When you’re learning Spanish, mastering various greetings is essential. Knowing how to use different Spanish greetings words will enhance your communication skills and help you connect better with Spanish-speaking individuals. Greetings in Spanish not only reflect the time of day but also convey different levels of formality and warmth. In this guide, we’ll explore the various ways to greet people in Spanish, from casual hellos to formal introductions.

Common Spanish Greetings

Spanish greetings vary from casual to formal. For instance, “Hola, ¿qué tal?” (Hi, how are you?) is a common and friendly way to inquire about someone’s well-being. Another frequent greeting is “Hola, ¿cómo te va?” (Hi, how’s it going?), which offers a more informal touch. For a more formal interaction, you might use “Hola, ¿cómo le va?” (Hi, how have you been?), which shows respect and politeness.

Common Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Hi, how are you?	Hola, ¿qué tal?	OH-lah, keh tahl
Hello	Hola	OH-lah
Hi, how’ve you been?	Hola, ¿cómo has estado?	OH-lah, KOH-mo has es-TAH-doh
Hi guys	Hola muchachos	OH-lah moo-CHAH-chos
Hi, nice to meet you	Hola, mucho gusto	OH-lah, MOO-choh GOOS-toh
Hello everyone	Hola a todos	OH-lah ah TOH-dohs
Greetings	Saludos	sah-LOO-dohs
Hi, how’s it going?	Hola, ¿cómo te va?	OH-lah, KOH-mo teh vah
Hi, how are you?	Hola, ¿cómo está?	OH-lah, KOH-mo es-TAH

Formal Greetings

In formal scenarios, such as business settings or when meeting someone new, using “Hola, un placer” (Hi, it’s a pleasure) or “Hola, un gusto de verlo/a” (Hi, it’s a pleasure [seeing you]) demonstrates politeness and respect. “Estimado/a” (Dear) is also a formal greeting commonly used in written communications.

Formal Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Hi, how have you been?	Hola, ¿cómo le va?	OH-lah, KOH-mo leh vah
Delighted [to meet you]	Encantado/a	en-kahn-TAH-doh
Hi, it’s a pleasure [seeing you]	Hola, un gusto de verlo/a	OH-lah, oon GOOS-toh deh VER-loh/a
Hi, it’s a pleasure [to meet you]	Hola, un placer	OH-lah, oon plah-SER
Dear	Estimado/a	es-tee-MAH-doh

Email Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Beloved	Querido/a	keh-REE-doh
Distinguished	Distinguido/a	dis-teen-gee-DOH
To whom it may concern	A quién corresponda	ah kee-EN kOR-res-pon-dah
Dear	Estimado/a	es-tee-MAH-doh

Casual and Informal Greetings

In informal settings, “¿Qué onda?” (What’s up?) and “Holi” (Hi) are commonly used among friends. For a casual check-in, you might say “¿Qué me cuentas?” (Tell me what’s new?). These greetings are perfect for everyday conversations and reflect a more relaxed tone.

Casual and Informal Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
What’s up?	¿Qué onda?	keh ON-dah
Hi	Holi	HOH-lee
What’s going on?	¿Qué pasa?	keh PAH-sah
Hey	Hey	hey
Tell me what’s new	¿Qué me cuentas?	keh meh KWEHN-tahs
Hi, how are you?	Hola, ¿cómo estás?	OH-lah, KOH-mo es-TAHS
What’s new?	¿Qué hay de nuevo?	keh aye deh NWEH-boh
Hi, what a pleasure [seeing you]	Hola, mucho gusto	OH-lah, MOO-choh GOOS-toh

Morning and Afternoon Greetings

The time of day often influences the greeting you choose. In the morning, “Buenos días” (Good morning) is appropriate, while “Buenas tardes” (Good afternoon) is used in the early to late afternoon. “Buenas noches” (Good evening) is reserved for the evening hours.

Morning Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Good morning	Buenos días	BWEH-nos DEE-as
Good morning, sunshine	Buenos días, solecito	BWEH-nos DEE-as, soh-leh-SEE-toh
Good day	Buen día	BWEHN DEE-ah
Morning!	¡Buenos!	BWEH-nos

Afternoon Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Good day	¡Buenas!	BWEH-nahs
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes	BWEH-nahs TAR-des
Good evening	Buenas noches	BWEH-nahs NOH-chess

Phone Greetings

When answering the phone, “¿Hola?” (Hello?) is standard. In more formal contexts, you might use “¿Diga?” (Go ahead) or “¿Aló?” (Hello?). These greetings set the tone for the conversation and are essential for clear communication over the phone.

Phone Greetings

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Hello?	¿Hola?	OH-lah
Hello?	¿Aló?	ah-LOH
Yes?	¿Sí?	see
Tell me	Dígame	DEE-gah-meh
Go ahead	¿Diga?	DEE-gah
Hello?	¿Bueno?	BWEH-noh

Country-Specific Greetings

Different Spanish-speaking countries have unique ways of greeting. For example, in Mexico, “¿Qué pex?” (What’s up?) and “¿Qué onda, güey?” (What’s up, dude?) are common. In Argentina, you might hear “¡Buenas y santas!” (Good day!), while in Colombia, “¿Qué más?” (What’s up?) is frequently used.

Spain

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
How’s it going?	¿Cómo andas?	KOH-mo AHN-dahs
Hi dude	Hola, tío	OH-lah, TEE-oh
What’s new?	¿Qué hay?	keh aye
What’s up?	¿Qué tal?	keh tahl
How have you been?	¿Qué es de tu vida?	keh es deh too VEE-dah

Mexico

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Good, or what?	Bien, ¿o qué?	byen, oh keh
What’s up?	¿Qué pex?	keh pehx
What’s up?	¿Qué onda, güey?	keh OHN-dah, gwey
What’s up?	¿Qué hubo?	keh OO-boh
What’s up?	¿Quiúbole?	kee-OO-boh
Good, or no?	Bien, ¿o no?	byen, oh noh
¡Friend!	¡Amigo/a!	ah-MEE-go/ah
What’s going on?	¿Qué tranza?	keh TRAN-sah
What’s going on?	¿Qué pasión?	keh pah-SYON

Argentina

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Good day!	¡Buenas y santas!	BWEH-nas ee SAN-tas
Purest Virgin Mary!	¡Ave María Purísima!	AH-veh mah-REE-ah poo-REE-see-mah

Colombia

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
What’s up?	¿Qué más?	keh mahs
Good day, how’s everything?	Buen día, ¿cómo va todo?	BWEHN DEE-ah, KOH-mo vah TOH-doh
What’s up?	¿Qué tal?	keh tahl

Chile

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Hey, dude	Hola, weón	OH-lah, wey-OWN
Good day	Wena	WEH-nah
How are you?	¿Cómo estái?	KOH-mo es-TAH-ee

Venezuela

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
Good day, how’s everything?	Buen día, ¿cómo va todo?	BWEHN DEE-ah, KOH-mo vah TOH-doh
What’s up?	¿Qué lo qué?	keh loh keh

Peru

English	Spanish	English Pronunciation
What’s up?	¿Qué tal?	keh tahl
What’s new?	¿Qué hay de nuevo?	keh aye deh NWEH-boh

Conclusion

Understanding a variety of Spanish greetings can significantly improve your interactions, whether in casual or formal settings. Choosing the right greeting helps you connect more effectively and shows respect for cultural nuances. By incorporating these greetings into your conversations, you not only enhance your Spanish skills but also demonstrate a deeper appreciation of the diverse Spanish-speaking cultures.