godnat
/ɡoˈnat/
The English phrase "goodnight" is translated into Danish as godnat.
godnat is a greeting used to say goodbye to someone who is going to bed or leaving late at night. It is very common to pair godnat with sov godt (sleep well) when wishing someone a good night.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of god (good) and nat (night).
Which one should you use?
godnat is used specifically when someone is going to sleep or when a conversation is ending for the night. In contrast, god aften (good evening) is used as a greeting when arriving or meeting someone in the evening.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike many other Danish adjectives, god in godnat does not take the common gender ending -t (godt) because the word is a fixed compound expression.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡoˈnat/
Did you know?
- In old-fashioned Danish literature, godnat can be used as a dramatic metaphor to signify death or a permanent departure.
- In Denmark, the word nat is used in the term natmad, which refers specifically to a 'night snack' eaten late before bed.
- A common extended bedtime wish for children is godnat, sov godt, og drøm sødt, which translates to 'goodnight, sleep well, and dream sweetly'.
Examples in context
- Giv mig et godnatkys!Kiss me goodnight.This sentence shows how to use godnat in a request for a goodnight kiss.Tatoeba #6973161 by danepo, translation #6576627 by Eccles17
- Tom sagde godnat til Mary.Tom said goodnight to Mary.This sentence demonstrates how to use godnat to express saying goodnight to someone.Tatoeba #3508040 by danepo, translation #2543355 by CK
- Godnat!Goodnight!This sentence shows how to use godnat as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #1850593 by danepo, translation #1068125 by erik21889
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mads and Emma are parting ways after a late evening movie.
- MadsDet var en hyggelig aften.It was a cozy evening.
- EmmaJa, det var det. Godnat, Mads.Yes, it was. Goodnight, Mads.
- MadsGodnat, Emma. Sov godt.Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well.
- EmmaTak, det gør jeg.Thanks, I will.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry godnat, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
