おやすみなさい、良い夢を
oyasuminasai, yoi yume o
The English phrase "goodnight sweet dreams" is translated into Japanese as おやすみなさい、良い夢を (oyasuminasai, yoi yume o).
The phrase is used to wish someone a restful sleep and pleasant dreams before they go to bed. While 良い夢を provides a direct way to say "sweet dreams", it is often used more poetically or affectionately than in everyday casual Japanese conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The part 良い夢を literally means "good dreams" followed by a particle that implies an omitted verb such as "have" or "see".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase おやすみなさい can be shortened to おやすみ in informal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
oyasuminasai, yoi yume o
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, saying 良い夢を ('sweet dreams') is relatively rare in daily life and is often viewed as a Western-influenced expression common in translated movies or novels rather than traditional speech.
- If you say 良い夢を to a stranger or a superior, it might feel strangely intimate or even overly poetic, as it is more common between lovers or very close family members.
- While おやすみなさい is the standard 'goodnight', the phrase おやすみ is so common among close friends that it is often used as a casual 'bye' when leaving a group for the night, even if the person is not going straight to sleep.
Examples in context
- おやすみなさい、良い夢を。Oyasuminasai, yoi yume o.Goodnight, sweet dreams.
- おやすみなさい、良い夢を！Oyasuminasai, yoi yume o!Goodnight, sweet dreams!
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are saying goodnight before going to their rooms.
- 結衣 Yuiもう寝るね。おやすみなさい、良い夢を。Mou neru ne. Oyasuminasai, yoi yume o.I'm going to bed now. Goodnight, sweet dreams.
- 蓮 Renありがとう。結衣もおやすみなさい。Arigatou. Yui mo oyasuminasai.Thank you. Goodnight to you too, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui明日、また話そうね。Ashita, mata hanasou ne.Let's talk again tomorrow.
- 蓮 Renうん、また明日。Un, mata ashita.Yeah, see you tomorrow.
