تصبحين على خير
tisbaheen 'ala khair
The English phrase "goodnight" is translated into Arabic as تصبحين على خير (tisbaheen 'ala khair).
This phrase is used specifically to wish someone a good sleep before they go to bed. It is a way of saying goodnight to someone who is retiring for the night rather than a general greeting for the evening.
Which one should you use?
To say goodnight to a group of people, use the plural form تصبحون على خير.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people, you should use the plural form تصبحون على خير.
How do you pronounce it?
tisbaheen 'ala khair
When do people say it?
When someone says تصبح على خير (or its feminine/plural variations), a common response is وأنت من أهله, which means "and you are among its people". This translates to the sentiment "and may you be among the people of goodness".
Did you know?
- While the English 'goodnight' is an adjective-noun pairing, the Arabic تصبحين على خير literally means 'May you wake up upon goodness'.
- The preposition على in this phrase is a cognate of the Hebrew word עַל, meaning 'upon' or 'on'.
- The word خير (khair) used in the phrase does not just mean 'good', but encompasses 'blessing', 'abundance', and 'prosperity'.
Examples in context
- تصبحين على خير يا والدتيGoodnight, Mother.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use تصبحين على خير when addressing a mother.Tatoeba #5496779 by Wildflower81, translation #869217 by ColinG
- تصبحين على خير يا عزيزتي.tusbihina 'ala khayr ya 'azizati.Goodnight, my dear.
- نامي جيداً، تصبحين على خير.nami jayyidan, tusbihina 'ala khayr.Sleep well, goodnight.
Example conversation
Youssef is saying goodbye to Nour before she goes to sleep.
- يوسف Youssefحان وقت النوم الآن.Hana waqt an-nawm al-an.It is time to sleep now.
- نور Nourنعم، أنا أشعر بالنعاس.Na'am, ana ash'uru bin-nu'as.Yes, I feel sleepy.
- يوسف Youssefتصبحين على خير.Tusbihina 'ala khayr.Goodnight.
- نور Nourوأنت من أهل الخير.Wa anta min ahli al-khayr.And you as well.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries على, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
