Boa tarde / boa noite
BOH-ah TAR-jee / BOH-ah NOY-chee
How to say itPart of: Greetings
“Good afternoon; good evening and good night.”
Boa tarde is good afternoon, from lunch until it gets dark. Boa noite is both good evening and good night: Brazilians say it arriving after dark and again when leaving or going to bed. There is no separate word for good evening. Both are the polite hello to strangers and the opening of a message, and the reply is the same words back.
Looking for all the ways to say hello? Hello in Portuguese: the guide
EverydayAll Brazilalso: bt, bnReply: Boa tarde! / Boa noite!
How Brazilians use it
“Boa tarde, eu tenho horário às três.”
“Good afternoon, I have an appointment at three.”
Arriving at a reception.
“Boa noite! Mesa para dois?”
“Good evening! Table for two?”
Arriving after dark.
“Boa noite, gente, até amanhã!”
“Good night, everyone, see you tomorrow!”
Leaving after dark.
“Boa noite, durma bem.”
“Good night, sleep well.”
At bedtime.
In a real book
“— Boa tarde, Sr. Compadre.”“— Boa noite!”How to reply
- Boa tarde! / Boa noite!The same back.
- Boa noite, tudo bem?To keep it going.
Similar expressions
Brazil vs Portugal
The same in Portugal. Boas noites, in the plural, is heard there and in older Brazilian books.
Common mistakes
- Don’t look for “good evening”: boa noite covers evening and night.
- Don’t say boa tarde after dark or boa noite at four in the afternoon: dark is the line.
- Don’t say buenas noches: Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
What does boa noite mean?
Good evening and good night, both. Brazilians say boa noite arriving after dark, leaving after dark, and at bedtime. There is no separate word for good evening.
Is boa noite hello or goodbye?
Both. Walking into a restaurant at eight, boa noite is hello; leaving it at eleven, boa noite is goodbye. The time of day decides, not the direction.
When does boa tarde start?
After lunch, around noon, and it lasts until it gets dark. Before that it is bom dia; after dark, boa noite.
How do you respond to boa tarde or boa noite?
The same words back: boa tarde or boa noite, often with tudo bem? added. At bedtime, boa noite, durma bem or bons sonhos.