una noche tarde
/una not͡ʃe taɾde/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "late one night" is una noche tarde.
This phrase is used to describe an event occurring during the final hours of the night, typically shortly before dawn.
How do you pronounce it?
/una notʃe taɾde/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the transition from noche to dawn is often described using the word madrugada, a single word that has no direct English equivalent.
- If you want to emphasize that it was extremely late, you might say a altas horas de la noche instead of using the word tarde.
- The word tarde comes from the Latin tardē, which originally meant 'slow' or 'sluggish', linking the concept of time to speed.
Examples in context
- De madrugada, empecé a escuchar el ruido de la lluvia.In the wee hours, I began to hear the sound of rain.
- Salimos a pasear tarde en la noche y vimos las estrellas.We went for a walk late in the night and saw the stars.
- Jugamos videojuegos a altas horas de la noche y nos olvidamos de la hora.We played video games at the late hours of the night and lost track of time.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are talking about a strange dream.
- DanielSoñé que volaba una noche tarde.I dreamed I was flying late one night.
- Elena¿A qué hora despertaste, Daniel?What time did you wake up, Daniel?
- DanielDesperté justo antes del amanecer.I woke up just before dawn.
- ElenaQué sueño tan extraño.What a strange dream.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noche, tarde, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
