que pases una excelente tarde
/ke pases una eɡsθelente taɾde/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'have a great evening' is said as que pases una excelente tarde.
This phrase is a polite greeting used to wish someone a pleasant time during the late afternoon or evening. While 'tarde' is often translated as 'afternoon', in many Spanish-speaking contexts it is used to cover the period from midday until sunset/early evening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'that you pass an excellent afternoon'.
Which one should you use?
To address a group of people, use the plural form que pasen una excelente tarde.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 'pases' is in the present subjunctive mood, which is used here to express a wish or desire.
How do you pronounce it?
/ke pases una eɡsθelente taɾde/
Did you know?
- The word tarde is a linguistic relative of the English word 'tardy'. While 'tarde' refers to the afternoon or evening, its Latin root 'tardē' describes the concept of being late or slow.
- Using the verb pasar in this context reflects a conceptual view of time as something one 'passes through' or 'spends' rather than 'has'.
- If you want to sound more formal or show respect to a stranger, you should change que pases to que pase. This small switch in the verb conjugation shifts the level of intimacy immediately.
Examples in context
- Adiós, que pases una excelente tarde con tu familia.Goodbye, have a great evening with your family.
- Muchas gracias, que pases una excelente tarde tú también.Thank you very much, have a great evening yourself.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are leaving a coffee shop in the late afternoon.
- SofíaFue un gusto verte, Daniel.It was a pleasure seeing you, Daniel.
- DanielIgualmente, Sofía. ¡Que pases una excelente tarde!Likewise, Sofia. Have a great evening!
- SofíaGracias, nos vemos pronto.Thanks, see you soon.
- Daniel¡Adiós!Goodbye!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries excelente, que, tarde, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
