Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| تصبح على خير | tisbah ala kheir | to a man |
| تصبحي على خير | tisbahi ala kheir | to a woman |
| ليلتك سعيدة | laytak sa'eedeh | to a man |
To a woman, say تصبحي على خير (tisbahi ala kheir). ليلتك سعيدة (laytak sa'eedeh), 'have a happy night', is a softer version often used with children or a partner.
What does it mean word for word?
تصبح means 'may you become' in the morning, and على خير means 'into goodness'. In fast Lebanese speech, على often contracts to ع, giving تصبح عالخير.
Which one should you use?
تصبح على خير fits family, friends and colleagues leaving for the night. ليلتك سعيدة feels gentler and more intimate.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are polite, with only the gender ending needing adjustment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This goodnight phrase is shared across the Levant, Iraq and the Gulf, though the contraction of على into ع is a particularly Lebanese speech habit.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ending shows gender: تصبح to a man, تصبحي to a woman, تصبحوا to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
In everyday Beirut speech, تصبح على خير often comes out closer to تصبح عالخير (tisbah ʿal-kheir), merging the two middle words into one.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Writing the full على in a casual text message is not wrong, but most Lebanese speakers would type or say the contracted عالخير instead.
When do people say it?
Saying goodnight individually to everyone in the room, rather than offering one blanket goodnight to the group, is common in Lebanese households.
Did you know?
- Contracting على into ع before a noun, as in عالخير, is one of the most common everyday shortcuts in spoken Lebanese Arabic.
- The traditional reply وانت من أهله is shared across the Levant and the Gulf, answering the shape of the goodnight wish rather than simply repeating it.
Examples in context
- تصبح عالخير، نتفرج بكرا.tisbah al-kheir, nitfarraj bukra.Goodnight, we will catch up tomorrow.
- تصبحي عالخير يا ماما.tisbahi al-kheir ya mama.Goodnight, mom.
- ليلتك سعيدة، نام هنيّ.laytak sa'eedeh, nam hanni.Have a good night, sleep well.
Example conversation
Nour says goodnight to her brother Rami before bed in Beirut.
- Nourتصبح عالخير يا رامي.tisbah al-kheir ya Rami.Goodnight, Rami.
- Ramiوانتي من أهله، تصبحي عالخير.w inti min ahlo, tisbahi al-kheir.Same to you, goodnight.
- Nourلا تسهر كتير عالموبايل.la tis-har kteer al-mobile.Don't stay up too long on your phone.
- Ramiماشي، ليلتك سعيدة.mashi, laytik sa'eedeh.Okay, goodnight to you too.
