schlaf gut
/ʃlaːf ɡuːt/word by word
schlaf gut is the German way to say sleep well.
schlaf gut is used to wish someone a good night's rest. While it focuses on the quality of the person's sleep, it is often used alongside Gute Nacht, which is the standard way to say good night in both formal and informal contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the imperative form of schlafen (to sleep) and the adverb gut (well/good).
Which one should you use?
schlaf gut focuses specifically on the quality of the sleep itself, whereas Gute Nacht is a more general greeting used when parting for the night.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a stranger or a person in a formal setting, use schlafen Sie gut instead of schlaf gut.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃlaːf ɡuːt/
When do people say it?
When a friend says schlaf gut to you, a common response is Danke, du auch! (Thanks, you too!). For very close friends or family, you might also encounter the shortened, informal version of a good night greeting: Nacht, Nacht.
Did you know?
- If you want to be extra cozy when saying schlaf gut to a partner or child, you can say schlaf schön, which translates to 'sleep beautifully'.
- The German language distinguishes between the 'sleep' of a person and the 'sleep' of a volcano or a machine using the same verb schlafen.
- German has a specific noun Schlafmütze, meaning 'sleepyhead', which literally translates to 'sleep cap'.
Examples in context
- Gute Nacht und schlaf gut.Good night and sleep well.This sentence shows how to combine a good night greeting with the phrase using schlaf gut.Tatoeba #10961286 by toivo, translation #894924 by pauldhunt
- Schlaf gut!Sleep well!This is a simple way to say schlaf gut.Tatoeba #1817966 by BraveSentry, translation #2425757 by bionicboy
- Schlaf gut.Sleep well.This is another way to say schlaf gut.Tatoeba #9927745 by Laoan, translation #10831674 by sundown
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are saying goodnight at the end of a phone call.
- MaximilianIch gehe jetzt ins Bett.I am going to bed now.
- SarahAlles klar, schlaf gut!Alright, sleep well!
- MaximilianDanke, dir auch eine gute Nacht.Thanks, a good night to you too.
- SarahBis morgen!See you tomorrow!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Schlaf, gut) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
