Good morning in Albanian is Mirëmëngjes, said roughly as mee-ruh-muhn-JESS, with the weight on the last syllable. It is written as one word, it works with anyone from a toddler to a government clerk, and it has no separate formal and informal versions.
This guide takes the greeting section of our common Albanian phrases list and goes deeper. You will see how the day is divided between Mirëmëngjes, Mirëdita, Mirëmbrëma and Natën e mirë, how to ask “how are you” to one friend or to a room of elders, what to answer, and how the two smallest words in the language, po and jo, behave. Every word below was checked against the Albanian Academy of Sciences dictionary or the Peace Corps Albania language course.
Quick Facts
- Mirëmëngjes is built from mirë (good) and mëngjes (morning). The Academy of Sciences dictionary defines it as the greeting used when you meet someone in the morning.
- The same dictionary says Mirëdita covers the daytime “until evening,” and Mirëmbrëma takes over in the evening.
- Natën e mirë is a parting phrase. The dictionary describes it as what two people say when they separate in the evening, or as a wish for a good sleep.
- “How are you?” is Si je? to one person you know well and Si jeni? to a group or to one person you want to show respect.
- Yes is po and no is jo. Both are one syllable, and both are listed in the Peace Corps Albania greetings lesson next to the three daytime greetings.
On This Page
- Mirëmëngjes, Word by Word
- Which Greeting for Which Time of Day
- How Are You in Albanian: Si Je and Si Jeni
- How to Reply
- Yes and No in Albanian: Po and Jo
- Other Forms: What the Sources Document
- Common Mistakes
- A Short Day of Greetings to Practice
- Frequently Asked Questions
Mirëmëngjes, Word by Word
Mirëmëngjes is a compound. The first half, mirë, is the everyday word for “good” or “well.” The second half, mëngjes, is “morning,” which the Academy of Sciences dictionary (Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe, 2006) defines as the time when day breaks, the beginning of the day. The same word also names the meal eaten at that hour, breakfast.
Put together, the dictionary lists mirëmëngjes as an interjection and defines it simply: a greeting used when we meet someone in the morning. It is a greeting for arriving, not for leaving, and it does not change with the gender or number of the people you greet.
How to pronounce it
The dictionary marks the stress on the final syllable: mirëmëngjés. That matches the general rule given in the Peace Corps Albania course, which says the position of stress in Albanian is not fixed, but that in general the main stress falls on the last stem of a compound word. An English-style respelling is mee-ruh-muhn-JESS.
Two sounds need attention. The letter ë is the neutral “uh” sound; the Peace Corps course compares it to the first vowel in the English word “around.” The letter pair gj is a single letter in the Albanian alphabet, and the Peace Corps sound chart lists no English equivalent for it. This guide writes it as J, the nearest English sound, which is also how the Wikivoyage phrasebook respells it.
Which Greeting for Which Time of Day
Albanian splits the day into three arrival greetings and one main goodbye for the night. None of the reference sources we checked ties them to clock times; the dictionary definitions follow daylight instead.
| Albanian | English meaning | Pronunciation | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirëmëngjes | Good morning | mee-ruh-muhn-JESS | When you meet someone in the morning |
| Mirëdita | Good day, good afternoon | mee-ruh-DEE-tah | When you meet someone during the day, until evening |
| Mirëmbrëma | Good evening | mee-ruhm-BRUH-mah | When you meet someone in the evening |
| Natën e mirë | Good night | NAH-tuhn eh MEE-ruh | When you part in the evening, or when someone is going to bed |
| Ditën e mirë | Have a good day | DEE-tuhn eh MEE-ruh | As a wish when you leave during the day |
| Drekën e mirë | Have a good lunch | DREH-kuhn eh MEE-ruh | When people part shortly before the midday meal |
| Gjumin e ëmbël | Sweet dreams (literally “the sweet sleep”) | JOO-meen eh UHM-buhl | A wish for someone who is going to sleep |
Notice the pattern. The three arrival greetings are single words that start with mirë. The wishes you use when you leave put the noun first: Natën e mirë, Ditën e mirë, Drekën e mirë. The dictionary tags that second group as wishes.
Mirëdita does the heavy lifting
The Peace Corps Albania course and Omniglot both translate Mirëdita as “Good afternoon,” while the literal meaning is “good day.” The dictionary definition explains why both translations work: it is the greeting for meeting someone “during the day (until evening).” The stress falls on the middle: mirëdíta.
Mirëmbrëma and Natën e mirë are not the same
Mirëmbrëma is what you say when you walk into a restaurant at dinner time. Natën e mirë is what you say when you leave it, or when the children go up to bed. The dictionary definition of natën e mirë covers both uses: a greeting when two people part in the evening, or a wish to sleep well. The same dictionary records the bedtime wish Gjumin e ëmbël.
