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tarde

/TAR-deh/

afternoon

A park scene bathed in warm, golden afternoon light, showing long shadows cast by trees and a few people enjoying the late day.

The golden hour shows 'la tarde', the afternoon or early evening, characterized by warm, soft light.

tarde(Noun)

fA1
afternoon?The part of the day between midday and evening.
Also:evening?In many regions, refers to the period before it gets dark.

📝 In Action

Nos vemos esta tarde.

A1

See you this afternoon.

Buenas tardes, ¿cómo está?

A1

Good afternoon, how are you?

Paso la tarde leyendo en el parque.

A2

I spend the afternoon reading in the park.

Word Connections

Antonyms

  • mañana (morning)
  • noche (night)

Common Collocations

  • por la tarde – in the afternoon
  • buenas tardes – good afternoon
  • a media tarde – in the mid-afternoon

Idioms & Expressions

  • de tarde en tarde – every now and then; once in a while

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'por' for Times of Day

To say 'in the afternoon', Spanish uses 'por la tarde'. This pattern works for other times of day too: 'por la mañana' (in the morning) and 'por la noche' (at night).

❌ Common Pitfalls

When does 'afternoon' end?

Mistake: "Thinking 'tarde' ends at 5 p.m. like in English."

Correction: In many Spanish-speaking places, 'la tarde' lasts until it gets dark, which could be 8 or 9 p.m. You say 'buenas tardes' until then, not 'buenas noches'.

⭐ Usage Tips

A Flexible Greeting

'Buenas tardes' is the standard greeting from about 1 p.m. until evening. You can use it for both 'hello' and 'goodbye' during this time.

A disappointed figure standing on an empty platform watching a brightly colored train rapidly pull away into the distance, illustrating having arrived too late.

When an action happens after the expected time, it is described using the adverb 'tarde' (late).

tarde(Adverb)

A1
late?Happening after the expected or usual time.

📝 In Action

¡Es tarde! Tenemos que irnos.

A1

It's late! We have to go.

El tren llegó tarde otra vez.

A1

The train arrived late again.

Más vale tarde que nunca.

B1

Better late than never.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • con retraso (with a delay)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • llegar tarde – to arrive late
  • hacerse tarde – to get late
  • ser tarde – to be late
  • demasiado tarde – too late

💡 Grammar Points

Describing When, Not What

As an adverb, 'tarde' tells you when an action happens. It usually comes after the verb. For example, 'comemos tarde' (we eat late).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Estar' for 'To Be Late'

Mistake: "Mi amigo está tarde."

Correction: Say 'Mi amigo llega tarde' (My friend is arriving late) or 'Mi amigo viene con retraso' (My friend is running late). 'Tarde' describes the action, not the person's state.

⭐ Usage Tips

Telling Time vs. Arriving Late

To say 'It is late' in general, use 'ser': 'Es tarde'. To say a specific person or thing is late, use a verb of motion like 'llegar': 'El vuelo llega tarde' (The flight is arriving late).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tarde

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'tarde' to mean 'afternoon'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tardar(to take time, to be late) - verb
atardecer(dusk, sunset) - noun
tardanza(delay, lateness) - noun
tardío(late, belated) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'tarde' and 'noche'?

'Tarde' is the afternoon and early evening, usually while there is still daylight. 'Noche' is night, when it's dark. You greet people with 'buenas tardes' until dusk, and then you switch to 'buenas noches'.

How do I say 'too late' in Spanish?

You say 'demasiado tarde'. For example, 'Ahora es demasiado tarde para salir' means 'Now it's too late to go out'.

Can 'tarde' be an adjective?

No, 'tarde' itself is not used as an adjective. You wouldn't say 'un tren tarde'. Instead, you'd say 'un tren que llegó tarde' (a train that arrived late). If you want to describe a person who is habitually late, you can use the informal words 'tardón' or 'tardona'.