شب بخیر
shab ba-khair
To say "have a good night" in Urdu, use شب بخیر (shab ba-khair).
شب بخیر is a parting phrase used when someone is going to sleep or leaving for the night.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of shab, meaning night and ba-khair, meaning with goodness or well-being.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
شب بخیر is a polite and standard way to say goodnight, making it suitable for both formal and respectful informal settings. For a more formal way to say "May you have a good sleep", you can use Aap ko achi neend aaye (آپ کو اچھی نیند آئے).
How do you pronounce it?
shab ba-khair
Did you know?
- While shab ba-khair is polite, an Urdu speaker might more naturally say Allah hafiz to mean 'goodbye' during the evening, as it translates to 'May God be your protector'.
- While shab ba-khair is a standard way to say goodnight, it is actually a borrowed Persian construction rather than a native Urdu one.
- The word shab can be found in many poetic Urdu ghazals, where the night is often personified as a constant, melancholy companion to the lover.
Examples in context
- شب بخیر، اب سو جاؤ۔shab bakhair, ab so jao.Have a good night, go to sleep now.
- سب کو شب بخیر۔sab ko shab bakhair.Good night to everyone.
- شب بخیر، کل ملتے ہیں۔shab bakhair, kal milte hain.Have a good night, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Hamza and Zainab are finishing their phone call late at night.
- حمزہ Hamzaبہت باتیں ہو گئیں، شب بخیر۔bohat baatein ho gayeen, shab bakhair.We talked a lot, have a good night.
- زینب Zainabجی، شب بخیر۔jee, shab bakhair.Yes, have a good night.
- حمزہ Hamzaخدا حافظ۔khuda hafiz.Goodbye.
- زینب Zainabاللہ حافظ۔Allah hafiz.Goodbye.
