Meaning & use
good day to you
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseformalold-fashioned
A polite greeting used when meeting someone, especially in the morning or early afternoon.
Grammar: Used as a complete greeting on its own; no article is needed.
Patterns
- Good day to you.
- Good day to you, sir/madam.
Good day to you, Mrs. Smith. How are you this morning?
He tipped his hat and said, 'Good day to you.'
Good day to you! It's a pleasure to meet you.
phrasefixed phraseformalold-fashioned
A polite way to say goodbye, often used when you are slightly annoyed and want to end the conversation.
Grammar: Often said with a firm tone; can sound dismissive.
Patterns
- Well, good day to you.
- Good day to you, then.
If that's your attitude, then good day to you!
She said, 'Good day to you,' and walked out of the room.
Common combinations
- say good day to you
- The old gentleman would always say good day to you when he passed by.
- wish someone a good day
- I wish you a good day and hope to see you soon.
- good day to you too
- Good day to you too, and thanks for your help.
Synonyms and how they differ
- good morning
- Used only before noon and is more common in everyday speech.
- hello
- A neutral, modern greeting that works at any time of day.
Opposites
Word family
- good day phrase
- A shorter, slightly less formal version of the same greeting.
Commonly confused: good day to you or good day?
good day to you vs good day
The shorter form is more common and can be used alone. 'Good day to you' adds emphasis and often sounds more old-fashioned or pointed.
Practice
Which situation is most appropriate for saying 'Good day to you'?
Choose one answer.
'Good day to you' is a formal, slightly old-fashioned greeting, so it fits best when greeting a formal guest in the morning. The other situations call for casual greetings like 'Hi' or 'Goodnight'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “good day to you”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.