Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| يومك سعيد | yomak sa'eed | to a male |
| يومك سعيد | yomek sa'eed | to a female |
| نهارك سعيد | naharak sa'eed | to a male, alternative |
Said to a female, it becomes yomek sa'eed. Egyptians also say نهارك سعيد (naharak sa'eed), which uses نهار, another word for 'day', and means exactly the same thing.
What does it mean word for word?
يوم and نهار both mean 'day', ك means 'your' and سعيد means 'happy', so the phrase is literally 'your day happy'.
Which one should you use?
يومك سعيد and نهارك سعيد are interchangeable, with no real difference in warmth or formality between them.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are polite and work in any setting, from a coworker to a shop cashier at the end of a transaction.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the gender of the person addressed: ك as 'yomak' to a man and 'yomek' to a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
سعيد is stressed on the second syllable, sa-EED, with a long vowel at the end.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying this in the evening, after someone's day is clearly over, can sound slightly off. It fits best as a morning or daytime send-off.
When do people say it?
Cashiers, waiters and taxi drivers in Egypt often end a transaction with يومك سعيد, a small, routine courtesy similar to 'have a nice day' in English.
Did you know?
- Egyptian cashiers and service staff often add يومك سعيد automatically at the end of a sale, much like 'have a nice day' in English-speaking countries.
- نهار and يوم both mean 'day' in Egyptian Arabic, and speakers freely swap between them in this phrase without changing the meaning.
Examples in context
- باي يا كريم، يومك سعيد.bye ya Karim, yomak sa'eed.Bye, Karim, have a good day.
- متشكرة، ونهارك سعيد انت كمان.mitshakkira, w naharak sa'eed ente kaman.Thank you, and have a good day too.
- يومك سعيد يا جميع.yomak sa'eed ya game'.Have a good day, everyone.
Example conversation
Hossam says goodbye to his coworker Mariam as he leaves the office.
- Hossamرايح يا مريم، يومك سعيد.rayeh ya Mariam, yomek sa'eed.I'm heading out, Mariam, have a good day.
- Mariamمتشكرة، يومك سعيد انت كمان.mitshakkira, yomak sa'eed ente kaman.Thank you, have a good day too.
- Hossamهشوفك بكرة إن شاء الله.hashoofek bokra inshallah.I'll see you tomorrow, God willing.
- Mariamإن شاء الله، سلام.inshallah, salam.God willing, bye.
