2007-02-11 15:36:04 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
i know that people are saying it means "good night little ones" but it was said to me by someone younger than me who i was dating and i wondered if maybe it had a second meaning?
2007-02-11 15:57:28 · update #1
Contrary to what other people said here, "kleines" is definitely not plural, but the neuter gender of the singular. It agrees in grammatical gender with "Kind" or all diminutive pet names such as "Schätzchen" or so. Thus is can be used as a term of endearment for a woman or a man.
So the sentence translates to "Good night, my little one."
2007-02-11 20:10:34 · answer #1 · answered by Sterz 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is literally "Goodnight, little ones"; but it is a different sort of phrase than the literal.
" Kleines" might also be translated a bit differently into idomatic English. It is a term of endearment, a friendly and diminutive calling of someone by a pet name. It is more than that--among friends and romantic lovers, it can be a familiar phrase. In English, we use "Kid", as when Humphrey Bogart, in several of his movies, says, to the girl, "Here's looking at you, Kid ! " or when someone calls another in the Irish tradfitional phrase "Kiddo"--
There are uses that are more than literally "small ones".
2007-02-12 00:10:20 · answer #2 · answered by JOHN B 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Gute Nacht = Good night.
Kleines = Little in plural form (little ones)
2007-02-11 23:43:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Rather along the lines of "Good night, little ones."
2007-02-11 23:39:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
my guess is he is just using the word small as a term of affection.
2007-02-12 00:11:17 · answer #5 · answered by u_wish1984 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
good night children
2007-02-12 01:44:10 · answer #6 · answered by devora k 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