bonus vesper
[ˈbɔ.nʊs ˈwɛs.pɛr]word by word
The English phrase "good evening" is translated into Latin as bonus vesper.
This phrase is a greeting used during the evening. Bona vespera is commonly used in ecclesiastical settings to mean 'good evening.'
Meaning: greeting said in the evening (intj)
Which one should you use?
Bona vespera is typically used in ecclesiastical contexts.
Did you know?
- The word vesper is a linguistic cousin to the Ancient Greek hésperos, which refers to the 'evening star' or the planet Venus.
- In classical Roman culture, greetings were more often based on the time of day's activity rather than the fixed 'good morning' or 'good evening' formulas used in modern English.
Example conversation
Quintus and Aurelia meet at a dinner party.
- QuintusBonus vesper, Aurelia!Good evening, Aurelia!
- AureliaSalve, Quinte!Hello, Quintus!
- QuintusUt vales hodie?How are you today?
- AureliaBene valeo, gratias.I am doing well, thank you.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bonus, vesper) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bonus, vesper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
