"Have a nice day" and "have a good day" are commonly spoken expression in English, used to conclude a conversation, to say goodbye to someone, or to send a message of hoping someone experience a pleasant day. And since they are such widely-spoken, many of us wanted to know how to say these phrases in Spanish language. Here in this article, we’ve rounded up different ways to say “have a nice day” in Spanish, how and when to use these phrases.
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How to say Have a nice day in Spanish language?
Informal forms
Have a nice day! = ¡Qué tengas un buen día! / Qué te vaya bien!
Used when you speak with a single person who is the same age as you or younger one.
Formal forms
Have a nice day = Qué tenga un buen día! / ¡Qué le vaya bien!
The above phrases are used when you talk to older people or someone who you want to show your respect to such as a customer, etc.
Singular and Plural
Another fact is that forms of words in Spanish language may change depending on nouns or gender. So if you are talking to more than one person, the following forms should be used to say “have a nice day”.
Have a nice day = ¡Qué tengan un buen día! / ¡Qué les vaya bien!
Other useful phrases and expressions
I wish you a good day - Te deseo un buen dia
I wish you luck - Te deseo suerte
If you can’t remember all of those phrases right now, keep them in your bookmark and revisit regularly. We hope that after reading this article, you will know how to select the right phrase for the right circumstance or context when saying “have a nice day” in Spanish. Follow our site to improve your Spanish to English skills of translation, vocabulary, and grammar.
There’s a reason many people consider Spanish one of the most beautiful and romantic languages in the world. It is an emotional and expressive language with a smooth harmony between vowels and consonants. Even common, mundane phrases can be elevated to lyrical poetry in such a language.
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How to Say 'Have a Good Day' in Spanish
A common, everyday sentiment one might share before parting ways with someone is to wish them a good, happy day. Let's take a look at the many ways to express this sentiment in various types of contexts and settings.
¡Que tengas un buen día! – Have a good day!
This phrase is nearly a literal translation of the English phrase. It is perhaps the most common way you’ll hear native speakers express this sentiment in Spanish. In casual settings, you might hear some native speakers omit the beginning altogether and simply say ‘Buen día’ before parting ways.
Useful Grammar Tips
Let’s take a closer look at the particular grammar unique to the Romance languages. For example, the verb ‘tener’ is the translation of the verb ‘to have,’ but we can’t simply conjugate this verb in the present second-person singular tense and say ‘tienes un buen día.’
- Subjunctive Mood
Phrases that can express different feelings such as desires, doubts, emotions, probability, and the unknown, fall under the subjunctive mood. Hence, the conjugation of the verb 'tener' into the present 2nd person informal singular subjunctive mood, 'tengas.' However, if you're addressing an acquaintance, colleague, or anyone else who you should address more respectably, use 'tenga.'
- Conjunction ‘Que’
Accordingly, we must include the conjunction ‘que’ at the beginning of the phrase to express the desire of wishing someone a good day. Phew.. whoever said Spanish was easy to learn has something else coming their way.
- Position of the Adjective
Apart from the tricky verb conjugation, the rest of the phrase is quite straightforward and simple to understand. Another important note to keep in mind is that the adjectives in Spanish typically come after the noun, except for phrasal cases like these and a few other exceptions as well.
Other Variations of ‘Un Buen Día’
You're likely to encounter the slight alternative to the phrase, 'que tengas un lindo día,' which simply changes the adjective from good to beautiful. Another variation of the phrase which is typically reserved for holidays and other such joyous occasions includes 'que tengas un feliz día' which replaces 'lindo' with ‘feliz.’
The swapping of 'beautiful' for 'happy' is common for holidays yet remains a rare phrase to come by, nonetheless. However, these phrases are typically reserved for more extravagant displays of affection or gratitude.
Meaning of ‘¡Que te vaya bien!’
This is an excellent alternative to our previous example. It connotes a simpler, more casual register than ‘Que tengas un buen día.’ This phrase loosely translates to ‘I hope it goes well,’ which alludes to the person’s day.
If we break down the phrase, we’ll notice some familiar words. The conjunction ‘que’ at the beginning, the word ‘te’ which functions as a second person reflexive pronoun, the verb ‘vaya’ which comes from the infinite form of the verb ‘ir’ - to go, and lastly ‘bien,’ which simply translates as ‘well.’
Unlike our previous example, this phrase cannot be shortened into ‘Vaya bien’ as it would lose meaning and cause a good amount of confusion. This phrase can also be used for a simple farewell, good luck bidding before an important job interview, and other important occasions.
¡Que tengas un buen día en el trabajo!
This phrase is identical to the first one on our list, except for the additional ending alluding to the workday. In English, we can simply say 'Have a good day at work,' while in Spanish, we need the additional definite article 'en el trabajo.’
If you happen to know that the workplace of the person in question is an office, you could also say 'Que tengas un buen día en la oficina.' Another useful word that you may replace 'trabajo' with includes 'taller,' which refers more to a workshop/ garage, or 'escuela,' which means school. This will show an additional eye to detail that may impress your Spanish speaking friend, colleague, or even that distant family member.
Singular vs. Plural when Saying ‘Have a Good Day’ in Spanish
The phrase is also altered depending on how many people you are addressing and if it is a casual setting with friends or a more formal setting, such as an important job interview.
This delves into the European versus Latin American Spanish divide, which sees a significant drift apart in the 2nd person plural forms. For example, in European Spanish, vosotros and vosotras, masculine and feminine respectively, are used for the 2nd person casual plural form.
Meanwhile, ‘ustedes’ is used for the 2nd person formal plural form, regardless of gender. Depending on the setting, whether casual or formal, it will change the verb conjugation in the phrase.
- European Spanish
On the one hand, you would use 'que tengáis un buen día' for a casual ‘see you later’ to friends. On the other hand, if you're saying farewell to your boss and his superiors, you would use 'que tengan un buen día' according to the European standards.
- Latin American Spanish
However, in Latin America, there is no distinction between the 2nd person plural forms in terms of casual or formal. This is because the usage of vosotros/ vosotras has been dropped all over Latin America. ‘Ustedes’ can be utilized for casual settings with friends or business settings with your colleagues. Finally, something to simplify our studies.
Conclusion
It’s a simple yet endearing gesture to wish someone to have a good day. It can go a long way in helping to cheer up someone who’s been having a hard day. Regardless of the situation or context, you can tailor your response according to our list to suit the person’s day.
The Spanish language is a part of the Romance languages, including French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian, which all include unique grammar and syntax, such as the subjunctive mood. Although it might seem difficult at first to master, native speakers will have no problem assisting you in correcting pronunciation and grammar with your sincere intentions.
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