おやすみ
oyasumi
The English phrase "goodnight to a friend" is translated into Japanese as おやすみ (oyasumi).
おやすみ is a simple and commonly used informal way to say "goodnight" among friends. You might also say よい夢を to mean "have a good dream."
Which one should you use?
おやすみ is the casual version used with friends and family, whereas おやすみなさい is the polite version.
How do you pronounce it?
oyasumi
Did you know?
- The polite version おやすみなさい adds the suffix なさい, which is traditionally used in imperatives. This makes the phrase a gentle, polite command to 'please go and rest'.
- While English speakers use 'goodnight' as a farewell when leaving a social gathering at night, Japanese people generally do not use おやすみ unless someone is actually preparing to go to bed.
- While おやすみ is used for sleep, the word やすみ also means 'holiday' or 'day off'. This creates a linguistic link between the act of sleeping and the concept of a vacation.
Examples in context
- おやすみ。Oyasumi.Goodnight.
- じゃあ、おやすみ！Jaa, oyasumi!Well, goodnight!
Example conversation
Two friends are ending a phone call late at night.
- 美咲 Misakiもう眠いから切るね。mou nemui kara kiru ne.I'm sleepy, so I'll hang up now.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった。ゆっくり休んでね。wakatta. yukkuri yasunde ne.Got it. Get some good rest.
- 美咲 Misakiうん。おやすみ！un. oyasumi!Yeah. Goodnight!
- 大翔 Hirotoおやすみ、美咲。oyasumi, Misaki.Goodnight, Misaki.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おやすみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
