bom dia
/ˈbõ ˈd͡ʒi.ɐ/
The English phrase "good morning" is translated into Portuguese as bom dia.
bom dia is used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning.
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the masculine adjective bom (good) and the masculine noun dia (day).
How does it change in a sentence?
Even though it literally means "good day", it is the standard greeting used specifically in the morning. Note that while bom dia uses the masculine bom, the greeting for the afternoon, boa tarde, uses the feminine boa to match the feminine noun tarde.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbõ ˈdʒi.ɐ/. The phrase has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word dia in bom dia is distantly related to the words Deus 'God' and the names 'Zeus' and 'Jove'.
- In Brazil, it is common to hear bom dia accompanied by a light kiss on the cheek or a handshake even in professional settings where English speakers might only nod.
- Unlike English where 'good morning' is strictly for the start of the day, bom dia can occasionally be used as a polite way to say goodbye during the morning hours.
Examples in context
- Bom dia a todos.Good morning, everybody.This example shows how to use bom dia to greet a group of people.Tatoeba #404785 by brauliobezerra, translation #22122 by CK
- Oi, Tom. Bom dia.Hello, Tom. Good morning.This example shows a friendly way to use bom dia when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #384821 by brauliobezerra, translation #30314 by CM
- Eu disse bom dia.I said good morning.This example shows the use of bom dia in a statement about what was said.Tatoeba #2576134 by marcospcruz, translation #2405823 by CK
- Bom dia, senhor(a). Como está hoje?Good morning, sir/ma'am. How are you today?
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo meet in the office hallway in the morning.
- BeatrizBom dia, Rodrigo.Good morning, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoBom dia, Beatriz. Tudo bem?Good morning, Beatriz. How are you?
- BeatrizTudo ótimo, obrigada.Everything is great, thanks.
- RodrigoQue bom. Tenha um ótimo dia!That's good. Have a great day!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations and entries bom dia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bom, bom dia, dia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
