tenha uma boa noite
In Portuguese, the phrase to say "have a good evening" is tenha uma boa noite.
This phrase is a polite greeting used to wish someone a pleasant time during the rest of their evening.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase tenha uma boa noite is a polite and slightly more formal way to wish someone well compared to the more casual boa noite. For an even more formal expression, you can say Desejo-lhe uma boa noite, which means "I wish you a good evening."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form tenha uma boa noite uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish, which is the standard way to offer a polite blessing or greeting in Portuguese.
Did you know?
- The word boa in this phrase is a homonym for a 'boa constrictor' snake, as Portuguese borrowed the taxonomic Latin name for the animal.
- In some Portuguese-speaking regions, people may accompany a parting wish like tenha uma boa noite with a double kiss on the cheek, though this varies by social circle and city.
- Unlike in English, where 'good night' is almost exclusively a farewell, the Portuguese boa noite is used both as a greeting when arriving and a farewell when leaving in the evening.
Examples in context
- Tenha uma boa noite, Senhor Silva.Have a good evening, Mr. Silva.
- Desejo-lhe uma boa noite, Caro Diretor.I wish you a good evening, Dear Director.
- Tenha uma boa noite, até amanhã.Have a good evening, see you tomorrow.
- Muito obrigada, tenha uma boa noite também.Thank you very much, have a good evening too.
Example conversation
Camila and Rodrigo are leaving a coffee shop.
- CamilaTchau, Rodrigo!Bye, Rodrigo!
- RodrigoTchau, Camila. Tenha uma boa noite.Bye, Camila. Have a good evening.
- CamilaObrigada, tenha uma boa noite também.Thank you, have a good evening too.
- RodrigoAté logo.See you later.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boa, noite, uma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
