From hello to goodbye, it's the first thing one should familiarize themselves with when learning a new language. It will be the most common Spanish phrases you will use when interacting with others.
With every language, there are small distinctions to keep in mind. These include variations from one country to another, informal versus formal greetings, and more. It's these small pieces of knowledge that will differentiate you from being recognized as a Spanish beginner, and more importantly, people will appreciate the effort you're putting in.
In today's mini-guide to Spanish greetings, we'll cover all of these small distinctions for you. By the time you're done reading this, you'll become a pro in starting conversations with friends and even strangers!Hope this brings you value!
Spanish Greetings to Introduce Yourself
Formal Spanish Greetings
When you meet someone for the first time or passing someone on the streets, there are typical greetings one normally says...
Hola - Hello/Hi
Many of you probably already know this greeting. It can be used in a formal and informal setting.
¿Aló? - Hello?
This is still hello, but in Spanish, it's used for answering the phone or the door.
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo está? - How are you?
Believe it or not, the addition of one letter, 's', makes it an informal saying. Whereas '¿Cómo está?' is a safer greeting to use when abroad because every region will be different in how they react. Although as a foreigner, most people will understand.
Buenos días - Good Morning
Buenas tardes - Good Afternoon
The timing of this is always varied depending on where you are living. In most cases, the afternoon would be sometime around 1 P.M. or later. However, in places like Argentina or Spain, it may be a few hours later.
Buenas noches - Good evening/night.
This could also be a way of saying goodbye, so keep that context in mind.
Hablas Espanol/Ingles? - Do you speak Spanish/English?
If you are welcoming someone to your home, office, studio, etc, you can say...
Bienvenidos/Bienvenido/Bienvenidas/Bienvenidas - Welcome.
Notice the differences between the 'o' and 'a', where the former is to address males and the latter is to address females. Bienvenido a (place) - Welcome to (place)
Casual Spanish Greetings (With Friends)
Let's say you're meeting friends, family members, or co-workers. You'll likely use informal greetings to interact with one another. Here are a few ways you can start the conversation.
¿Qué pasa/Que tal?: What’s happening?
This is probably the most popular way to greet one another in a non-business setting.
¿Qué hubo? ¿Qué onda? - What's up? How is it going?
A common way to greet one another in Mexico.
¿Como va? — How's it going?¿Qué haces? - What are you up to?/What are you doing?
Perhaps it's a friend or family member that you haven't seen in awhile...
¡Hace tiempo que no te veo! - It’s been a while since I’ve seen you!¿Dónde has estado? - Where have you been?
Most people will understand this and not take it literally. It's a way to express to someone that they've been missing from your life for too long. When you're connecting one friend/co-worker to another...
Le presento a... - I'd like you to meet...Te quiero presentar a una amiga - I want to introduce you to a friend (female)Te quiero presentar a un amigo - I want to introduce you to a friend (male)
Follow-up Responses to Greetings
Conversations often don't stop when you've introduced yourself or said hello. It's good to know some follow-up questions and responses to keep the interaction nice and smooth.
¿Cómo te llamas? - What’s your name? Or in literal translation, 'What are you called?' If you want a more formal way of asking someone's name, it should be...
¿Cómo se llama usted?'Me llamo (name) - My name is (name)
¿De dónde eres? - Where are you from?¿Cómo lo sabes (person)? - How do you know (person)?
A great way to help someone feel welcome in your home...
Mi casa es su casa: My house is your houseWhen someone asks how you are or what's up...
Más o menos - More or less/Not too badComo siempre - As always
Bien, gracias - I'm good, thank youUn poco cansado (for men) - A little tired
Un poco cansada (for women) - A little tired
Concluding the Conversation
You've said your greetings, and now it's time to end the conversation to go your separate ways.
Here are some simple ways to accomplish this.
Ciao - See ya
Adiós — Goodbye
Hasta luego - later
Despidido - Farewell
Cuidate - Take care
Que tengas un buen dia - Have a nice day
Mucho gusto - Nice to meet you. When you meet someone, it's a polite way to tell someone that your interaction went pleasantly and that hopefully, you can meet again later.
Encantado - PleasureHasta pronto - See you soon
Hasta la vista - Until we see each other again
Nos vemos - We'll see each other
Hope this mini-guide to Spanish greetings was useful for you. If you want more tips for learning Spanish, check out some of our free resources below:
.png)