добро утро/добър ден/добър вечер
Time-of-Day Greetings
Say Добро утро in the morning, Добър ден during the day and Добър вечер in the evening. Say Лека нощ when you part at night.
How It Works
The four phrases
- Добро утро! — Good morning! Used in the morning, often until mid-morning.
- Добър ден! — Good day! / Hello! The all-purpose polite greeting from late morning until evening, in shops, offices and with people you do not know.
- Добър вечер! — Good evening! Used when you meet someone in the evening.
- Лека нощ! — Good night! Said when parting at night or going to bed, not when you arrive.
Why the adjective changes
The adjective agrees with the gender of its noun (see Adjective Agreement):
- добро утро — утро is neuter, so добро
- добър ден — ден is masculine, so добър
- лека нощ — нощ is feminine, so лека
The Добър вечер exception
Вечер is feminine today (една вечер, вечерта). In Old Bulgarian it was masculine, and the fixed greeting kept the old masculine form. So the standard greeting is Добър вечер! You will also hear Добра вечер!, which more and more people say so that the words agree, but Добър вечер! is still the usual greeting.
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These greetings are neutral and polite, and they work with anyone. With friends and family people also say здравей or здрасти. When leaving, people say довиждане, Приятен ден! (Have a nice day!) or Приятна вечер! (Have a nice evening!).
Examples (5)
- Добро утро, мамо!
Good morning, Mom!
Word by Word: Good morning, mom!
Утро is neuter, so the adjective is добро.
- Добър ден! Имате ли хляб?
Hello! Do you have bread?
Word by Word: Good day! Have-you question-particle bread?
Добър ден is the usual polite greeting in a shop during the day.
- Добър вечер, господин Иванов.
Good evening, Mr Ivanov.
Word by Word: Good evening, mister Ivanov.
The fixed greeting keeps masculine добър even though вечер is feminine.
- Лека нощ, до утре!
Good night, see you tomorrow!
Word by Word: Light night, until tomorrow!
Лека нощ is said when parting at night.
- Добро утро! Как спа?
Good morning! How did you sleep?
Word by Word: Good morning! How you-slept?
Common Mistakes
Using the masculine form with утро.
Добър утро!Добро утро!Утро is neuter, so the adjective takes the neuter ending -о: добро утро.
Using the feminine form with ден.
Добра ден!Добър ден!Ден is masculine, so the adjective is добър.
Greeting someone with Лека нощ when you arrive (a meaning mismatch).
Лека нощ! Влизай, вечерята е готова. (said when a guest arrives)Добър вечер! Влизай, вечерята е готова.Лека нощ is a goodbye for the night. When you meet someone in the evening, say Добър вечер.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These greetings build on здравей and on adjective agreement.
Related Patterns
- Noun Gender
Knowing the gender of утро, ден and нощ tells you which form of добър to use.
Level 1 - Feminine Nouns Ending in a Consonant
Вечер and нощ are feminine nouns ending in a consonant, which explains лека нощ and the exception in добър вечер.
Level 2 - довиждане/чаоSaying Goodbye
Довиждане and чао are the goodbyes that pair with these greetings.
Level 1 - как си/как стеAsking How Someone Is
A greeting is often followed by Как сте? or Как си?
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice добро утро/добър ден/добър вечер in Bubblegum
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