miłego dnia
/miˈwɛ.ɡɔ ˈdɲa/
The Polish phrase for "have a nice day" is miłego dnia.
Meaning: goodbye (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a shortened version of "I wish you a nice day". The word miłego is the genitive form of miły (nice) and dnia is the genitive form of dzień (day).
Which one should you use?
While miłego dnia is a wish for the day ahead, it differs from do widzenia, which is a standard "goodbye" that does not include a specific wish.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the genitive case because it is an elliptical expression of the verb życzyć (to wish), which requires the genitive case for the object being wished.
How do you pronounce it?
/miˈwɛ.ɡɔ ˈdɲa/
Did you know?
- The word miły in miłego dnia shares a root with the English word 'mild'. Both originally describe something gentle, soft or agreeable to the senses.
- If you say miłego dnia too early in the morning, some people may reply with dzień dobry first. In Polish culture, the formal greeting of the day must usually happen before the wish for the day's quality.
- While miłego dnia is common in shops, if you say it to a stranger on the street, it might sound slightly too cheerful or even patronizing if your tone is not carefully tuned.
Examples in context
- Życzę ci miłego dnia.Hope you have a nice day.This sentence shows how to use miłego dnia in the phrase "Hope you have a nice day.".Tatoeba #12069042 by jimbojim, translation #8242272 by josivangoncalves
- Miłego dnia!Have a nice day!This sentence shows the phrase used as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #564055 by Bilberry, translation #30095 by CK
- Miłego dnia.Have a nice day.This sentence shows the phrase used as a simple parting statement.Tatoeba #6360026 by arie, translation #30085 by CK
Example conversation
Anna is leaving a cafe where she just met Paweł.
- AnnaDzięki za kawę, miłego dnia!Thanks for the coffee, have a nice day!
- PawełDziękuję, tobie również!Thank you, you too!
- AnnaDo zobaczenia wkrótce.See you soon.
- PawełPa, cześć!Bye, bye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “have a nice day” translations and entries miłego dnia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
