dobranoc
/dɔˈbra.nɔt͡s/
dobranoc is the Polish phrase for goodnight.
dobranoc is a phrase used as a greeting when someone is going to bed or leaving for the night.
Which one should you use?
Unlike dobry wieczór (good evening), which is a greeting used when arriving, dobranoc is used only when someone is leaving or going to sleep.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /dɔˈbra.nɔts/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- When saying dobranoc to a child, Polish parents often pair it with the phrase spij słodko, which translates to 'sleep sweetly'.
- In Poland, it is common to say dobranoc to a group of people as soon as the host indicates the evening is ending, even if the guests are not yet physically going to bed.
- The word dobranoc is a 'univerbation', meaning it was formed by fusing two independent words, dobra (good) and noc (night), into a single new unit.
Examples in context
- Daj buziaka na dobranoc.Kiss me goodnight.This sentence shows how to use dobranoc in the context of a kiss.Tatoeba #10464311 by Shounen, translation #6576627 by Eccles17
- Będzie buziak na dobranoc?Can I get a goodnight kiss?This sentence uses dobranoc to ask for a kiss.Tatoeba #10464319 by Shounen, translation #2706406 by CM
- Muszę jej powiedzieć dobranoc.I have to say goodnight to her.This sentence illustrates the use of dobranoc when speaking to someone.Tatoeba #7970901 by arie, translation #3907427 by CH
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Małgorzata and Piotr are finishing a late phone call at night.
- MałgorzataJuż jest bardzo późno.It is very late already.
- PiotrMasz rację, muszę iść spać.You are right, I must go to sleep.
- MałgorzataDobranoc, Piotrze.Goodnight, Piotr.
- PiotrDobranoc, Małgorzato.Goodnight, Małgorzata.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dobranoc, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dobranoc, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
