Ha en bra dag
/hɑː ɛnː brɑː dɑː(ɡ)/word by word
The English phrase 'have a great day' is translated into Swedish as Ha en bra dag.
Ha en bra dag is a polite greeting used to wish someone well as they leave. It is most commonly used as a parting remark when ending a conversation or leaving a shop/service interaction.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of 'have a good day'. ha means 'have', en means 'a', bra means 'good' and dag means 'day'.
Which one should you use?
While Ha en bra dag is the standard way to say 'have a great/good day', you can increase the intensity of the wish by using Ha en fantastisk dag ('Have a fantastic day') instead of bra. Another common, slightly more idiomatic alternative is Ha det bra!, which is used more broadly to mean 'take care' or 'have a good one'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the imperative mood of the verb ha (to have) to issue a polite wish.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɑː ɛnː brɑː dɑː(ɡ)/
Did you know?
- Swedish culture values 'lagom', the idea of things being 'just right', which makes the standard bra (good) more common than the superlative fantastisk (fantastic).
- The word bra in Ha en bra dag actually comes from the French word brave and the Italian bravo.
- When saying Ha en bra dag in a shop, it is common to accompany the phrase with a slight nod of the head rather than a large wave.
Examples in context
- Ha en bra dag!Have a great day!
Example conversation
Emma is leaving a coffee shop after talking to Erik.
- EmmaNu går jag, hejdå Erik!I'm leaving now, bye Erik!
- ErikHejdå Emma, ha en bra dag!Bye Emma, have a great day!
- EmmaTack, detsamma!Thanks, you too!
- ErikVi ses snart igen.See you soon again.
