laku noć
The English phrase "goodnight" is translated into Croatian as laku noć.
The phrase laku noć is used both as a parting greeting when leaving someone at night and as a way to say goodbye before going to sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective laku and the noun noć. The word noć means "night", while laku is the accusative feminine form of the adjective lake, which means "light" or "pleasant".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective laku is in the accusative case to match the direct object of an implied verb such as "wish" (željeti laku noć).
Did you know?
- In a sarcastic or ironic tone, Croatians use laku noć to express that a situation is hopeless or that someone is delusional. It is similar to saying 'yeah, right' or 'good luck with that' in English.
- In Croatian, if you were to wish someone a 'heavy' night, you would use the word tešku, but this would sound like a curse or a bad omen.
- The word noć shares a common ancestor with the English word 'night'. Both can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *nókʷts.
Examples in context
- Laku noć, gospodine Ivanoviću.Goodnight, Mr. Ivanović.
- Mirne snove, gospođo Jurić.Peaceful dreams, Mrs. Jurić.
- Laku noć, mama. Spavaj lijepo!Goodnight, mom. Sleep well!
- Slatki snovi, prijatelju moj.Sweet dreams, my friend.
- Sretan put i laku noć!Safe travels and goodnight!
- Laku noć, svi.Goodnight, everyone.
- Laku noć i sanjaj nešto lijepo.Goodnight and dream something beautiful.
- Samo laku noć i vidimo se sutra.Just goodnight and see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Ivan and Mia are saying goodbye at the end of a late evening visit.
- IvanHvala ti na večeri, Mia.Thank you for the evening, Mia.
- MiaNema na čemu, Ivane. Laku noć!You're welcome, Ivan. Goodnight!
- IvanLaku noć, vidimo se sutra.Goodnight, see you tomorrow.
- MiaDoviđenja!Goodbye!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry laku noć, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noć, CC BY-SA 4.0.
