Greeting someone in Spanish is so much more than a simple "Hallo" And "Bye." Sure, that's a good start, but it's better to prepare yourself for the variety of phrases you'll hear from native Spanish speakers. What do you do when someone greets you with a "Hello, how are you?" or a "How are you?"
No matter where you go, the locals appreciate it when they see you making an effort to communicate with them. That's why it's important to learn some of the most common ways to say hello and goodbye in Spanish.
Table of contents
The most common greetings in Spanish
How to say "Good morning" in Spanish
"Good morning"is probably one of the easiest Spanish phrases to remember. It can be used as a greeting in the morning or just before noon.
How to say "Hello" in Spanish
"Buenas tardes"is another standard Spanish greeting used in all Spanish-speaking countries, meaning "good day". Alternatively, you can simply change this to "Hello good.“
How to say "What's up" in Spanish
"What works?"is a very Mexican way of saying, "What's up?" It is used extensively in casual or informal situations between friends. Use this phrase with your friends, close relatives, and those your age or younger. Avoid using this phrase with someone older than you or with people you want to show respect to. It's the equivalent of "What's up?" in English.
How to say "How are you?" in Spanish.
"How are you doing?"is the most common greeting afterwards"Hallo"And"Good morning."It's very general and you can use it in pretty much any situation. Use"How are you doing?"with friends and anyone your age or younger. Use "How are you doing?" with someone older than you or someone you want to show more respect to, like your boss, your boyfriend's grandparents, or your girlfriend's parents.
How to say "How are you?" in Spanish
"How are you doing?"is also a very general greeting. You can use this with anyone regardless of age or how well you know them as it works for both formal and informal settings. It's a common way of greeting someone, common among natives in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries.
Another way of saying "how are you?" is in Spanish"How are you?"It's almost the same as"How are you doing?"and can be used with friends or anyone your age or younger. When speaking to someone older than you or someone you want to show more respect to, use the formal version."How are you doing?"
How to say "What's new?" in Spanish
"What works?"is a very casual and informal expression that you can use with close friends or family members who are your own age or younger. It means "What's new?" and it's generally used when you haven't seen the other person in a while.
Farewell in Spanish
How to say "Goodbye" in Spanish
"Bye"is used as often as "bye" in English, and you can use it in any situation and with anyone. It literally means "To God" (A Dios) in English.
How to say "Take care" in Spanish
"Take care"for informal and"Watch after"because the formal version is used when talking to someone who is older than you or someone you want to show more respect to. Depending on the context, this phrase can also mean "Be careful."
How to say "See you later" in Spanish
"See you later"or"Take care"are two common ways of saying goodbye to someone you are likely to see again at some point in the future. They both mean pretty much the same thing and can be used formally or informally. They mean "see you later" or "see you later".
How to say "Hello" in Spanish
"Have a good day"is another ubiquitous phrase meaning "Have a nice day." Use"Have a nice day"for formal settings.
How to say "I wish you the best" in Spanish
"Much luck"is also very common, but there is no exact English equivalent. It's like saying, "Have a nice day," but it literally means "I hope you're doing well" or "I wish you all the best." Use this phrase when saying goodbye to someone who is leaving the place you met or when you are both leaving.
Examples of Spanish conversations with translations
Read through these scenarios that use the above common Spanish greetings and goodbyes. It's good to have a few Spanish phrases up your sleeve, even if they're just basic ones"Hallo" And"adios."
Jim:Hello May, what's up?
May:What works? How are you doing?
Jim:Good and you?
May:Watch out too.
Jim:if you too
May:Bye.
Jim:Take care.
Jim:Hello May, what's up?
May:What works? How are you doing?
Jim:I'm doing well, and you?
May:Me too. We'll be careful.
Jim:Yes you also.
May:Good bye.
Jim:Take care.
When someone asks you how you are and instead of saying it you want to ask them back"What works?"or "How are you doing?"you can tell"And you?"This is also a polite way of asking how the other person is doing.
Jim:Hello, how are you?
May:Good and you? How are you doing?
Jim:Very good thank you.
May:Good see you later.
Jim:Take care.
Jim:Hello, how are you?
May:It's going well, you?
Jim:Pretty good, thanks.
May:Okay, see you.
Jim:Take care.
"Very good"meaning "pretty good" is another common way of replying "how are you?"
May:Jamie, what's going on?
Jim:No more walking here, and you?
May:Also here on foot.
Jim:Good see you later.
