drum bun
/ˌdrum ˈbun/
The English phrase 'safe travels' is translated into Romanian as drum bun.
drum bun is the most common and natural way to wish someone a safe journey or a good trip in Romanian.
Meaning: bon voyage (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'good road', where drum means 'road' or 'journey' and bun means 'good'.
Which one should you use?
Another way to say 'safe travels' or 'have a nice trip' is călătorie plăcută.
How does it change in a sentence?
drum bun is an elliptical expression, meaning it is a shortened version of a sentence like 'I wish you a good road'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌdrum ˈbun/
Did you know?
- In Romanian, drum bun can function as a polite way to nudge a guest toward the exit, acting as a gentle 'goodbye' to signal that the visit has ended.
- The word drum is a linguistic relative of the Greek word δρόμος, which originally described a 'running course' or 'track'.
- In some Romanian regional dialects, the word bun shares a linguistic connection with terms for 'grandfather' or 'grandmother' through its potential link to the Latin word 'avunculus'.
Examples in context
- Drum bun, Andrei!Have a good trip, Andrei!
- Să aveți un drum în siguranță și o călătorie plină de aventuri!May you have a safe journey and a trip full of adventures!
- Drum bun!Safe travels!
- Drum bun la casă!Safe travels home!
- Vă doresc un drum bun.I wish you a safe journey.
Example conversation
Andrei is leaving for a trip.
- IoanaDrum bun, Andrei!Safe travels, Andrei!
- AndreiMulțumesc, Ioana!Thank you, Ioana!
- IoanaSă ai o călătorie plăcută.Have a pleasant trip.
- AndreiVoi fi în contact.I will be in touch.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “safe travels” translations and entries drum bun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bun, drum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
