👋 Spanish Greetings
Greetings are the first thing people notice. Get these right and conversations open easily. Miss them and everything feels a little off. This page covers the everyday openers and closers you’ll actually use.
🟢 Basic Greetings
👋 Hello → Hola
☀️ Good morning → Buenos días
🌤️ Good afternoon → Buenas tardes
🌙 Good evening / Good night → Buenas noches
😊 How are you? (informal) → ¿Cómo estás?
🤝 How are you? (formal) → ¿Cómo está?
👥 Tú vs. Usted
👋 Informal: Tú
Tú is for people you already know - friends, relatives, classmates, coworkers you’re close with. It keeps things relaxed.
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Hey. How’s it going?
Tú is for people you already know - friends, relatives, classmates, coworkers you’re close with. It keeps things relaxed.
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Hey. How’s it going?
🤝 Formal: Usted
Usted adds a bit of distance and respect. Use it with people you just met, older adults, or anyone in a professional setting until the vibe shifts.
Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted?
Good morning. How are you?
Usted adds a bit of distance and respect. Use it with people you just met, older adults, or anyone in a professional setting until the vibe shifts.
Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted?
Good morning. How are you?
Quick tip: When you’re unsure, start with usted. If they switch to tú, you can follow.
🟡 Meeting & Greeting People
🤝 Nice to meet you → Mucho gusto
😊 Pleased to meet you → Encantado / Encantada
😎 How’s everything going? → ¿Cómo va todo?
💬 What’s going on? → ¿Qué pasa?
🎉 Long time no see! → ¡Cuánto tiempo!
😊 It’s great to see you! → ¡Qué gusto verte!
🔵 Common Responses
😊 I’m doing well. → Estoy bien.
😄 Very well, thank you. → Muy bien, gracias.
👍 Everything’s good, thanks. → Todo bien, gracias.
💬 And you? (informal) → ¿Y tú?
🤝 And you? (formal) → ¿Y usted?
👋 Common Farewells
👋 Goodbye → Adiós
🤝 See you later → Hasta luego
📅 See you tomorrow → Hasta mañana
😊 See you soon → Hasta pronto
❤️ Take care → Cuídate
💬 Everyday Conversations
Spotting a friend on the street
A: ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
B: Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
A: Hey! How are you?
B: Doing great, thanks. You?
A: ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
B: Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
A: Hey! How are you?
B: Doing great, thanks. You?
First-time introduction
A: Hola, mucho gusto.
B: Igualmente.
A: Hi, nice to meet you.
B: Same here.
A: Hola, mucho gusto.
B: Igualmente.
A: Hi, nice to meet you.
B: Same here.
Wrapping up a chat
A: Hasta pronto.
B: Nos vemos. ¡Cuídate!
A: See you soon.
B: Catch you later. Take care!
A: Hasta pronto.
B: Nos vemos. ¡Cuídate!
A: See you soon.
B: Catch you later. Take care!
🌎 Greeting Culture
There’s no single “correct” way to greet someone across the Spanish-speaking world. In some places a light hug or cheek kiss is normal among friends. In others, a handshake still feels more natural, especially at work. The safest move is simple: watch what the other person does and match it.
📝 Example Sentences
😊 ¡Hola! ¡Qué gusto verte!
Hey! Really good to see you.
Hey! Really good to see you.
☀️ Buenos días, ¿cómo está usted?
Good morning. How are you?
Good morning. How are you?
🤝 Mucho gusto. Me llamo Ana.
Nice to meet you. I’m Ana.
Nice to meet you. I’m Ana.
😄 Todo bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
All good, thanks. How about you?
All good, thanks. How about you?
👋 Hasta pronto. ¡Cuídate!
See you soon. Take care of yourself.
See you soon. Take care of yourself.
📅 Nos vemos mañana.
See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow.
🏆 Final Practice
Read each one out loud first. Then check yourself.
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?
- Buenos días.
- Mucho gusto.
- Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
- ¿Cómo va todo?
- Hasta luego.
- Nos vemos mañana.
- ¡Cuídate!