Bom dia
bong JEE-ah
How to say itPart of: Greetings
“Good morning.”
Bom dia is good morning in Portuguese, used until about noon, or until lunch. It is the polite hello to a stranger, a shop or a doorman, and the opening of an email or message to someone you don’t know. The reply is bom dia back. After lunch it becomes boa tarde, and after dark boa noite.
Looking for all the ways to say hello? Hello in Portuguese: the guide
EverydayAll Brazilalso: bdReply: Bom dia!
How Brazilians use it
“Bom dia! Dormiu bem?”
“Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
At home, first thing.
“Bom dia, um café, por favor.”
“Good morning, a coffee, please.”
At a counter.
“Bom dia a todos, vamos começar.”
“Good morning, everyone, let’s begin.”
Opening a meeting or a class.
“Bd! Tudo certo pra hoje?”
“Morning! All set for today?”
A text; bd is bom dia.
In a real book
“— Bom dia, cidadão.”“— Bom dia, comendador.”How to reply
- Bom dia!The same back.
- Bom dia, tudo bem?To keep it going.
Similar expressions
Brazil vs Portugal
The same, with one extra use: in Portugal bom dia can also mean “have a good day” when you leave, where Brazil says tenha um bom dia.
Common mistakes
- Don’t say bom dia at three in the afternoon: after lunch it is boa tarde.
- Don’t write buenos días or bom día: Spanish habits. It is bom dia, no accent.
- Don’t answer bom dia with sim: say bom dia back.
Frequently asked questions
Is bom dia Spanish or Portuguese?
Portuguese. The Spanish is buenos días. Bom dia is good morning in Brazil and Portugal, and dia has no accent.
How do you respond to bom dia?
Bom dia back, or bom dia, tudo bem? to ask how they are. The greeting is its own reply; sim or oi alone sounds odd.
Until what time do you say bom dia?
Until about noon, or until you have had lunch. Then it is boa tarde until dark, and boa noite after that.
Why is it bom dia but boa tarde?
Because dia is a masculine noun and tarde and noite are feminine. The adjective agrees: bom dia, boa tarde, boa noite.