¡Hola!

We’re sure you’ve heard this word before somewhere… “Hola” is the most common/generalized way of saying “Hi”/“Hello” in Spanish. People use it in all contexts! But of course, just like in English, there are plenty of other ways to greet people, say how are you, and say goodbye. Read on to learn how to have a simple exchange with someone in Spanish. In this post, you’ll learn how to greet and respond to a greeting in Spanish.

How to greet someone in Spanish?

Here are the common ways to greet someone in Spanish.  Always remember that when you go into a store or meet a person, use a greeting to be polite.

Buenos días is used in the morning until noon. Buenas tardes is used after midday usually until the sun goes down. Buenas noches is used in the evening and at night, usually when it gets dark, but, unlike English, we also use it to greet people and not only to say goodbye or when we’re going to bed.

How to say goodbye in Spanish?

Here we have the most common ways to say goodbye or end a conversation.

Informal Greetings in Spanish

For the most part, you can use informal greetings when you know the person you’re speaking with, or when this person is younger than yourself. Here are some examples of informal greetings in Spanish:

Formal Greetings in Spanish

For the most part, formal greetings are used when you’re speaking with someone older than yourself, someone you don’t know, or someone of higher status. It is seen as a more respectful way to address someone. 

If you wish to see these Spanish greetings in action, head over to YouTube for great content. Here is one example of How to Greet in Formal and Informal Spanish.