Ways to say it
| Iraqi Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| تصبح على خير | tisbah ala khair | to a man |
| تصبحين على خير | tisbahin ala khair | to a woman |
| ليلتك سعيدة | laylatak sa'eeda | softer |
To a woman, say تصبحين على خير (tisbahin ala khair). ليلتك سعيدة (laylatak sa'eeda), 'have a happy night', is a gentler alternative often used with children.
What does it mean word for word?
تصبح means 'may you become' in the morning, and على خير means 'into goodness', so the phrase wishes a good start to the next day. ليلتك سعيدة wishes happiness over the night itself.
Which one should you use?
تصبح على خير fits family, friends and colleagues leaving for the night. ليلتك سعيدة feels softer and suits young children or close partners.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are polite in any setting, with only the gender ending to adjust.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This goodnight phrase is shared across Iraq, the Levant and the Gulf with only small differences in pronunciation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ending shows gender: تصبح to a man, تصبحين to a woman, تصبحون to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
The ص is an emphatic, heavier s, pulled back in the mouth compared to a regular s sound.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Replying with the exact same phrase instead of وانت من أهله can sound slightly off, since Iraqis usually vary the reply rather than echo it.
When do people say it?
Saying goodnight to every person in the room individually before leaving or sleeping is common practice in Iraqi households.
Did you know?
- The traditional reply وانت من أهله answers the goodnight wish by accepting membership in 'its people' rather than simply repeating the same phrase.
- Staying up late on a phone before sleep, السهر على الموبايل, has become common enough in Iraq to earn its own casual phrase among parents.
Examples in context
- تصبح على خير، نلتقي باجر.tisbah ala khair, niltaqi bacher.Goodnight, see you tomorrow.
- تصبحين على خير يا ماما.tisbahin ala khair ya mama.Goodnight, mom.
- ليلتك سعيدة، نام بدري.laylatak sa'eeda, nam badri.Have a good night, sleep early.
Example conversation
Mariam says goodnight to her younger brother Ali before bed.
- Mariamتصبح على خير يا علي.tisbah ala khair ya Ali.Goodnight, Ali.
- Aliوانتي من أهله، تصبحين على خير.w inti min ahlo, tisbahin ala khair.Same to you, goodnight.
- Mariamلا تسهر على الموبايل.la tis-har ala il-mobile.Don't stay up on your phone.
- Aliزين، ليلتچ سعيدة.zein, laylatich sa'eeda.Fine, have a good night too.
