boa tarde
/ˈbo.ɐ ˈtaʁ.d͡ʒi/
boa tarde is the Portuguese way to say good afternoon.
boa tarde is a greeting used during the afternoon.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of boa (good, feminine) and tarde (afternoon/evening).
Which one should you use?
While boa tarde covers the afternoon, boa noite is used once it is dark or for the evening period.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective boa is in the feminine form to agree with the feminine noun tarde.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbo.ɐ ˈtaʁ.dʒi/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word tarde is a distant relative of the English word 'tardy'. Both come from the Latin tardus, meaning 'late'.
- In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, a simple 'boa tarde' is often accompanied by a slight nod or a touch on the arm to show warmth, more so than in more formal English settings.
- In Portugal, the transition from boa tarde to boa noite often depends more on the lighting and the meal schedule than a specific clock hour.
Examples in context
- Boa tarde a todos!Good afternoon everybody!This example shows how to use boa tarde to greet a group.Tatoeba #5551070 by carlosalberto, translation #5551071 by carlosalberto
- Boa tarde, moça, como vai você?Good afternoon, young lady, how are you?This example shows how to use boa tarde when addressing a young lady.Tatoeba #1146500 by tulio, translation #8877060 by victorromero85
- Boa tarde, senhoras e senhores.Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.This example shows how to use boa tarde when addressing a group of ladies and gentlemen.Tatoeba #5388749 by bill, translation #5386166 by CK
- Boa tarde, Senhor Silva. Como posso ajudá-lo?Good afternoon, Mr. Silva. How may I assist you?
- Desejo-lhe uma boa tarde.I wish you a good afternoon.
- Oi, ela chegou? Boa tarde!Hey, did she arrive? Good afternoon!
- E aí, tudo bem? Boa tarde!Hey, how's it going? Good afternoon!
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Rodrigo pass each other in a building hallway.
- JulianaBoa tarde, Rodrigo.Good afternoon, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoBoa tarde, Juliana. Tudo bem?Good afternoon, Juliana. How are you?
- JulianaTudo ótimo, obrigada.Everything is great, thanks.
- RodrigoQue bom! Até logo.That's good! See you later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries boa tarde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boa, boa tarde, tarde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