May:Take care.
May:Jaime, what's new?
Jim:Now a lot, just walk here.
May:Me too, just here for a walk.
Jim:we will see you
May:Watch after.
"Only here"is a very informal expression meaning "not much" or "just hanging out".
"Here too"is a common way of replying"Only here and you?"which simply means "me too, just here".
The following are conversations used in a formal setting. It would be best if you consider keeping it formal when speaking to someone who is older or in a position of power greater than you.
Dr Larios:Dr. A.S. A.S. Fernandez, right?
Dr. Fernández:Yes, nice to meet you.
Dr Larios:Nice to meet you, I'm Dr. Larios.
Dr. Fernández:How are you doing?
Dr Larios:Fine and you?
Dr. Fernández:well.
Dr Larios:What a pleasure to welcome you.
Dr. Fernández:Also. Have a nice day.
Dr Larios:Adios.
Dr. Fernández:Adios.
Dr Larios:dr Fernández, right?
Dr. Fernández:Yes, nice to meet you.
Dr Larios:I am glad to meet you. i am dr Larios.
Dr. Fernández:How are you doing?
Dr Larios::It's going pretty well, how about you?
Dr. Fernández:Pretty good too.
Dr Larios::It's nice to see you.
Dr. Fernández:Also. Have a good day.
Dr Larios::Good bye.
Dr. Fernández:Good bye.
When you meet someone for the first time, you can"Military…"or"My name is..." and then your name. Both mean "I am," which literally translates to "I call myself."
"It's really nice to see/greet you" is formal Spanish"Nice to greet you"or"Nice to greet you"when you talk to a woman. you can tell"Good to see you"which can be used for both men and women in an informal conversation.
"equally"And"You too"both mean "also," which is often used in small talk.
Papa:Hello, are you the teacher Mayra?
Lehrer:Yes, nice to meet you.
Papa:Nice to meet you, I'm Santiago's father, how are you?
Lehrer:Oh very good. I'm in a hurry to work.
Papa:Nice that you're fine. I am glad to meet you.
Lehrer:Also. See you later.
Papa:See you later.
Father:Good day. Are you teacher Mayra?
Lehrer:Yes, nice to meet you.
Father:I am glad to meet you. I am Santiago's father. How are you doing?
Lehrer:Ah, pretty good. I'm in a hurry to go to work.
Father:Have a nice day. I am glad to meet you.
Lehrer:Also see you later.
Father:See you later.
"Are you…?"followed by the person's name or their occupation is a good phrase to use if you're not sure you're speaking to the right person.
"Nice to meet you" is formal Spanish"I am glad to meet you"when you talk to a woman"Nice to meet you"for a man. You can also keep it short with"I am glad to meet you"and can be used for both men and women.
Mann:Forgiveness.
Women:Tell me.
Mann:Buenas tardes.
Women:Buenas tardes.
Mann:Is this the tour bus?
Women:No, the tour bus is the red one over there.
Mann:Ah okay, very good. Thanks very much.
Women:Come on, good luck!
Mann:Bye.
Women:Bye.
Mann:Forgiveness.
Frau:yes tell me
Mann:Good day.
Frau:Good day.
Mann:Is this the tour bus?
Frau:No, the tour bus is the red one over there.
Mann:Ah, ok, good. Thanks very much.
Frau:Yes, good day.
Mann:Good bye.
Frau:Good bye.
"Forgiveness,"meaning "sorry" is a great word when addressing someone you don't know. It is polite and can be used in any situation. Use"Forgiveness"with people you want to show respect to or who are older than you and"Forgiveness"when talking to someone who looks your age or younger.
Non-verbal greetings in Spanish
In Mexico, hugging and kissing are common socially polite gestures when greeting a friend or someone. Here are some of the Mexican etiquettes to remember.
Hug the other person's shoulder.
If you decide to kiss her, lightly press your cheek against hers. No lip contact is required
If you are a man greeting another man, a handshake or sometimes a hug is all you need.
If you are a woman greeting another woman, you can give her a hug or a kiss on the cheek.
These everyday Spanish greetings and goodbyes will help you on your language learning journey and can serve as a guide when conversing with native Spanish speakers. Are you ready for the next step in your trip to Spain? Join us on oneSpanish Immersion Retreatin Mexico, or sign up for our Travel Spanish Confidence course.
You might also be interested in:
Small talk in Spanish
How to order food in Spanish
How to go shopping in Spanish
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