buenos días
/ˌbwenos ˈdias/
In Spanish, the way to say "hello in a formal way" is buenos días.
Buenos días translates to "Good morning" and serves as a polite greeting used during the morning hours.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "good days".
Which one should you use?
While buenos días is used for the morning, you should switch to buenas tardes (good afternoon) from midday until around sunset. Once it is dark, use buenas noches for both "good evening" and "good night".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras, it is common to use Muy buenos días to show extra politeness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard pluralized greeting is buenos días, though the singular form buen día is also used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbwenos ˈdias/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular bueno instead of the plural buenos to match the plural días.
Did you know?
- If you are in a very formal social setting in Mexico, adding su merced after your greeting is an extremely traditional and respectful way to address someone.
- In some formal settings, such as a shop or a hotel in Spain, it is customary to say Buenos días to every person you pass, even if you do not know them.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, buenos días is often accompanied by a single cheek kiss or a handshake, depending on the gender and relationship of the people greeting each other.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, señor García. Me alegra encontrarme con usted aquí hoy.Good morning, Mr. García. I'm glad to meet you here today.
- Buenas tardes, señora López. ¿Cómo ha sido su día hasta ahora?Good afternoon, Mrs. López. How has your day been so far?
- Buenas noches, señor Martínez. ¿Ha disfrutado de la cena?Good evening, Mr. Martínez. Have you enjoyed your dinner?
- Muy buenos días, señora Gómez. ¿Cómo amaneció hoy?Very good morning, Mrs. Gómez. How did you wake up today?
- Buenos días, señor.Good morning, sir.
- Buenos días a todos.Good morning to everyone.
- ¡Buenos días! ¿Cómo está usted?Good morning! How are you?
Example conversation
Elena greets Javier at a formal office meeting.
- ElenaBuenos días, Javier.Good morning, Javier.
- JavierBuenos días, Elena. ¿Cómo está?Good morning, Elena. How are you?
- ElenaMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thank you.
- JavierMe alegro mucho.I am very glad.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buenos días, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
