii yume o!Good night, have pleasant dreams!
- もう寝るね。おやすみなさい、いい夢を。Mou neru ne. Oyasuminasai, ii yume o.I'm going to bed now. Good night, sleep well.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are saying goodnight over a video call.
- 健太 Kentaそろそろ寝る時間だね。Sorosoro neru jikan da ne.It's almost time for bed.
- 結衣 Yuiそうだね。おやすみなさい、いい夢を。Sou da ne. Oyasuminasai, ii yume o.You're right. Good night, sleep well.
- 健太 Kenta結衣も、おやすみなさい。Yui mo, oyasuminasai.You too, Yui, good night.
- 結衣 Yuiまた明日ね。Mata ashita ne.See you tomorrow.
