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"good afternoon" in seven languages

Meaninggood afternoon

Spanish

buenas tardes

/ˈbwenas ˈtaɾdes/

other source · Latin TARDĒ 'late'

Said from lunch until dark — in Spain, often past 8 pm.

French

bon après-midi

/bɔn apʁɛmidi/

other source · après (Latin AD PRESSUM 'close by') + midi (MEDIUM DIEM 'midday')

Italian

buon pomeriggio

/bwɔn pomeˈriddʒo/

other source · Latin (POST) MERĪDIEM 'after midday'

Portuguese

boa tarde

/ˈboɐ ˈtahdʒi/

other source · Latin TARDĒ 'late'

Romanian

bună ziua

/ˈbunə ˈziwa/

other source · Romanian 'good day' (zi ← Latin DIEM)

Romanian has no 'good afternoon': bună ziua covers the whole day.

Catalan

bona tarda

/ˈbɔnə ˈtaɾdə/

other source · Latin TARDĒ 'late'

English

good afternoon

/gʊd æftɚˈnun/

native English · Old English gōd + æfter + nōn

English → Italiangood afternoonbuon pomeriggioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: p.m. (post meridiem), meridian; tardy (es).What English and Italian share

The story

Three ways to say 'after noon': Italian keeps Latin POST MERĪDIEM, the p.m. on a clock; French builds 'after-midday'; Spanish just calls it 'the late part' (tarde, from TARDĒ). French uses bon après-midi mostly when parting, bonjour when arriving.

English relatives: p.m. (post meridiem), meridian; tardy (es)

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In a sentence

  • esBuenas tardes a todos.
  • frBon après-midi à tous.
  • itBuon pomeriggio a tutti.
  • ptBoa tarde a todos.
  • roBună ziua tuturor.
  • caBona tarda a tothom.
  • enGood afternoon, everyone.

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