atardecer
“atardecer” means “sunset” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
sunset
Also: dusk, late afternoon
📝 In Action
Vimos un atardecer precioso en la playa.
A1We saw a beautiful sunset at the beach.
Me gusta salir a caminar al atardecer.
A2I like to go out for a walk at sunset.
to get dark
Also: to become evening
📝 In Action
En invierno atardece muy temprano.
A2In winter, it gets dark very early.
Estábamos viajando cuando empezó a atardecer.
B1We were traveling when it started to become evening.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: atardecer
Question 1 of 2
Which of these means 'at sunset'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the prefix 'a-' (moving toward) joined with 'tarde' (afternoon/late) and the ending '-ecer' (to become).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'atardecer' and 'anochecer'?
'Atardecer' is when the sun goes down (sunset/late afternoon), while 'anochecer' is when it actually becomes night and is completely dark.
Is it 'el atardecer' or 'la atardecer'?
It is always 'el atardecer'. Most Spanish nouns ending in -er derived from verbs are masculine.