buenas noches
/ˌbwenas ˈnot͡ʃes/
To say "sleep tight" in Spanish, you can use buenas noches. Wiktionary also lists duerma bien.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| buenas noches | /ˌbwenas ˈnot͡ʃes/ |
| duerma bien | /dweɾma bjen/ (from spelling rules) |
The phrase is used as a farewell when saying goodnight.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase que duermas bien literally translates to "may you sleep well".
Which one should you use?
When wishing someone a good sleep, use duerme bien when speaking to friends, family or children.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbwenas ˈnotʃes/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to add que sueñes con los angelitos ('may you dream with the little angels') when speaking to children.
- While 'sleep tight' in English sounds cozy, a literal translation like duerme apretado would sound strange or even threatening to a Spanish speaker.
- In Spanish, the phrase buenas noches serves both as a greeting when arriving and a farewell when leaving, unlike the English 'goodnight' which only works when departing.
Examples in context
- ¡Buenas noches y duerme bien!Good night and sleep tight!This sentence shows how to combine buenas noches with a wish for good sleep.Tatoeba #2885705 by marcelostockle, translation #4597870 by Ricardo14
- Buenas noches, que duermas bien.Good night, sleep tight.This sentence uses buenas noches to wish someone a good night and a good sleep.Tatoeba #504459 by Shishir, translation #64834 by shekitten
- ¡Que tengas dulces sueños!May you have sweet dreams!
- Que descanses y sueñes con los angelitosMay you rest and dream with the angels
- Igualmente. Que duermas bien.Likewise. Sleep well.
- Descansa bien esta noche.Rest well tonight.
Example conversation
Daniel is saying goodbye to Sofía as she goes to bed.
- DanielYa es muy tarde, Sofía.It is already very late, Sofía.
- SofíaSí, me voy a la cama.Yes, I am going to bed.
- DanielBuenas noches, que descanses.Good night, sleep tight.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel. Hasta mañana.Thanks, Daniel. See you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleep tight” translations and entries buenas noches, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
