Good night in German is Gute Nacht (GOO-teh nakht). Say it when someone is going to bed, or when you part late at night. Family, partners and friends often add Schlaf gut! (sleep well). It is a farewell, never a greeting: to say hello in the evening, use Guten Abend (good evening).
- Good night
- Gute Nacht
- Sleep well (du)
- Schlaf gut
- Sleep well (Sie)
- Schlafen Sie gut
- Sweet dreams
- Träum was Schönes
- Evening hello
- Guten Abend
- Level
- A1
When do you say Gute Nacht and when Guten Abend?
English uses "good night" for one moment only, the parting at the end of the day, and German works the same way. Guten Abend greets someone you meet after about six o'clock. Gute Nacht sends them off to bed. If you are leaving a dinner at nine, the friendly line is Schönen Abend noch! (enjoy the rest of your evening); if it is past midnight, Gute Nacht fits.
| German | Register | When |
|---|---|---|
| Gute Nacht | Neutral | Bedtime, or leaving late at night |
| Nacht! | Casual | A sleepy, short good night at home |
| Gute Nacht zusammen | Neutral | To everyone in the room |
| Schlaf gut | Informal (du) | Family, partner, friends |
| Schlaft gut | Informal (ihr) | Two or more people, such as children |
| Schlafen Sie gut | Formal (Sie) | A guest, a host, an older neighbour |
| Träum was Schönes | Affectionate | Children, partners |
| Guten Abend | Polite | A greeting, not a goodbye |
| Schönen Abend noch | Friendly | Leaving someone earlier in the evening |
In this Contos story, Lena creeps into the family bakery at night and finds her grandfather at the table in his pyjamas. He greets her, because she has just arrived:
„Guten Abend, Lena“, sagt er ruhig. „Ich kann nicht schlafen. Ich wollte nur ein Kreuzworträtsel lösen.“Why is it gute Nacht, not guten Nacht?
The phrase is a shortened wish, (Ich wünsche dir eine) gute Nacht. Nacht is a feminine noun (die Nacht), and a feminine object keeps the adjective ending -e. Abend, Morgen and Tag are masculine, which is why they take -en: Guten Abend, Guten Tag. Learners often say "Guten Nacht" by analogy; it is the classic slip.
The same noun builds the night words you will meet in stories:
Heute Nacht schlafe ich bei meiner Oma.
Tonight I'm sleeping at my gran's.
heute Nacht = tonight (or last night, from context).
Er arbeitet nachts in einer Bar.
He works nights in a bar.
nachts, lower case = at night.
Um Mitternacht ist die Party vorbei.
The party is over at midnight.
Ich weiß, dass du nachts nicht schlafen kannst.How do you say sleep well and sweet dreams?
Schlaf gut is the standard pair to Gute Nacht, and most people say both together. Choose the verb form to match who you are talking to: schlaf for one person you call du, schlaft for several, schlafen Sie for anyone you call Sie. Schlaf schön is a softer variant you'll hear in families.
Gute Nacht, mein Schatz. Schlaf gut!
Good night, darling. Sleep well!
To a child or a partner.
Träum was Schönes!
Sweet dreams!
Literally "dream something nice". Süße Träume also exists but sounds more like a translation.
Gute Nacht, Kinder. Schlaft gut!
Good night, children. Sleep well!
Danke, gleichfalls!
Thanks, same to you!
A polite reply to any good wish, including Schlafen Sie gut.
The next morning, the natural follow-up is Hast du gut geschlafen? (Did you sleep well?). More morning phrases are on the page about good morning in German.
How do you say good night in a message?
Texts keep it short: Gute Nacht!, Nacht! or Gute Nacht, schlaf gut with an emoji. Close friends and partners often finish with Hab dich lieb or Kuss. Those, and what they signal, are explained on the pages on I love you in German and I miss you in German.
To reply, mirror it: Du auch! (you too) to a friend, Ihnen auch! to someone you call Sie.
Read a short German bedtime chapter tonight: A1 stories are free for chapters 1 and 2.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Gute Nacht?
"GOO-teh nakht". The final -e of Gute is a short, light "uh". The ch in Nacht is the rough sound at the back of the throat, as in Scottish "loch", never a k.
Can I say Gute Nacht when I leave a party?
Yes, if it's late and people are heading home to bed. Earlier in the evening, Schönen Abend noch! or a simple Tschüss sounds more natural.
What does Na dann gute Nacht! mean?
It's an idiom, not a bedtime wish. Said with a sigh, it means "well, that's hopeless" or "then we've had it", about a plan that's clearly going to fail.
Is Gute Nacht formal or informal?
Both. It works with your children, your flatmate and a hotel receptionist alike. Only the add-ons change: Schlaf gut for du, Schlafen Sie gut for Sie.