おやすみ
oyasumi
In Japanese, the way to say goodnight to your girlfriend is おやすみ (oyasumi).
This is a casual expression used to wish a romantic partner a good night's sleep.
Which one should you use?
While おやすみ is casual and suitable for a girlfriend, the form おやすみなさい is more formal and would sound slightly stiff in a close romantic relationship. There is also an even more casual, shortened form: おやす.
How do you pronounce it?
oyasumi
Did you know?
- If a boyfriend uses the formal おやすみなさい with his girlfriend without any irony, it can actually create a sense of 'distance' (kyori) that might make her feel he is being cold or overly polite.
- The word おやすみ originates from the verb やすむ, meaning 'to rest'. By adding the polite prefix お, you are essentially saying 'Please have a rest'.
- In many romantic Japanese-language songs, a character might avoid the standard おやすみ and instead use more poetic descriptions of the moon or the stars to imply a 'goodnight' to their lover.
Examples in context
- おやすみ、大好きだよ。Oyasumi, daisuki da yo.Goodnight, I love you.
- 夢で会おうね。おやすみ。Yume de aou ne. Oyasumi.Let's meet in our dreams. Goodnight.
- 明日も楽しみにしてるね。おやすみ。Ashita mo tanoshimi ni shiteru ne. Oyasumi.I'm looking forward to tomorrow too. Goodnight.
Example conversation
A couple is finishing a late-night phone call.
- 陽葵 Himariそろそろ寝るね。おやすみ、健太。Sorosoro neru ne. Oyasumi, Kenta.I'm going to sleep soon. Goodnight, Kenta.
- 健太 Kentaうん、おやすみ、陽葵。ゆっくり休んでね。Un, oyasumi, Himari. Yukkuri yasunde ne.Yeah, goodnight, Himari. Get some good rest.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。また明日ね。Arigatou. Mata ashita ne.Thank you. See you tomorrow.
- 健太 Kentaうん、また明日。Un, mata ashita.Yeah, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おやすみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
