How to Say “Good Morning” in Portuguese

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bom dia
/ˈbõ ˈd͡ʒi.ɐ/
In Portuguese, "good morning" is said as bom dia.
The phrase is used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning. While English speakers distinguish between "good morning" and "good day", the Portuguese phrase bom dia is used for the entire period from sunrise until midday or lunchtime. You can also use it as part of a greeting such as Bom dia, como está?, which means "Good morning, how are you?"
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is a combination of bom (good) and dia (day), literally meaning "good day".

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation is /ˈbõ ˈdʒi.ɐ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.

Did you know?

  • The word dia is a distant relative of the names of Greek and Roman gods, such as 'Zeus' and 'Jupiter', because both originally referred to the 'sky' or 'heaven'.
  • In Brazil, people often say bom dia to everyone they encounter in a building or elevator, even complete strangers, as a social requirement.
  • The pronunciation of bom involves a nasal sound that is quite different from the English 'bom', as the 'm' is not fully closed with the lips.

Examples in context

Example conversation

Felipe and Camila pass each other in the office hallway.

  1. Felipe

    Bom dia, Camila!
    Good morning, Camila!
  2. Camila

    Bom dia, Felipe. Como você está?
    Good morning, Felipe. How are you?
  3. Felipe

    Estou bem, obrigado.
    I am well, thank you.
  4. Camila

    Que bom. Tenha um ótimo dia.
    That is good. Have a great day.

Sources

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Noah Caleb
Noah CalebHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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