Laku noć
To say "have a good night" in Serbian, you use Laku noć.
Laku noć is used specifically when someone is going to sleep or when parting ways late at night. Another common way to say "Good night" in Serbian is Dobru noć.
What does it mean word for word?
Laku noć is a shortened form of Želim ti laku noć, which literally means "I wish you a light night".
Which one should you use?
Unlike Danas je dobra noć (It is a good night), Laku noć is a wish or a greeting, not a description of the current weather or atmosphere.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Laku noć, the word laku is the feminine accusative form of the adjective laka (light/easy), which agrees with the feminine noun noć (night).
When do people say it?
When someone says Laku noć to you, a common response is Takođe (Likewise) or repeating the phrase back to the person.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, saying Laku noć with a specific sarcastic tone can be used to tell someone they are delusional or that a situation is hopeless.
- The word noć is a distant cousin of the English word 'night' because both share the Proto-Indo-European root *nókʷts.
- Because Laku noć is a wish for an 'easy' night, it is logically paired with the wish Lagan san, which means 'light sleep'.
Examples in context
- Laku noć, svi.Good night, everyone.
- Laku noć, dragi moj.Good night, my dear.
Example conversation
Jelena and Stefan are saying goodbye at the door.
- JelenaVeć je kasno, moram ići.It is already late, I must go.
- StefanU redu, hvala na poseti.All right, thanks for the visit.
- JelenaLaku noć, Stefane.Good night, Stefan.
- StefanLaku noć i tebi, Jelena.Good night to you too, Jelena.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noć, CC BY-SA 4.0.
