Hav en god dag
Hav en god dag is the Danish way to say "have a good day".
This phrase is a polite parting wish used when leaving a person or a group, serving a similar function to "have a nice day" in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative verb hav (have), the indefinite article en (a), the adjective god (good) and the noun dag (day).
Which one should you use?
While Hav en god dag is the standard form, you may encounter Ha’ en god dag, which uses a contraction of the verb or Rigtig god dag, which translates to "a really good day".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the imperative form of the verb at have (to have), which is hav.
Did you know?
- Because the phrase starts with the imperative verb Hav, you are literally commanding the person to possess a good day.
- Depending on the time of day, Danes will swap dag for aften (evening) or nat (night) to keep the wish appropriate.
- The Danish word en comes from the Old Norse einn, which originally meant 'one'.
Examples in context
- Mine damer og herrer. Vi lander snart i London. Temperaturen i dag er 12 grader. Hav en god dag.Ladies and gentlemen. We will soon land in London. Today it is twelve degrees. Have a good day.This example shows how to use Hav en god dag when making an announcement.Tatoeba #10940924 by danepo, translation #10939924 by carlosalberto
- Hav en god dag, tak for hjælpen.Have a good day, thanks for the help.
Example conversation
Mikkel and Sofie are finishing a meeting at a cafe.
- MikkelDet var hyggeligt at se dig, Sofie.It was nice to see you, Sofie.
- SofieJa, det var det virkelig. Vi ses snart!Yes, it really was. See you soon!
- MikkelVi ses. Hav en god dag!See you. Have a good day!
- SofieTak, det samme til dig, Mikkel!Thanks, the same to you, Mikkel!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dag, en, god, hav, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
