Wish ‘Good Night’ in German To Friends and Family (+1 Cheeky Phrase)

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So, how do you say “good night” in German? For beginners, the standard German phrase is gute Nacht (good night). Since Nacht (night) is a noun, it’s always capitalized regardless of where it shows up in a sentence. If you want to wish someone sleeps well or has a good night in the German language with a bit more flair, see our list of commonly used phrases here.

Saying ‘good night’ in German culture correctly

In German culture, saying gute nacht (good night) to someone is done more intentionally than in American culture. Germans see it as a kind way to wish someone well during the evening or night hours, like saying “have a good day” in German. This contrasts to how Americans use “good night” as a way to say “goodbye” at night.

You might have made the common mistake of spelling “good night” in German as guten Nacht. This is incorrect since the German article for Nacht is the feminine die and it’s in the accusative case. So, the “n” sound only comes from the “n” on Nacht instead of adding an “n” at the end of gute. 

11 common ways locals say ‘good night’ in German

Gute Nacht (good night) is all well and good to say in your first week of learning German, but there are as many different ways to wish someone a good night in German as there are to tell someone “good morning” in German or “good afternoon” in German.

1. Angenehme Nacht

As a kind way to show your compassion for someone, you can wish them an angenehme Nacht (comfortable night). This is seen as more personal, so stick to using this phrase with good friends and family.

2. Bis morgen

Bis morgen (until tomorrow) is how you can tell someone that this parting is only temporary and that you’ll see them the next day. While this phrase can be used in formal or informal settings, it only makes sense to use it when you already have plans set to meet someone the next day.

3. Einen schönen Feierabend

Ideal for the professional world, the phrase einen schönen Feierabend (have a nice evening) refers to wishing someone a good evening once they’re done with work for the day. While you can use this term with a friend or loved one in some contexts, you’re most likely to use this phrase with coworkers or colleagues.

4. Genießen Sie Ihre Nacht

Thanks to the inclusion of the formal Sie (you, formal) and Ihre (your, formal), you can easily see that genießen Sie Ihre Nacht is a polite and professional way to say “enjoy your night.” Due to the level of formality, you wouldn’t use this phrase with friends of any kind, loved ones, or those noticeably younger than yourself. Keep it for your next business meeting instead!

5. Gute ruhe

As a simple yet friendly way to wish someone a restful respite, gute ruhe directly translates to “good rest,” like you’re hoping they have a good night of recovery. Gute is a German cognate of the English word “good,” making this phrase easier to pick up for new German scholars.

6. Gute Nacht allerseits

To wish a group of people “good night” in German, you can simply add the term allerseits (everyone) to the end of the classic phrase gute Nacht (good night) for an all-encompassing gute Nacht allerseits (good night, everyone).

7. Kommen Sie gut nach Hause

Bidding someone to travel safely back home is a staple of ending any evening with friends, family, or formal events. Kommen Sie gut nach Hause (have a safe trip home) is a kind way to show someone you care for their safety and that they should be mindful on their journey home.

8. Mach’s gut heute Abend

After a chill hangout with your good friends, you’ll want a cool and very casual way to wish them “good night” in German. On the way out, shoot them a mach’s gut heute Abend (take care tonight) to match the informal context of the conversation.

9. Träum süß

To bid someone a good night with extra fondness and softness, tell them Träum süß (sweet dreams). Use this phrase only with loved ones, as this can seem too sweet and doting for common friends, professional settings, or formal events.

10. Schlaf gut

Wish someone a restful night of good sleep with a straightforward schlaf gut (sleep well). Since this relates directly to sleep, you’d be more likely to use this phrase with someone with whom you live like family or a roommate right before they retire to their bedroom for the night.

11. Schnarch gut

As a cheeky and playful way to tell your friends to have a quality night of sleep, schnarch gut literally means “snore good” as a play on words for schlaf gut (sleep good). This is best used with friends and family you can joke around with, who wouldn’t take the accusation of snoring too personally.

How other German dialects say ‘good night’

Did you know there are hundreds of German dialects? See how German-speaking people throughout Germany say “good night” in different dialects in this chart.

Learning new phrases for everyday situations is an efficient and practical way to build your vocabulary as you learn German. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method is built with this real-world approach in mind, so take a look if this is the method you like best.