German word

Nacht

Pronunciation

IPA/naxt/

Meaning

  • feminine nounnight

Example

In den letzten Nächten habe ich schlecht geschlafen.

I haven't slept well over the last few nights.

Illustration for Nacht (night)

More examples

Sie sagte 'Gute Nacht'.

She said, "Good night."

Core concept

A dark stretch of time when streets quiet down, sleep begins, and only moonlight or lamps remain.

Common phrases

  • Gute Nacht

    good night

  • heute Nacht

    tonight

  • in der Nacht

    at night

Similar words

Abend: The evening period when darkness begins and people return home from work or school.
Morgen: The early part of the day when daylight returns and people begin their activities.
Tag: The daylight hours when people are awake and usually active.
Mitternacht: The middle of the night, when one calendar day changes to the next.

Definition in German

Nacht, die Zeit zwischen Sonnenuntergang und Sonnenaufgang, in der es dunkel ist und viele Menschen schlafen.

Word origin

German Nacht continues Old High German naht and Proto-Germanic *nahts, and it is cognate with English night.

Usage tips

  • Nacht is feminine, with the plural Nächte, so the example uses in den letzten Nächten for the dative plural.

Other meanings

  • nighttimenoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word