Želim ti ugodan dan
Želim ti ugodan dan is the Bosnian way to say "have a good day".
This phrase is a polite expression used when saying goodbye to wish someone a pleasant day. You can also use Dobar dan! (Good day!) as a polite way to wish someone a good day when you first meet them or when speaking to them on the phone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Želim ti ugodan dan literally translates to "I wish you a pleasant day".
Which one should you use?
While Želim ti ugodan dan is a complete sentence, it is common to shorten the expression to just Ugodan dan (Pleasant day) when saying goodbye.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the phrase in a formal context or when addressing more than one person, change ti to vam in the phrase Želim vam ugodan dan.
Did you know?
- The pronoun ti used in Želim ti ugodan dan is a linguistic relative of the English word 'thee', both descending from an ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- In many parts of the Balkans, including Bosnia, it is common to respond to a wish for a 'pleasant day' by simply returning the same wish or adding 'and to you' rather than a simple 'thank you'.
- The word ugodan shares a root with the verb ugoditi, which means 'to please' or 'to satisfy', making the phrase literally wish for a day that is pleasing to the person.
Examples in context
- Dobar dan! Želim Vam lijep dan!Good day! I wish you a nice day!
- Imaj lijep dan! Uživaj u danu!Have a nice day! Enjoy your day!
- Želim ti ugodan dan.I wish you a pleasant day.
- Želim ti ugodan dan, vidimo se sutra.Have a good day, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Adnan and Jasmina are leaving a small coffee shop.
- AdnanDoviđenja, Jasmina.Goodbye, Jasmina.
- JasminaDoviđenja, Adnane.Goodbye, Adnan.
- AdnanŽelim ti ugodan dan!Have a good day!
- JasminaHvala, želim i tebi.Thanks, I wish the same to you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dan, ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
