Everyday greetings in Spanish help you start conversations politely and naturally. This includes time-specific greetings for morning, afternoon, and evening, as well as general expressions for saying hello, goodbye, and asking how someone is.
Time-Specific Greetings
Time-specific greetings are used to acknowledge the time of day. They are a polite way to start conversations and can vary depending on whether it’s morning, afternoon, or evening.
Examples
| Spanish Greeting | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning | Buenos días, ¿cómo amaneciste? | Good morning, how did you wake up? |
| Buenas tardes | Good afternoon | Buenas tardes, ¿qué tal tu día? | Good afternoon, how’s your day? |
| Buenas noches | Good evening / Good night | Buenas noches, que descanses. | Good evening, sleep well. |
General Greetings
General greetings are used throughout the day, regardless of the time. They are suitable for casual and formal situations and are often accompanied by a smile.
Examples
| Spanish Greeting | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hola | Hello | Hola, ¿cómo estás? | Hello, how are you? |
| ¿Qué tal? | How’s it going? | ¿Qué tal tu día? | How’s your day going? |
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? | ¿Cómo estás hoy? | How are you today? |
Polite Expressions
Polite expressions add courtesy to your greetings. They are especially useful in formal settings or when speaking to someone you don’t know well.
Examples
| Spanish Expression | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mucho gusto | Nice to meet you | Mucho gusto en conocerte. | Nice to meet you. |
| Encantado/a | Pleased to meet you | Encantada de conocerte. | Pleased to meet you. |
| ¿Cómo le va? | How are you? (formal) | ¿Cómo le va, señor García? | How are you, Mr. García? |
Farewells
Farewells help you end conversations politely. Some are time-specific, while others can be used anytime.
Examples
| Spanish Farewell | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adiós | Goodbye | Adiós, nos vemos mañana. | Goodbye, see you tomorrow. |
| Hasta luego | See you later | Hasta luego, cuídate. | See you later, take care. |
| Buenas noches | Good night | Buenas noches, que duermas bien. | Good night, sleep well. |
Asking About Well-Being
These phrases show interest in someone’s well-being and are commonly used after greeting someone. They can be formal or informal.
Examples
| Spanish Question | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? | ¿Cómo estás hoy? | How are you today? |
| ¿Qué tal? | How’s it going? | ¿Qué tal tu día? | How’s your day going? |
| ¿Cómo te va? | How’s it going? | ¿Cómo te va en el trabajo? | How’s it going at work? |
Responding to Greetings
These responses are used to answer common greeting questions. They can be brief or include a follow-up question.
Examples
| Spanish Response | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bien, gracias. | Fine, thank you. | Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? | Fine, thank you. And you? |
| Muy bien. | Very well. | Muy bien, gracias. | Very well, thank you. |
| Todo bien. | All good. | Todo bien por aquí. | All good over here. |
Expressions for Starting Conversations
These phrases help you move from greeting to starting a conversation. They are useful for both social and work settings.
Examples
| Spanish Expression | English Translation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué hay de nuevo? | What’s new? | Hola, ¿qué hay de nuevo? | Hi, what’s new? |
| ¿En qué has estado? | What have you been up to? | Hola, ¿en qué has estado? | Hi, what have you been up to? |
| ¿Cómo va todo? | How’s everything going? | ¿Cómo va todo en la oficina? | How’s everything going at the office? |
Summary
Everyday greetings in Spanish include time-specific phrases for morning, afternoon, and evening, as well as general, polite, and farewell expressions. Knowing how to ask about well-being and respond appropriately will help you navigate daily interactions with confidence.
Flashcards (1 of 21)
- English Translation: Good morning
- English Example: Good morning, how did you wake up?
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
