10 Ways to Say “Good Afternoon” in Spanish (with Audio)

“Good afternoon” in Spanish is buenas tardes , but there are a couple of other phrases you can throw into the mix. 

Read on to see how to say “good afternoon” in different ways, from casual chats to formal settings… along with some useful vocabulary words for lunchtime and other afternoon activities. 

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Good Afternoon in Spanish: Buenas Tardes

The most common way to say “good afternoon” in Spanish is buenas tardes.

This greeting (and variations on it) is typically used between noon and 7 p.m. You can use it in practically any situation, from your friends to your boss.

Here are a few examples of this phrase in use:

Buenas tardes, ¿cómo estás?  (Good afternoon, how are you?)

Le veré más tarde, buenas tardes. (I’ll see you later, good afternoon.)

Buenas tardes, ¿qué planes tienes para hoy? (Good afternoon, what are your plans for today?)

More Ways to Say “Good Afternoon” in Spanish

Buenas tardes isn’t the only way to say “good afternoon” in Spanish. Here are nine more expressions you can use to greet someone in the afternoon, roughly organized from most formal to most casual. If you’re still not sure when to use each phrase, you can see them in more context in FluentU videos.

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Buen día  — Good day

While this phrase can be used in the morning, it’s also acceptable in the afternoon. For example, you might say Buen día to a colleague as you enter the office in the afternoon as a friendly greeting.

Example:

Buen día, ¿puedes hablar más tarde?  (Good day, can you talk later?)

Buenas — ‘Noon

This more casual phrase is short for buenas tardes and it’s used informally between friends and acquaintances. 

Example:

Buenas, ¿cómo va todo?  (Good afternoon, how’s everything going?)

Feliz tarde — Happy afternoon 

This is a friendly and cheerful way to wish someone a happy afternoon. You can use it when parting ways with friends, colleagues or acquaintances to leave them with a positive sentiment for the rest of the day.

Example:

Feliz tarde, que disfrutes el resto del día.  (Happy afternoon, enjoy the rest of the day.)

Tarde agradable  — Pleasant afternoon 

Tarde agradable goes beyond a simple greeting; it expresses the desire for the person to have a pleasant and enjoyable afternoon. This phrase is often used when you want to convey a sense of warmth and comfort, making it suitable for both casual and slightly more formal interactions. Just make sure to use Te/le deseo una… (I wish you a…) before it—otherwise, the phrase will sound awkward.

Example:

Te deseo una tarde agradable llena de éxitos.  (I wish you a pleasant afternoon filled with success.)

Buena tarde — Good afternoon

This is a versatile greeting that can be used in various settings, from casual encounters to more formal situations. It’s not as common as its plural version buenas tardes, though, so you won’t hear it too often.

Example:

Buena tarde, estamos listos para la reunión.  (Good afternoon, we’re ready for the meeting.)

Excelente tarde — Great afternoon

This one looks pretty similar to our previous phrase, but it’s actually more common and versatile. In fact, it works both on its own and together with a polite phrase, like the one we used for tarde agradable. You can use the shorter version for formal yet fast communication and the longer ones as a farewell in fancy events or business meetings.

Examples:

Les deseo una excelente tarde; nos vemos la próxima semana. (I wish you [all]  a great afternoon, I’ll see you next week.)

Gracias por su tiempo. ¡Excelente tarde! (Thank you for your time. (Have a) great afternoon!)

Que tengas una linda tarde — Have a nice afternoon

This is a caring and considerate way to bid someone farewell during the afternoon hours. Just know that this one conveys some form of affection, so make sure to use it with people you’re well acquainted with.

Example:

Que tengas una linda tarde, disfruta del sol.  (Have a nice afternoon, enjoy the sun.)

Hola  — Hello

This informal greeting is suitable for the afternoon and can be used in casual settings. 

Example:

Hola, ¿cómo va tu día?  (Hello, how’s your day going?)

Qué tal  — How’s it going? 

Qué tal is an informal way to ask “How’s it going?” or “How are you?” It’s commonly used among friends, family and acquaintances to initiate conversations and catch up on each other’s lives. Keep in mind that this is a more casual expression, so it’s best suited for informal situations.

Example:

Qué tal, todo bien?  (How’s it going, everything fine?)

Vocabulary Related to the Afternoon in Spanish 

Saying “good afternoon” in Spanish is just the beginning. Use these words and phrases to speak about your afternoon plans to your friends:

• Tarde  — Afternoon
• Siesta  — Afternoon nap
• Hora de la siesta  — Naptime
• Descanso  — Break, rest
• Mediodía  — Midday
• Almuerzo  — Lunch
• Vamos a almorzar  — Let’s have lunch.
• Descanso del almuerzo  — Lunch break
• Después del almuerzo  — After lunch
• Hora del té  — Tea time
• Comida  — Meal, food
• Café  — Coffee
• Te  — Tea
• Bocadillo  — Snack
• Refresco  — Soft drink
• Tengo hambre  — I’m hungry
• ¡Buen provecho!  — Enjoy your meal!
• Descanso de la tarde  — Afternoon break
• Hacer diligencias  — To run errands
• Hora punta  — Rush hour
• Terminar el trabajo  — Finish work
• Hacer ejercicio  — To exercise
• Recoger a los niños  — Pick up the kids
• Cena  — Dinner
• Preparar la cena  — To prepare dinner
• Puesta de sol  — Sunset
• Atardecer  — Dusk
• Tarde-noche  — Late afternoon / early evening

I hope all these ways to say “good afternoon” in Spanish helps you have a wonderful afternoon!

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