For daytime arrivals that are not tied to the clock at all, such as Tungëjatjeta and Përshëndetje, see our separate guide to hello in Albanian. For leaving, our guide to goodbye in Albanian covers Mirëupafshim and its shorter relatives.
How Are You in Albanian: Si Je and Si Jeni
After the greeting comes the question. Si means “how,” and the dictionary entry for si uses this exact phrase as its first example: si jeni? The verb is jam (to be). Je is the “you” form for one person and jeni is the “you” form for more than one.
- Si je? (see YEH): how are you, to one person you are on familiar terms with.
- Si jeni? (see YEH-nee): how are you, to several people, or to one person politely.
The politeness rule comes from the pronoun. The dictionary defines ju as the word used to address a group of people, or one of them “with respect.” That is why a shop owner, a friend’s grandfather or a consular officer gets Si jeni? even when he is standing alone. Friends, cousins and children get Si je?
The Peace Corps course teaches the fuller form Si jeni ju? with the pronoun added. The same course notes that Albanian pronouns are used only for emphasis, so both versions are correct. Omniglot marks Si jeni? as formal and Si je? as informal.
The dictionary also lists the small word a as a particle that marks a question; its own examples include a more vesh? (did you understand?). On the same pattern, A flisni anglisht? asks “Do you speak English?” and A je mirë? asks “Are you well?”
How to Reply
The model exchange in the Peace Corps Albania dialogues is short:
- Si jeni? (How are you?)
- Mirë, faleminderit! Po ju? (Fine, thank you! And you?)
- Mirë, faleminderit! (Fine, thank you!)
Po ju? is the polite “and you?” With a friend, change it to Po ti? Omniglot lists both versions of the reply, formal and informal, with the return question included.
| Albanian | English meaning | Pronunciation | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirë, faleminderit | Fine, thank you | MEE-ruh, fah-leh-meen-DEH-reet | The standard answer, any setting |
| Shumë mirë | Very well | SHOO-muh MEE-ruh | When things are going well |
| Po ti? | And you? (informal) | poh TEE | Back to a friend, relative or child |
| Po ju? | And you? (formal or plural) | poh YOO | Back to an elder, a stranger or a group |
| Jo shumë mirë | Not very well | yoh SHOO-muh MEE-ruh | An honest answer on a bad day |
| Ashtu | So-so | ahsh-TOO | Casual; the dictionary gives the exchange “Si je? Ashtu.” |
| Çka, jo keq | So-so, not bad | chkah, yoh KEHCH | Conversational; the dictionary marks çka in this sense as colloquial |
The dictionary marks the stress of faleminderit on the second to last syllable (falemindérit), so say fah-leh-meen-DEH-reet, not fah-leh-meen-deh-REET. Our guide to thank you in Albanian has more on that word. “Jo shumë mirë” appears as one of the answer choices to Si jeni? in the Peace Corps exercises.
In the Peace Corps dialogue section, “How are you?” is the second exchange taught, directly after the welcome and before the offer of coffee. Our article on Albanian hospitality explains why the welcome matters so much.
Yes and No in Albanian: Po and Jo
Yes is po (poh). No is jo (yoh); the Albanian j always sounds like the English y in “yesterday,” as the Peace Corps sound chart shows. The dictionary defines po as the particle used when we affirm or accept something, and jo as the particle used to deny, to object or to refuse, and it lists each as the opposite of the other.
The politest short answers pair them with faleminderit. The Peace Corps dialogue about coffee shows both:
- Doni një kafe? (Would you like a coffee?) Po, faleminderit. (Yes, thank you.)
- Doni një cigare? (Would you like a cigarette?) Jo, faleminderit. (No, thank you.)
The dictionary gives po several other jobs:
- “But.” As a conjunction po can mean “but,” as in the dictionary example e prita, po s’erdhi (I waited for him, but he did not come).
- “Right now.” Placed before a verb it shows an action in progress: po lexoj means “I am reading.”
- “And…?” At the start of a return question it means “and,” which is the po in Po ti? and Po ju?
Jo has a few fixed phrases of its own in the dictionary. Apo jo? is the tag “or not?” that you add to the end of a sentence, much like “right?” in English. The dictionary entry for si adds Si jo!, which means “of course,” even though it contains the word for no.
Other Forms: What the Sources Document
Albanian has two main dialects, Gheg in the north and Tosk in the south, and the Peace Corps course notes that a unified literary language has been in use since 1972. Everything in the tables above is that standard language, and the same course says that spoken and written Albanian are understood by all Albanians despite the dialect differences. Our Gheg vs. Tosk explainer covers the dialect picture in full.
