Buenas noches: hello and goodbye after dark
- Pronunciation: BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs. The ch is the same as in English "church".
- As a greeting: walk into a restaurant at 9 pm and say buenas noches. It means "good evening" here.
- As a goodbye: leaving a party, ending a phone call at night, or going to bed: buenas noches.
- Formality: it works with anyone, from a waiter to your grandmother.
- Casual: buenas on its own is a friendly hello at any hour, but it is not used as a goodbye.
Spanish has no separate word for "evening". The day moves from buenas tardes (afternoon, until it gets dark) straight to buenas noches. In summer in Spain, buenas tardes can last until 9 pm. For earlier in the day, see good morning in Spanish.
Bedtime phrases
When someone is actually going to sleep, buenas noches is often followed by one of these. They all start with que, short for "I hope that", which is why the verb is in the subjunctive.
| Spanish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Que descanses | Rest well | The most common bedtime wish; to one person you call tú |
| Que descanse | Rest well | Formal, to someone you call usted |
| Que descansen | Rest well | To a group |
| Que duermas bien | Sleep well | Friendly and a little more personal |
| Dulces sueños | Sweet dreams | Affectionate: partners, children, close friends |
| Que sueñes con los angelitos | Dream of little angels | To children, sometimes to a partner |
| Hasta mañana | See you tomorrow | Common goodnight to people you will see in the morning |
| Me voy a dormir | I’m going to sleep | What you say before the goodnight |
| Me voy a la cama | I’m going to bed | Same meaning |
Good night to someone you love
- Buenas noches, mi amor. Good night, my love.
- Buenas noches, cariño. Good night, sweetheart. Cariño is especially common in Spain.
- Que descanses, mi vida. Rest well, my life (a common endearment).
- Te quiero, dulces sueños. Love you, sweet dreams.
For more on te quiero and te amo, see I love you in Spanish.
Example sentences
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Buenas noches, ¿tienen mesa para dos? | Good evening, do you have a table for two? |
| Buenas noches a todos, gracias por venir. | Good evening, everyone, thanks for coming. |
| Bueno, me voy a dormir. ¡Buenas noches! | Well, I’m going to sleep. Good night! |
| Buenas noches, que descanses. | Good night, rest well. |
| Hasta mañana, que duermas bien. | See you tomorrow, sleep well. |
| Buenas noches, mi amor. Dulces sueños. | Good night, my love. Sweet dreams. |
| Ya es tarde, ¡buenas noches, chicos! | It’s late, good night, kids! |
How to reply
- Buenas noches. (as a hello) → Buenas noches. Add ¿cómo está? or ¿qué tal? if you like.
- Buenas noches. (as a goodbye) → Buenas noches or Igualmente (you too).
- Que descanses. → Igualmente or Tú también (you too).
- Dulces sueños. → Igualmente, dulces sueños.
- Hasta mañana. → Hasta mañana.
Common mistakes
- Buenos noches. Noche is feminine: buenas noches. Only días takes buenos.
- Waiting until bedtime. In Spanish buenas noches starts when it gets dark, so it is the right hello for a dinner party or an evening class.
- Translating "have a good night" word for word. "Ten una buena noche" is understood but sounds translated; que descanses or que pases buena noche is more natural.
- Que duermes bien. After que, the verb is subjunctive: que duermas bien, que descanses.
- Using buenas as a goodbye. Buenas is a greeting only. Leave with buenas noches or hasta luego.