סוף שבוע נעים
sof shavua na'im
To say "have a good weekend" in Hebrew, use סוף שבוע נעים (sof shavua na'im).
This phrase is used to wish someone a pleasant weekend.
Meaning: wish of a good weekend (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "pleasant end of the week".
Which one should you use?
While סוף שבוע נעים translates to a "pleasant weekend", you may also encounter סוף שבוע שמח, which means "happy weekend" and is also commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, the Hebrew phrase does not use a verb like "to have". It is a noun phrase used as an elliptical greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
sof shavua na'im
Did you know?
- In Israel, the 'weekend' officially begins at sunset on Friday, not on Saturday morning.
- While סוף שבוע נעים is a general wish, people often switch to שבת שלום on Friday to specifically bless the Sabbath.
- The word סוף shares an unexpected historical connection to the Late Egyptian word for 'papyrus' or 'papyrus thicket'.
Examples in context
- סוף שבוע נעים!Have a good weekend!This example shows how to use the phrase as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #6118148 by fekundulo, translation #30070 by CK
Example conversation
Two colleagues are leaving the office on Friday.
- איתי Itayאני מסיים לעבוד, סוף שבוע נעים!Ani mesayem la-avod, sof shavuah na-im!I'm finishing work, have a good weekend!
- עגור Adiתודה, איתי. גם לך סוף שבוע נעים.Toda, Itai. Gam lecha sof shavuah na-im.Thanks, Itai. Have a good weekend too.
- איתי Itayנתראה ביום ראשון במשרד.Nitra-e be-yom rishon ba-misrad.See you in the office on Sunday.
- עגור Adiבטח, נתראה אז. ביי!Betach, nitra-e az. Bye!Sure, see you then. Bye!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries נעים, סוף, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
