How To Say Hello and Other Greetings in Spanish

Do you have upcoming travel plans to Spain or Spanish-speaking parts of Latin America? Maybe you’re in the process of learning Spanish and want some different ways to start some conversations. Or perhaps you’re just curious about how native Spanish speakers greet each other in everyday situations.

Whatever the case, if you’re looking to learn some greetings in Spanish, this article is right up your alley!

Knowing how to say “Hi” in Spanish, how to introduce yourself, or even just offering up a standard ice-breaker to get a conversation going…there are numerous ways to greet someone in this fascinating language, so keep reading to learn more!

The Most Common Formal Spanish Greetings

For anyone learning Castilian Spanish or Latin American Spanish, one of the best ways to start speaking the language effectively is to use common Spanish greetings. The goal of acquiring a new language is to eventually speak it conversationally, and the best way to converse with someone is with a greeting. In other words, saying “hello” in Spanish is quite literally the launching point for pretty much every conversation you’ll have with native Spanish speakers!

Here’s a list of some of the most common formal greetings in Spanish to use for virtual meetings or in-person interactions.

Hola. – Hi. / Hello.
Encantado / Encantada de conocerlo / conocerla. – Nice to meet you. (Note: here, the gendered ending of encantado refers to the speaker while the gendered ending of conocerlo refers to the recipient.)
Mucho gusto. – Pleased to meet you.
Bienvenido. / Bienvenidos. / Bienvenida. / Bienvenidas. – Welcome. (Note: here, the gendered endings agree with the recipient(s) in gender and number.)
Buenas noches. – Good night. / Good evening.
Buenos días. – Good morning.
Buenas tardes. – Good afternoon.
Buen día. – Good day.
Adiós. – Goodbye.

And for answering the phone, try one of these:

¿Bueno? / ¿Diga? / Aló? – Hello?

Informal Spanish Greetings

Tourists joyfully greeting each other on a bustling city street, with a woman affectionately kissing a man on the cheek, capturing a moment of connection

Now that we’ve covered some formal greetings in Spanish, it’s time to loosen up a bit. Saying a proper “hello” in Spanish is perfectly fine, but what about those super-casual, somewhat-slang greetings?

Native Spanish speakers appreciate when Spanish language learners drop some informal phrases. The following sayings are the ideal entry point for those off-the-cuff, unplanned conversations you’ll invariably have when speaking with the locals – whether those locals are in Madrid or Miami (did you know South Florida is one of the most populous Spanish-speaking areas in the world?).

¡Qué gusto verte! – What a pleasure to see you!
¡Qué bueno verte! – So good to see you!
¿Qué cuentas? – What’s up?
¿Cómo andas? – How are you? / How are you doing?
¡Qué milagro! – Long time, no see! / It’s been a while!
Quiubo – ‘Sup? (a shortened form of ¿qué hubo? – literally, “what happened?” – popular in Colombia, Central America, and Mexico)
¿Cómo te ha ido? – How’s everything going?
¿Cómo te va? or ¿Qué tal? – How’s it going?
¡Qué onda! – What’s up! (popular in Mexico and Central America)
¡Hace tiempo que no te veo! – It’s been a while since I’ve seen you!
Hasta la próxima. – Until next time.

Note: as with other greetings, there are subtle differences between Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish. If you’re learning both dialects, these distinctions will become clearer with each passing lesson! Some of the variations have to do with local cultures, some have historical precedent, but don’t worry…you’ll eventually be able to distinguish between the two.

Mastering Greetings in Spanish for Everyday Conversations

From learning “good afternoon” in Spanish to mastering more informal expressions, you’ll find greetings useful as you’re learning the language. The key is to have as many sayings as possible ready to go at a moment’s notice so you’ll always be prepared, no matter the occasion. From business communications to casual chats on vacation to phone calls with a relative or friend, Spanish greetings provide the perfect opening to genuine conversation.

Pimsleur offers both Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish courses & lessons. Both are designed to take complete novices to conversational speakers in a matter of weeks. Because we help develop and refine your oral and aural skills (speaking and listening), you’ll learn like a child does – with genuine curiosity and a desire to learn more with each passing lesson.

After learning basic words and phrases (including many formal and informal greetings in Spanish), you’ll build your vocabulary, and pronunciation skills, and even learn the particular pace and cadence of native Spanish speakers.

Sign up today with a Premium or All-Access monthly subscription – Pimsleur will make your learning journey fun and rewarding, from those introductory greetings like saying “hello” in Spanish all the way to conversing with complete confidence!