Beginner Spanish

Spanish Greetings:

• Hola: The most basic of Spanish greetings, this one means simply “hi” or “hello.”

• Buenos días: This phrase means “good morning” and is a polite way to great people before noontime.

• Buenas tardes: Meaning “good afternoon,” this is a common pleasantry between noon and sundown.

• Buenas noches: Unlike in English, where “goodnight” is generally used to say “goodbye,” buenas noches is a common greeting after nightfall in Spanish.

• ¿Cómo está usted?: This is the formal way to ask how someone is doing, and is appropriate to use with people older than you, superiors at work or school, or even with strangers on the street.

• ¿Cómo estás?: This, on the other hand, is an informal way to ask the same question. You can use this phrase when speaking with friends, co-workers, or family just maybe not your in-laws!

• ¿Qué tal?: This is an even more familiar and casual way to ask how someone is doing, similar to the phrase “What’s up?” in English.

Though these are certainly all the Spanish greetings you’ll need to get the ball rolling, there are many more ways to get a conversation started in the Spanish language.