tarde

Tarde is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese with related yet distinct meanings. In both languages, it commonly refers to the period of the day after noon—the afternoon. It can also function as an adjective or adverb meaning late, describing timeliness rather than a time of day. In addition, the word appears in greetings in the afternoon: “buenas tardes” in Spanish and “boa tarde” in Portuguese.

Etymology and related forms: Tarde derives from a Latin root related to tardus, meaning slow or late. Related words in both languages include tardar (to be late or to delay) and tardío or tardía (late), as well as tardanza in Spanish, a noun denoting lateness.

Spanish usage: In Spanish, la tarde designates the latter part of the day, typically from roughly early afternoon to evening, with regional variation. Tarde can function as an adverb meaning late, as in Llegó tarde (He arrived late). Expressions like tarde o temprano (sooner or later) and de la tarde (of the afternoon) are common. Plural evenings, las tardes, refer to multiple afternoons or to the time of day in a broader cultural sense.

Portuguese usage: In Portuguese, tarde also denotes the afternoon and can be used to mean late, as in Cheguei tarde (I arrived late). The greeting Boa tarde is standard in many Portuguese-speaking regions. The phrase à tarde means in the afternoon, though the preposition can vary with syntax. Tardança is used in Portuguese as a noun describing lateness or delay in some contexts, while tardar appears as the verb meaning to delay or run late.

See also: Cross-language cognates include tardy and late terms in both languages; related expressions emphasize the relationship between time-of-day naming and lateness.