German Phrase
Ich sag' gute Nacht.
Meaning
Literally “I say good night.” It is a casual way to wish someone a good night before parting or going to sleep. The apostrophe marks the dropped vowel in the spoken contraction.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings with friends, family, or anyone you’re comfortable with when you’re about to go to bed or when you’re leaving someone for the night.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ichsag'guteNacht
Personal pronoun
"Ich" is the first‑person singular pronoun meaning “I”.
Verb contraction
"sag'" is the colloquial contraction of "sage", the 1st‑person present of the verb "sagen" (to say).
Adjective declension
"gute" is the weak declension of the adjective "gut" used before a feminine noun in the accusative.
Noun gender & case
"Nacht" is a feminine noun; in this phrase it is the direct object (accusative).
🗨In Conversation
Ich sag' gute Nacht.
I’m saying good night.
Gute Nacht, schlaf gut!
Good night, sleep well!
✕Common Mistakes
Ich sag' guten Nacht.
"Nacht" is feminine and in the accusative, so the adjective must be "gute", not "guten".
Ich sage gute Nacht.
While "Ich sage gute Nacht" is grammatically correct, it sounds stiff; native speakers prefer the contraction "sag'" in casual speech.
Ich sag' Gute Nacht.
Both words are capitalized in the written form; only "Nacht" is capitalized because nouns are capitalized in German.
↔Alternatives
Ich wünsche dir eine gute Nacht.
I wish you a good night.
Gute Nacht!
Good night!
Schlaf gut!
Sleep well!
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries "Gute Nacht" is usually said after the evening meal and before going to bed. It is written with a lowercase "g" because the adjective is not part of a noun phrase. In more formal contexts you might add "Ich wünsche Ihnen eine gute Nacht" for strangers or elders.