fijn weekend
/fɛi̯n ˈʋikɛnt/word by word
To say "have a good weekend" in Dutch, you use fijn weekend.
This phrase is used to wish someone a pleasant weekend. fijn weekend is the idiomatic way to express this sentiment.
Meaning: wish of a good weekend (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "fine weekend".
Which one should you use?
While goed weekend is grammatically possible, fijn weekend is the much more natural and idiomatic way to express this wish in Dutch.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The short form Fijn weekend! is a common, slightly informal way to say goodbye on a Friday. For more formal situations, you can use Een prettig weekend gewenst!, Ik wens u een fijn weekend toe, or the polite Geniet van uw weekend! You may also use the very common Prettig weekend.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛi̯n ˈʋikɛnt/
When do people say it?
When someone wishes you a good weekend, you can respond with Jij ook! (You too!) or Insgelijks! (Likewise!).
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, wishing someone a fijn weekend often starts as early as Thursday afternoon if the speaker knows they will not see the person again before Saturday.
- While fijn weekend is the standard wish, the word fijn is used in Dutch to describe textures that are 'smooth' or 'delicate', as well as emotions that are 'pleasant'.
- The word fijn shares a common ancestor with the English word 'fine'. Both trace back to the Latin word fīnis, meaning 'end' or 'boundary'.
Examples in context
- Een fijn weekend!Have a good weekend!This sentence shows how to use the phrase fijn weekend.Tatoeba #8810571 by Micsmithel, translation #30070 by CK
- Geniet van uw weekend en maak er een ontspannen tijd van!Enjoy your weekend and make it a relaxing time!
- Ik wens je een fijn weekend!I wish you a good weekend!
- Maak er een fijn weekend van!Have a great weekend!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lisa and Lucas are leaving the office on a Friday afternoon.
- LisaTot maandag, Lucas!See you Monday, Lucas!
- LucasJa, fijn weekend, Lisa!Yes, have a good weekend, Lisa!
- LisaDank je, jij ook!Thank you, you too!
- LucasTot volgende week!See you next week!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (fijn, weekend) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fijn, weekend, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
