хорошего вечера
khoroshego vechera
The Russian phrase for "have a good evening" is хорошего вечера (khoroshego vechera).
хорошего вечера is used as a parting wish rather than a greeting when you first see someone in the evening.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, хорошего вечера translates to "of a good evening". This is because the implied verb "I wish you" is omitted from the phrase.
Which one should you use?
Use добрый вечер to say "good evening" when arriving, but use хорошего вечера when leaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is in the genitive case, which is used here to express a wish for something (a good evening) to be possessed or experienced.
How do you pronounce it?
khoroshego vechera
Did you know?
- The adjective хорошего comes from хороший, which shares a deep linguistic root with the English word 'charity' through the Proto-Indo-European root for 'good' or 'dear'.
- While хорошего вечера is polite, Russians rarely say it to very close friends or family, preferring a simple пока or спокойной ночи. Using it in a domestic setting can sound unexpectedly formal or distant.
- Even though 'evening' is the focus, the phrase is rarely used after 9 or 10 PM, as Russians would then transition to wishing you a 'good night' for sleep.
Examples in context
- Всем хорошего вечера! Спасибо, вам тоже!Have a good evening, everyone! Thank you, you too!
- Хорошего вечерочка! Спасибо, тебе того же!Have a good evening! Thank you, you too!
- Хорошего вечера вам!Khoroshego vechera vam!Have a good evening!
- Желаю вам хорошего вечера.Zhelayu vam khoroshego vechera.I wish you a good evening.
- До свидания, хорошего вечера!Do svidaniya, khoroshego vechera!Goodbye, have a good evening!
Example conversation
Anastasia and Dmitry are leaving a cafe.
- Анастасия AnastasiaМне пора идти, Дмитрий.Mne pora idti, Dmitriy.It is time for me to go, Dmitry.
- Дмитрий DmitryХорошо, Анастасия. До завтра!Khorosho, Anastasiya. Do zavtra!Alright, Anastasia. See you tomorrow!
- Анастасия AnastasiaДо завтра! Хорошего вечера.Do zavtra! Khoroshego vechera.See you tomorrow! Have a good evening.
- Дмитрий DmitryСпасибо, и тебе тоже!Spasibo, i tebe tozhe!Thanks, you too!
