How do you say good morning in Spanish?

Say buenos días, to anyone. With a stranger, Hola, buenos días sounds friendly and polite.

  • buenos díasUnit 2

    good morning

  • Hola, buenos días.Speak

    Hi, good morning.

    Your model answer when the barista greets you in the Speak tab.

  • ¡Muy buenos días!Speak

    A very good morning!

    A warm, slightly formal "a very good morning to you".

  • The barista says good morning

    Coffee shop · Sofia, the barista

    Q¡Buenos días!

    Good morning!

    Or they might say:
    A very good morning!

    You can answer

    AHola, buenos días.

    Hi, good morning.

    Buenos días is plural (literally "good days"), so it is buenos días, not "buen días". Use it until about noon.

When do you stop saying buenos días?

Stop saying buenos días at around noon; from then until dark, say buenas tardes, and after dark, buenas noches.

  • buenas tardesUnit 2

    good afternoon

  • buenas nochesUnit 2

    good evening; good night (a hello AND a goodbye)

How do you say good morning politely in Mexico?

In Mexico, a polite good morning often adds the person's title: Buenos días, señora, or Buenos días, licenciada to a woman with a university degree, often your boss.

  • Buenos días, licenciada.Unit 9

    Good morning (to a woman with a university degree, often a boss)

  • Buenos días, señor.

    Good morning, sir.

What mistakes do English speakers make with buenos días?

The common mistakes are bueno día (it's plural: buenos días), buenos tardes, and still saying buenos días after lunch.

  • Bueno día. The greeting is plural: buenos días.
  • Buenos tardes. The afternoon one is buenas tardes, because tarde is feminine.
  • Saying buenos días at 3 p.m. After about noon it's buenas tardes.

How can you practice saying it out loud?

Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Spanish course, set in Mexico City, the lessons teach buenos días with a recording and a note on when to use it, and in the Speak tab a character in a real scene (a barista, a taxi driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) talks to you and you answer out loud. The app tells you whether a person would understand you, with one gentle fix if not. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More phrases: how to say everyday things in Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it buenos días and not buen día?

Buenos días, in the plural, is the standard greeting. Buen día is heard too, especially in Argentina and Uruguay, but buenos días works everywhere.

How do you answer buenos días?

Say buenos días back, usually with a question: Buenos días, ¿cómo está? With a friend, Buenos días, ¿cómo estás?

When do you stop saying buenos días?

At around noon. From then until dark it's buenas tardes, and after dark buenas noches.