What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Lijep ti dan želim! literally translates to "I wish you a beautiful day!", where lijep means beautiful, ti means to you (informal), dan means day and želim means I wish.
Which one should you use?
The default form Lijep ti dan želim! is an informal way to say "I wish you a beautiful day!" In contrast, you can use Želim vam ugodan dan! to say "I wish you a pleasant day."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Lijep ti dan želim! is a warm and personal expression suitable for friends, family or children. For a more standard and slightly more formal way to say "Have a pleasant day" in professional settings or when leaving a shop, use Ugodan dan! You may also use Želim vam ugodan dan! to express "I wish you a pleasant day" in a formal manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite or to address more than one person, change the informal ti to the formal vam, as in Lijep vam dan želim!
Did you know?
- The informal pronoun ti in Lijep ti dan želim! descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *túh₂, making it a distant relative of the English word 'thou'.
- In very formal Croatian society, failing to switch from ti to vam when wishing someone a good day can be perceived as a significant social slight or a lack of respect.
- Croatian has a distinct word for 'pleasant' ugodan used in Ugodan dan!, which implies a sense of comfort or satisfaction that the word for 'beautiful' lijep does not convey.
Examples in context
- Dobro jutro! Želim vam ugodan dan!Good morning! Have a pleasant day!
- Hvala, i tebi!Thanks, to you too!
Example conversation
Ivana and Marko are finishing a chat on the street.
- IvanaBilo mi je drago vidjeti te, Marko.It was nice seeing you, Marko.
- MarkoI meni, Ivana. Vidimo se uskoro.Me too, Ivana. See you soon.
- IvanaU redu, Lijep ti dan želim!Alright, have a good day!
- MarkoHvala, i ti isto!Thanks, you too!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dan, lijep, ti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
