Once the morning is over, most languages switch to a different greeting for the rest of the daylight hours. Knowing the daytime version, the equivalent of “good day” or “good afternoon”, is just as useful as knowing good morning, and often more so, since it covers the longest stretch of the day. Here is how to say good day and good afternoon across Europe and around the world, with the native spelling and a simple pronunciation guide. For the morning greeting, see our companion guide to saying good morning in different languages.
Good Day and Good Afternoon in Different Languages
Good day in European languages
In Europe, it's useful to know "Good Day," in different languages. Here are some of the most common ones:
- German: "Guten Tag" (Germany, Switzerland, Austria)
- English: "Good day" or "Good afternoon" (United Kingdom)
- French: "Bonjour" (France, Belgium - Note: "Bonjour" naturally pulls double duty for both "Good morning" and "Good day")
- Italian: "Buon pomeriggio" (Italy - specifically for afternoon, though "Buongiorno" is often used throughout the day)
- Spanish: "Buenas tardes" (Spain - used specifically once the afternoon hits, usually after lunch)
- Polish: "Dzień dobry" (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania - This literally translates to "Good day" and is used all day long)
- Romanian: "Bună ziua" (Romania, Moldova, Serbia, Hungary)
- Dutch: "Goedendag" or "Goede middag" (Netherlands, Belgium)
Interestingly, these greetings vary not only in pronunciation but also in regional dialects. However, if you're traveling in Scandinavia, you'll find:
- Norwegian: "God dag"
- Swedish: "God dag"
- Danish: "Goddag"
- Icelandic: "Góðan Daginn"
Portuguese uses "Boa tarde" in Portugal, while in Serbia it's "Dobar dan" (Добар дан)". In Hungary, they say "Jó napot kívánok", in Greece "Καλό μεσημέρι" or "Καλημέρα" (Greece - "Kalo mesimer)i, in Croatia "Dobar dan", and in Bulgaria "Добър ден" (Dobǎr den)"-all of which demonstrates the fascinating diversity of European languages and cultures.
When traveling in Europe, saying "Good Day" in their own language is a great way to connect with locals. If you're ever traveling in European countries, it definitely helps to speak a word or two in the local language. The best way to start is by learning "Good Day" in all the languages of Europe.
Good Day in Languages Outside of Europe
If you're planning a trip outside of Europe, you don't have to abandon good manners. You can still say "Good Day" in the local language of your destination. For example:
Africa: In Swahili you say "Habari za asubuhi" or in Hausa "barka da safiya."
Arabic: "صباح الخير" is pronounced as "sabah alkhayr".
Yoruba: In Nigeria, Togo and Benin it is called "e kaaro."
Asian languages: In Vietnam they say "buổi sáng tốt lành", in Chinese "Zǎoshang hǎo", and in Hindi "शुभ प्रभात", which is pronounced "shubh prabhaat".
South America: Portuguese is spoken in Brazil, Spanish in countries like Colombia and Argentina.
Islands: English is spoken in the Bahamas and Barbados, Creole in the Seychelles, Spanish in the Canary Islands and Galapagos, and Hawaiian (alongside English) in Hawaii.
The world is full of cultural diversity and languages waiting to be discovered. Mastering a simple greeting in the local language can help you make new friends and immerse yourself more deeply in the culture of your destination. So, no matter where you go, "Good Day" is a universal way to politely say hello and kick off new adventures.
Overview: Good Day in All Languages of the World
| Region | Language | Good day | Pronunciation |
| Western Europe | German | Guten Tag | GOO-ten tahk |
| Western Europe | English | Good day | good day |
| Western Europe | French | Bonjour | bon-ZHOOR |
| Western Europe | Spanish | Buenos días | BWEH-nos DEE-as |
| Western Europe | Italian | Buongiorno | bwon-JOR-no |
| Western Europe | Portuguese | Bom dia | bong DEE-ah |
| Western Europe | Dutch | Goedendag | KHOO-den-dakh |
| Western Europe | Catalan | Bon dia | bon DEE-ah |
| Western Europe | Galician | Bo día | boh DEE-ah |
| Western Europe | Basque | Egun on | EH-goon on |
| Western Europe | Irish | Dia duit | JEE-ah gwitch |
| Western Europe | Welsh | Dydd da | deethe dah |
| Western Europe | Maltese | Bonġu | BON-joo |
| Northern Europe | Danish | God dag | goh DAH |
| Northern Europe | Swedish | God dag | good DAHG |
| Northern Europe | Norwegian | God dag | goo DAHG |
| Northern Europe | Icelandic | Góðan daginn | GOH-than DYE-in |
| Northern Europe | Finnish | Hyvää päivää | HU-vaa PIE-vaa |
| Northern Europe | Estonian | Tere päevast | TEH-reh PIE-vast |
| Northern Europe | Latvian | Labdien | LAHB-dyen |
| Northern Europe | Lithuanian | Laba diena | LAH-bah dyeh-NAH |
| Central Europe | Polish | Dzień dobry | jen DOH-bri |
| Central Europe | Czech | Dobrý den | DOH-bree den |
