Greetings
How to say “good afternoon” in Spanish
“Buenas tardes” is the greeting for the afternoon and early evening, from about noon until it gets dark. It is plural (tardes) and feminine (buenas), so mixing it up with “buenos días” is a common beginner mistake.
In Spanish
Buenas tardes
Good afternoon
Say it: BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs
Other ways to say “good afternoon”
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Buenas
Hi / Good afternoon
Casual short form; just “buenas” is enough in a shop.
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Muy buenas tardes
A very good afternoon
Formal, for example opening a talk or a phone call to a company.
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Que tengas buena tarde
Have a good afternoon
What you say when you part.
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Buenas tardes a todos
Good afternoon, everyone
For a group.
Example sentences
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Buenas tardes, ¿tiene mesa para dos?
Good afternoon, do you have a table for two?
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Buenas tardes, quisiera pedir una cita.
Good afternoon, I would like to make an appointment.
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Buenas tardes, profesor.
Good afternoon, professor.
How to reply
Buenas tardes, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle?
Good afternoon, how can I help you?
Good to know
- Both words are plural and feminine: “buenas tardes”, “buenas noches” (but “buenos días”, because día is masculine).
- In Spain the afternoon starts after lunch (around 2 pm); in most of Latin America people say “buenas tardes” from noon.
Questions about “good afternoon” in Spanish
How do you say “good afternoon” in Spanish?
“good afternoon” in Spanish is “Buenas tardes” (Good afternoon). It is pronounced BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs. You can also say “Buenas”, “Muy buenas tardes”, “Que tengas buena tarde”.
How do you pronounce “Buenas tardes”?
“Buenas tardes” sounds like BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs. The capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Tap the speaker on this page to hear it.
What are other ways to say “good afternoon” in Spanish?
“Buenas” (Hi / Good afternoon): casual short form; just “buenas” is enough in a shop. “Muy buenas tardes” (A very good afternoon): formal, for example opening a talk or a phone call to a company. “Que tengas buena tarde” (Have a good afternoon): what you say when you part. “Buenas tardes a todos” (Good afternoon, everyone): for a group.
How do you reply to “Buenas tardes”?
A natural reply is “Buenas tardes, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle?” (Good afternoon, how can I help you?).
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