Definition
As a noun: the afternoon or evening. As an adverb: late, not on time or at the expected moment.
Example
Llegué tarde a la reunión de esta tarde.
Show translation
I arrived late to this afternoon's meeting.
Etymology
From Latin *tarda* (feminine of *tardus*, "slow, late"). The shift from "slow" to "late" is natural: arriving slowly means arriving after the expected time. The same root gives English "tardy" and French *tard*.
Cultural note
Spanish divides the day differently from English: *la tarde* covers roughly 12:00 p.m. to sunset (often 8–9 p.m. in summer Spain), so "buenos días" gives way to "buenas tardes" at noon, not at 6 p.m. as an English speaker might expect. In Latin America the boundary is similar, though "buenas tardes" can shift slightly earlier. Note also the false-friend trap: "tarde" as an adverb means *late*, not "tardy" used as a noun (as in English classroom slips).