| Central Europe | Slovak | Dobrý deň | DOH-bree dyen |
| Central Europe | Hungarian | Jó napot | YOH NAH-pot |
| Central Europe | Slovenian | Dober dan | DOH-ber dahn |
| Southeast Europe | Croatian | Dobar dan | DOH-bar dahn |
| Southeast Europe | Serbian | Dobar dan | DOH-bar dahn |
| Southeast Europe | Bulgarian | Dobar den | DOH-bar den |
| Southeast Europe | Romanian | Bună ziua | BOO-nuh ZEE-wah |
| Southeast Europe | Albanian | Mirëdita | mee-ruh-DEE-ta |
| Southeast Europe | Greek | Kaliméra | ka-lee-MEH-ra |
| Eastern Europe | Russian | Dobryy den | DOH-bri dyen |
| Eastern Europe | Ukrainian | Dobryy den | DOH-bri den |
| Middle East | Turkish | İyi günler | ee-YEE gyun-LER |
| Middle East | Arabic | Nahārak saʿīd | na-HA-rak sa-EED |
| Middle East | Hebrew | Yom tov | yom TOV |
| Middle East | Persian | Rūz bekheyr | rooz beh-KHEYR |
| Africa | Swahili | Habari za mchana | ha-BA-ri za m-CHA-na |
| Africa | Afrikaans | Goeie dag | KHOO-yuh dakh |
| Africa | Zulu | Sawubona | sa-woo-BO-na |
| Africa | Amharic | Endemin walu | en-deh-MIN WA-loo |
| Africa | Hausa | Ina wuni | EE-na WOO-ni |
| Africa | Yoruba | Ẹ káàsán | eh KAH-san |
| South Asia | Hindi | Namaste | nuh-MUS-tay |
| South Asia | Bengali | Nomoshkar | no-mosh-KAR |
| South Asia | Urdu | Assalam alaikum | as-sa-LAM a-LAY-kum |
| South Asia | Tamil | Vanakkam | va-NAK-kam |
| South Asia | Nepali | Namaste | nuh-MUS-tay |
| East Asia | Mandarin Chinese | Nǐ hǎo | nee HOW |
| East Asia | Japanese | Konnichiwa | kon-nee-chee-WA |
| East Asia | Korean | Annyeonghaseyo | an-nyong-ha-SE-yo |
| East Asia | Mongolian | Sain baina uu | sine BY-na oo |
| Southeast Asia | Thai | Sawatdee | sa-wat-DEE |
| Southeast Asia | Vietnamese | Xin chào | sin CHOW |
| Southeast Asia | Indonesian | Selamat siang | seh-LA-mat SEE-ang |
| Southeast Asia | Malay | Selamat tengah hari | seh-LA-mat TENG-ah HA-ri |
| Southeast Asia | Filipino | Magandang araw | ma-gan-DANG A-raw |
| Southeast Asia | Khmer | Chum reap suor | chum-ree-ap SOO-or |
| Southeast Asia | Burmese | Mingalaba | ming-ga-la-BA |
| Americas | Quechua | Allin p'unchaw | AL-yin POON-chow |
| Americas | Guaraní | Mba'éichapa | mba-EY-cha-pa |
| Americas | Haitian Creole | Bonjou | bon-ZHOO |
| Oceania | Hawaiian | Aloha | a-LO-ha |
| Oceania | Māori | Kia ora | KEE-a O-ra |
| Oceania | Samoan | Talofa | ta-LO-fa |
| Oceania | Tongan | Mālō e lelei | MA-lo eh leh-LAY |
The number of languages in the world is incredible.
This overview is a comprehensive table summarizing the greetings "Good Day" in languages around the world.
If you find yourself in one of these countries, you can look up the meaning and greet the locals in their native language. They will be delighted and respond with pleasure. We wish you a wonderful time traveling the world!
Morning, day and evening:
Matching the greeting to the clock Many languages have a distinct greeting for each part of the day, and using the right one is a small but telling sign of fluency. Japanese is a clear example: ohayō in the morning gives way to konnichiwa in the afternoon and konbanwa in the evening. Russian works the same way, with dobroye utro (good morning) becoming dobryy den (good day) and then dobryy vecher (good evening).
Spanish shifts from buenos días to buenas tardes after lunch, and to buenas noches after dark. When in doubt, listen to what the people around you are saying and follow their lead. For the full set of morning greetings, see the companion good-morning guide; for the end of the day, the good-night guide.
To say good day or good afternoon in different languages, use the daytime greeting rather than the morning one: guten Tag in German, bonjour or bon après-midi in French, buon pomeriggio in Italian, buenas tardes in Spanish, boa tarde in Portuguese, and around the world konnichiwa in Japanese, xiàwǔ hǎo in Mandarin, iyi günler in Turkish and shubh din in Hindi. Match the greeting to the time of day, and switch to the morning or evening version as the clock moves. The quickest way to make it natural is to use it in the country itself, on a language course with SPRACHCAFFE.
FAQ
A polite daytime greeting is one of the first things you use abroad, in shops, cafes and at reception. Using the local form, such as "Buongiorno" or "Guten Tag", signals respect and usually earns a warmer response than defaulting to English.
In French it is "Bonjour", in German "Guten Tag", in Italian "Buongiorno", in Spanish "Buenos días" for the morning and "Buenas tardes" from the afternoon, and in Portuguese "Bom dia". Most double as a general polite greeting.
Good morning is used only in the earlier hours, while good day, where it exists, covers the wider daytime. Several languages switch greeting with the clock, so German moves from "Guten Morgen" to "Guten Tag" and then "Guten Abend".
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