We only list alternative greetings here when a dictionary documents them, and one clearly qualifies. The Academy dictionary has an entry for qysh, defined as “how, in what way,” and its first example is qysh je? (how are you?). Wiktionary lists qysh as a synonym of si and gives Qysh je? as its usage example. Neither source attaches a regional or register label to it. If a relative greets you with Qysh je? they are asking exactly what Si je? asks, and Mirë, faleminderit is still the right answer. The q is a soft sound that falls between “ty” and “ch,” so an approximate respelling is tyoosh YEH. Treat that respelling as a guide only.
Regional greetings that circulate on social media are left out because we could not confirm them in a dictionary or a published course.
Common Mistakes
- Stressing the wrong syllable. The dictionary marks mirëmëngjés, mirëdíta and falemindérit. English speakers tend to push the stress to the front (MEE-ruh-muhn-jess). Move it back.
- Saying Natën e mirë on arrival. It is a parting phrase and a bedtime wish. When you arrive in the evening, say Mirëmbrëma.
- Dropping the ë in writing. Miremengjes without the dots is common in text messages, but the correct spelling keeps both: Mirëmëngjes. The same goes for Mirëmbrëma and Natën e mirë.
- Using Si je? with elders. With anyone older, anyone you have just met, or more than one person, use Si jeni? and Po ju?
- Reading j as an English j. Jo is “yoh” and je is “yeh.” The English “j” sound is written xh in Albanian.
A Short Day of Greetings to Practice
Here is one day built only from phrases documented above.
- Morning, at the bakery: Mirëmëngjes! Si jeni? Mirë, faleminderit. Po ju?
- Early afternoon, meeting a friend: Mirëdita! Si je? Shumë mirë. Po ti? Ashtu.
- Dinner at a relative’s home: Mirëmbrëma! Doni një kafe? Po, faleminderit.
- Leaving after dinner: Natën e mirë!
For families, our guide on how to teach kids Albanian has more ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say good morning in Albanian?
Good morning in Albanian is Mirëmëngjes, pronounced roughly mee-ruh-muhn-JESS with the stress on the last syllable. It combines mirë (good) and mëngjes (morning) into one word. The Academy of Sciences dictionary defines it as the greeting used when you meet someone in the morning, and it is the same for formal and informal situations.
How do you say good night in Albanian?
Good night in Albanian is Natën e mirë, pronounced NAH-tuhn eh MEE-ruh. It is written as three words. Use it when you part from someone in the evening or when someone is going to bed, not when you arrive. For “sweet dreams,” the dictionary records the bedtime wish Gjumin e ëmbël.
How do you say how are you in Albanian?
Say Si je? (see YEH) to one person you know well, and Si jeni? (see YEH-nee) to a group or to one person you want to address politely. The usual answer is Mirë, faleminderit (fine, thank you), followed by Po ti? or Po ju? to return the question. You may also hear Qysh je?, which means the same thing.
What is yes in Albanian and what is no in Albanian?
Yes in Albanian is po, pronounced poh, and no is jo, pronounced yoh. For polite answers add the word for thank you: Po, faleminderit (yes, thank you) or Jo, faleminderit (no, thank you). Remember that po also has other jobs in a sentence, including “but” and marking an action that is happening right now.
What is the difference between Mirëdita and Mirëmbrëma?
Mirëdita means “good day” and is the greeting for meeting someone during the daytime, which the dictionary describes as lasting until evening. Mirëmbrëma means “good evening” and replaces it once evening has begun. Neither one is used for leaving. When you leave during the day, say Ditën e mirë, and at night say Natën e mirë.
Is Mirëmëngjes formal or informal?
It is both. Mirëmëngjes does not change with the person you are speaking to, so it suits a neighbor, a teacher or a stranger equally well. Formality in Albanian shows up in the next sentence instead, when you choose between Si je? for someone close to you and Si jeni? for someone you want to show respect.
Sources
- Fjalorthi: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe (Academy of Sciences of Albania, 2006), entry mirëmëngjes
- Fjalorthi: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe (Academy of Sciences of Albania, 2006), entry mirëdita
- Fjalorthi: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe (Academy of Sciences of Albania, 2006), entry natë (natën e mirë)
- Fjalorthi: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe (Academy of Sciences of Albania, 2006), entry qysh
- Fjalorthi: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe (Academy of Sciences of Albania, 2006), entries po and jo
- Peace Corps Albania: The Albanian Language, Gjuha shqipe, for Invitees (PDF)
- Omniglot: Useful Albanian phrases
Related Reading
- Hello in Albanian
- Goodbye in Albanian
- Thank You in Albanian
- Common Albanian Phrases
- The Albanian Alphabet
- Gheg vs. Tosk
- Happy Birthday in Albanian
- Family Words in Albanian
Author: Val Demiri
Valbona is an editor and writer at ALB Connection, where she covers the people, businesses, and culture shaping the Albanian diaspora. A journalism graduate of the University of Iowa, her work spans community profiles, success stories, and features on Albanian life across the US, Europe, and beyond. She is drawn to stories that celebrate Albanian achievement and keep the community connected across borders.
