Hafa gōdne dæg
To say "have a good day" in Old English, use Hafa gōdne dæg.
This phrase is a polite greeting used to wish someone a pleasant day as they depart.
What does it mean word for word?
The word gōdne is the masculine accusative singular form of gōd, meaning "good". This specific form is required because dæg serves as the direct object of the verb.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, dæg acts as the direct object of the verb, which necessitates the use of the masculine accusative singular form gōdne for the adjective.
Did you know?
- The spelling of dæg uses a 'æ' character, known as 'ash', which is a letter that has almost completely vanished from the standard English alphabet.
- The word dæg is related to Old Norse dagr and German Tag , which all go back to the same Germanic word.
Example conversation
Eadric is leaving Wulfrun's house.
- EadricIċ gā nū, Wulfrun.I am going now, Wulfrun.
- WulfrunWes þū hāl, Eadric.Farewell, Eadric.
- EadricAnd þū, hafa gōdne dæg!And you, have a good day!
- WulfrunÞanc þē, gōdne dæg!Thanks, good day!
