Greeting in Spanish
A collection of basic Spanish greeting words suitable for beginners.
¡bienvenido!
welcome
You use this greeting when welcoming someone to a place or situation.
Example sentences with ¡bienvenido! →¡Buenas noches!
Good night
This phrase is used in the evening and nighttimes and even at parting, unlike in English.
Example sentences with ¡Buenas noches! →¡Buenas tardes!
Good afternoon
This phrase is used from noon until the evening. It is typical to greet someone with 'buenas tardes' until sundown.
Example sentences with ¡Buenas tardes! →¡Buenos días!
Good morning
You use this greeting in the morning until around noon. It literally translates to 'good days' but is understood as 'good morning'.
Example sentences with ¡Buenos días! →¡Hola!
Hello
This is a versatile greeting that is used in most Spanish-speaking countries. It’s appropriate in nearly all situations.
Example sentences with ¡Hola! →¡Mucho gusto!
Nice to meet you
This phrase translates to 'much pleasure.' It’s typically used when meeting someone for the first time.
Example sentences with ¡Mucho gusto! →¿Cómo estás?
How are you?
This is a basic way to ask someone how they are. It’s appropriate for most situations, formal and informal.
Example sentences with ¿Cómo estás? →¿Qué tal?
What's up?
This is informal and is used among close friends and family. It's similar to 'how’s it going' in English.
Example sentences with ¿Qué tal? →Chécalo
Check it out
The term 'chécalo' is a common Mexican slang phrase encouraging someone to see, verify, or check out something.
Example sentences with Chécalo →Qué onda
What wave
This is a common slang expression in Mexico and other Central American countries that is used as a casual greeting, similar to 'what's up' in English.
Example sentences with Qué onda →saludo
greeting
The word 'saludo' in Spanish is translated as 'greeting' in English. It is often used in exchanges between people when they meet, similar to the English phrases 'hello', 'hi', or 'good day'. It may also be used to refer to the act of acknowledging or recognizing someone's presence through a polite gesture, like a nod, wave, or handshake.