bon dia
[ˈbo̞n ˈdi.ə]
bon dia is the Catalan way to say good day.
bon dia is a standard greeting used when arriving or meeting someone during the morning and early afternoon, specifically between sunrise and sunset.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective bon (good) and the noun dia (day).
Which one should you use?
While bon dia is used from the morning until midday, bona tarda is used from midday through the afternoon. For the evening or night, use bona nit.
Did you know?
- The word dia shares a common ancestor with the English word 'sky', originating from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'heaven' or 'daylight'.
- In certain Catalan-speaking regions, if you enter a shop and only say bon dia without a follow-up, it is considered perfectly polite and complete.
- If you use bon dia after the sun has already begun to set, a local might humorously suggest you are still living in the morning.
Examples in context
- Bon dia!Good day!This sentence is useful for seeing bon dia used as a greeting.Tatoeba #465489 by Espi, translation #855284 by pirytm
- Bon dia a tot el món.Good day to everyone.
- Hola, bon dia, com va tot?Hello, good day, how is everything going?
Example conversation
Marc and Laia meet at a local cafe in the morning.
- MarcBon dia, Laia!Good day, Laia!
- LaiaBon dia, Marc. Com estàs?Good day, Marc. How are you?
- MarcMolt bé, gràcies.Very well, thanks.
- LaiaEm alegro molt.I am very glad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries bon dia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, dia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
