One of the first things that we need to learn when we travel to a foreign country is how to greet in the language spoken there so that we show respect for their culture and customs.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Spain or Latin America, it’s a great idea to learn how to say good night in Spanish, as this phrase doesn’t always translate literally from English.
Also, this might be an excellent time to revise some well-known other greetings in Spanish!
Check out this short video from Spring Spanish’s YouTube channel and be prepared to say buenas noches in Spanish!
If you’d like to explore how to tellgood night in Spanish in different contexts, or you’re interested in learning flirting ways to wish someone a good eveningin Spanish to your corazoncito, then this is the right article for you!
1. How Do You Say Good Night in Spanish?
The simplest and most extended way to say good night in Spanish is buenas noches. The translation is rather straightforward, except for the fact that the Spanish version is plural in form, so its literal translation would be “good nights”. Another difference between the two phrases is when they are used.
As Spanish lacks the greeting good evening, and moves directly from buenas tardes (good afternoon) to buenas noches (good evening, good night), the latter is actually used within a broader period of time than its English counterpart, and for more purposes. It’s appropriate in formal and informal contexts.
And now, let’s move on!
We can say buenas noches (good night) when we:
- arrive at a place any time after sunset and until we go to bed
- leave a place provided that it is dark outside
- are going to bed
A similar expression, also widely used in all Spanish-speaking countries is Hasta mañana. Its literal translation is “until tomorrow”, and it is equivalent to sayingSee you tomorrow (Nos vemos mañana) in English.
Listen to the pronunciation of hasta mañana:
Hasta mañana can be used when you’re going to sleep at night, or at any time of the day to farewell someone that you won’t be seeing until the following day, like your colleagues at work or at school.
2. Sweet Dreams in Spanish
There are several alternative ways to wish someone a nice nightin Spanish, depending on who you are addressing and the closeness of your relationship.
For example, it is very common to simply sayto your little kids:
- “Que sueñes con los angelitos” – (Dream with the little angels)
- “Que tengas dulces sueños” – (Have sweet dreams)
BUT
You would rather tell an adult:
- “Que pases buenas noches” (Have a good night).
Take a look at the following chart to see the different expressions and pronunciations, when to use them, and an example to make them clear.
| Spanish | Context | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Buenas noches | When arriving | Buenas noches, ¿cómo están? – (Good evening, how are you all?) |
| Buenas noches | When leaving | Buenas noches a todos. Hasta mañana. – (Good evening, everyone. See you tomorrow. ) |
| Buenas noches | When going to sleep | Buenas noches, mi amor. Que descanses. – (Goodnight, my love. Sleep well.) |
| Hasta mañana | When leaving | Hasta mañana, Sr. Perez. Lo veo en la oficina a las 9 am. – (Goodbye, Mr. Perez. I’ll see you at the office at 9 am.) |
| Hasta mañana | When going to sleep | Hasta mañana, Tesoro. Que descanses. – (Goodnight, Darling. Sleep well.) |
| Que tengas buenas noches (tú, vos) | Informal: to address friends and acquaintances. | Que tengas buenas noches, mamá. – (Have a goodnight, mum.) |
| Que tenga (una) buena noche (usted) | Formal: to address people of a higher hierarchy or older than you. | Que tenga una buena noche, doctor. – (Have a Good night, doctor.) |
| Que pases buenas noches (tú, vos) | Informal: to address friends and acquaintances. | Que pases buenas noches, mamá. – (Have a goodnight, mum.) |
| Que pase (una) buena noche (usted) | Formal: to address people of a higher hierarchy or older than you. | Que pase una buena noche, doctor. – (Have a Good night, doctor.) |
| Que duermas bien (tú, vos) | Informal: to address friends and acquaintances. | Hasta mañana, Germán. Que duermas bien. – (Good night, Germán. Sleep well.) |
| Que duerma bien (usted) | Formal: to address people of a higher hierarchy or older than you. | Hasta mañana, señora. Que duerma bien. – (Good night, madam. Have a good rest.) |
| Que descanses (tú, vos) | Informal: to address friends and acquaintances. | Hasta mañana, Germán. Que duermas bien. – (Good night, Germán. Sleep well.) |
| Que descanse (usted) | Formal: to address people of a higher hierarchy or older than you. | Hasta mañana, señora. Que duerma bien. – (Good night, madam. Have a good rest.) |
Notice the use of the structure QUE + PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE (2nd person) + COMPLEMENT in:
- “Que duerma/s bien”
- “Que descanse/s”
- “Que tenga/s buenas noches”
This is how you wish them a good night in Spanish, and even though imperative can be used, it sounds more like a command in Spanish, so it is less used:
- “Duerme bien” (tú)
- “Duerma bien” (usted)
- “Descansa” (tú)
- “Descanse” (usted)
- “Ten buenas noches” (tú)
- “Tenga buenas noches” (usted)
3. A Romantic Good Night in Spanish
There are many flirty ways to say goodnight in Spanish, the simplest being “Buenas noches, mi amor” (Goodnight, my love). Yet, there are many words of endearment in Spanish that can replace “mi amor”.
Take a look at these evening phrases and various ways to spice up your flirting with your amor! Click the play button on the audio and listen to the pronunciation!
- Buenas noches, mi amor. – (Goodnight, my love.)
- Hasta mañana, mi cielo. – (Good night, my darling.)
- Que descanses, mi vida. – (Sleep well, my dear.)
- Que sueñes conmigo, corazón. (May you dream of me, darling.)
- Dulces sueños, mi amor. – (Sweet dreams, my love.)
Other ways of saying “Good night, my love” in Spanish
| Spanish | English |
| Dulces sueños, mi amor. Que tengas dulces sueños, mi amor. | Sweet dreams, my love. Have sweet dreams, my love. |
| Hasta mañana, guapo. Hasta mañana, guapa. | Good night, handsome. Good night, beautiful. |
| Buenas noches, bebé. | Goodnight, baby. |
4. Say Good Night in Spanish and Speak Like a Native With Conversation Based Chunking!
Learning basic Spanish expressions like good night will help you to communicate when traveling, meeting new people from different countries, and more. Adding these phrases to your toolbox will make you sound less like a textbook and more like a native speaker.
The easiest way to say good night in Spanish and have full Spanish conversations is through a method called Conversation Based Chunking™. This method (I’ve written a book on it too) is used by hundreds of thousands of students around the world with great success.
Curious to learn more? Make sure to get your free Spanish Chunking Starter Pack, where I show you a 4-step method to learn Spanish without having to memorize word lists and grammar rules. It comes with tutorial videos for Conversation Based Chunking™, resource lists to get you started, and much more. Conversation Based Chunking™ is currently being used by hundreds of thousands of students across the world with great results.
If you want to get fluent in Spanish, I recommend you check out the free starter pack and start implementing the methodology in your studies.
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