Italian Phrase
Dico buona notte.
Meaning
Literally, ‘I say good night.’ It is used when you are describing the act of wishing someone a good night, often in a narrative or when teaching the phrase.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to tell someone that you are saying ‘good night’, for example in a story, a language lesson, or when you’re explaining what you just said to a friend.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dicobuonanotte
Dico (dire)
‘Dico’ is the first‑person singular present of the verb ‘dire’ (to say). It means ‘I say’ or ‘I tell’.
Buona (aggettivo)
‘Buona’ is the feminine singular form of the adjective ‘buono’ (good) and must agree with the feminine noun ‘notte’.
Notte (sostantivo)
‘Notte’ is a feminine singular noun meaning ‘night’. In the expression it refers to the time when people go to sleep.
🗨In Conversation
Dico buona notte.
I say good night.
Anche a te!
You too!
✕Common Mistakes
Dico buono notte.
‘Buono’ is masculine; the noun ‘notte’ is feminine, so the adjective must be ‘buona’.
Dico buona notti.
‘Notte’ is singular in this expression; the plural ‘notti’ changes the meaning.
Io dire buona notte.
When you want to say ‘I say good night’, you must conjugate the verb: ‘dico’, not the infinitive ‘dire’.
↔Alternatives
Buona notte!
Good night!
Ti auguro buona notte.
I wish you a good night.
Ti dico buona notte.
I tell you good night.
Cultural Tip
In Italy ‘buona notte’ is usually said only when parting before going to bed, not as a daytime greeting. It carries a warm, intimate tone and is common among family members, close friends, or partners. Saying it in a formal setting is fine, but you’ll often hear a simple ‘buona notte’ rather than a longer sentence.