buenas noches
/ˌbwenas ˈnot͡ʃes/
The English phrase "good night to a girl" translates to Spanish as buenas noches.
Buenas noches means both "good night" and "good evening". It is a versatile phrase used both as a greeting when arriving somewhere at night and as a farewell when leaving or going to sleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, this phrase is always plural, even if you are only referring to a single night.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbwenas ˈnotʃes/
Did you know?
- Spanish uses the feminine plural adjective buenas to match noches, regardless of whether the person being addressed is a man or a woman.
- In some Latin American cultures, saying buenas noches to a woman in a formal setting is often accompanied by a light kiss on the cheek or a polite nod, depending on the country.
- The word buenas in the phrase is likely a shortened version of buenas tardes, meaning the phrase evolved from a wish for a good afternoon/evening.
Examples in context
- Buenas noches, mi princesa.Good night, my princess.
- ¡Buenas noches a la cumpleañera!Good night to the birthday girl!
Example conversation
Alejandro is saying goodbye to Sofía at the end of their date.
- AlejandroBuenas noches, Sofía.Good night, Sofía.
- SofíaBuenas noches, Alejandro.Good night, Alejandro.
- AlejandroDescansa mucho.Get plenty of rest.
- SofíaTú también.You too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buenas noches, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buenas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
