أحلام سعيدة
aḥlām saʿīda
To say sweet dreams in Arabic, you say أحلام سعيدة (aḥlām saʿīda).
The phrase أحلام سعيدة is used to wish someone sweet dreams. While this is a literal translation of the English idiom, it is understood and often carries a poetic or formal tone compared to a simple "goodnight".
Meaning: sweet dreams (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of aḥlām (dreams) and saʿīda (happy/pleasant).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective saʿīda is in the feminine singular form to agree with the broken plural aḥlām, which is treated as a feminine singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
aḥlām saʿīda
Did you know?
- In Arabic, a 'nightmare' is often called كابوس, a word that originally refers to a heavy weight or a press that suffocates a person during sleep.
- The word أحلام comes from the root ح ل م, which can refer to both 'dreaming' while asleep and 'patience' or 'forbearance' when awake.
- In many Arabic-speaking households, instead of wishing for 'sweet dreams', people often say تصبح على خير, which literally means 'may you wake up to goodness'.
Examples in context
- أتمنى لكم أحلام سعيدةI wish you sweet dreams
- تصبح على خير، أحلام سعيدة.tusbih 'ala khayr, ahlām sa'īda.Goodnight, sweet dreams.
- أحلام سعيدة يا صديقي.ahlām sa'īda yā ṣadīqī.Sweet dreams, my friend.
- أتمنى لك أحلام سعيدة.atamannā laki ahlām sa'īda.I wish you sweet dreams.
Example conversation
Leila is saying goodnight to Ziad before they go to sleep.
- ليلى Laylaأنا سأنام الآن يا زياد.Ana sa-anam al-an ya Ziyad.I am going to sleep now, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadوأنا أيضاً، ليلة سعيدة يا ليلى.Wa ana aydan, layla sa'ida ya Layla.Me too, goodnight Leila.
- ليلى Laylaأحلام سعيدة لك.Ahlam sa'ida laka.Sweet dreams to you.
- زياد Ziadشكراً، وأنتِ أيضاً.Shukran, wa anti aydan.Thank you, and you too.
