In German-speaking countries like Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg, and—you guessed it—Germany, greetings and well-wishes are an important part of daily conversation and learning how to speak German. Just like in English, there are many ways to express your good will towards someone’s day based on context and even regional dialect. Show your good intentions regardless of time or place with the 15 ways to say “have a good day” in German given below.
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How to say ‘have a good day’ in German formally
So, how do you say “have a good day” in German? The simplest way is to say guten Tag (good day) to a friendly passerby, but this can come across as pretty casual in Germany’s formal culture. You’ll need to remember to use German words and greetings in the formal register by using Sie (you/they) or Ihr (your) when wishing a good day to someone you don’t know well, in professional settings, or with someone older than you are.
You can respectfully wish someone a good day in German with one of the German phrases in this chart:
| German | English Translation |
| Ich wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Tag | I wish you a beautiful day! |
| Einen schönen Tag noch! | Have a nice day! |
| Möge Ihr Tag voller Freude sein. | May your day be full of joy. |
| Ich hoffe, Ihr Tag verläuft gut. | I hope your day goes well! |
| Alles Gute für den Tag. | All the best for the day. |
It might surprise you to learn that the term “nice” is only used in the Austrian and German languages to describe someone’s personality. In fact, a German might become quite confused if you tried to describe a day or the weather as being “nice” since these things have no personality of which to speak. Because of this, you’ll want to avoid using the word net (nice) and instead use the term schön (beautiful) to avoid misunderstandings.
Informal ways to say ‘have a good day’ in German
Whether you’re giving a final word of kindness to your partner on the way out the door or passing by an old friend on the street, it’s easy to show your familiarity and closeness with informal phrases for “have a good day” in the German language. Pay special attention to using words in the informal register like dir (you, dative case) or dein (your) to communicate your love or friendship.
Younger people, your friends, and loved ones will know you’re comfortable with them when you use one of these informal ways to say “have a good day” in German.
| German | English Translation |
| Viel Spaß heute! | Have fun today! |
| Viel Erfolg heute! | Good luck today! |
| Einen schönen Tag dir! | Have a nice day! |
| Genieß deinen Tag! | Enjoy your day! |
| Hab einen super Tag! | Have a super day! |
Tips for saying ‘have a good day’ in other dialects
Did you know there are around 250 different dialects for the German language? While most people can speak the official dialect of Germany, Standardhochdeutsch (Standard High German), you may want to sound more like a local by wishing someone a good day in their own German dialect.
Sound like a native by using one of these phrases for “have a good day” when you find yourself in the German-speaking regions.
| German | Region | English Translation |
| Gschbore Tag no! | Swabia | Have a good day now! |
| E schönen Dag noch! | Saxony | Have a beautiful day! |
| Et joot, ne schöne Daach! | Cologne | All right, have a nice day! |
| Guten Dag noch! | Northern Germany | Have a good day! |
| Schönen Tag noch, gell? | Francionia | Have a beautiful day, okay? |
From casual phrases to regional expressions, German offers a wide variety of ways to wish someone a great day. For more tips on learning the language in an immersive environment, explore the full range of German lessons at Rosetta Stone.
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