Learning Basic Spanish Greetings

Learning the Spanish language can be both beneficial as well as enjoyable if approached with the right attitude.

Normally, when you commence learning Spanish, your first word will be some sort of greeting. After all, if you do not even know how to say “hi” what will you do when you meet someone?

Beginning with basic greeting words and phrases is not complicated by complex syntax.  As in the English greeting, “Hello”, you also simply say a single word in Spanish, “Hola” (the “H” is silent and not pronounced).

“Hola” is used when addressing someone, in person, either a stranger or an acquaintance. However,if you are answering the telephone, you probably would say “bueno” or “diga”.

“Adios” is the way of saying “goodbye” in Spanish.

Unlike English which has only one form, Spanish and other Romance languages (French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian Italian, French,Portuguese, and Romanian) have two forms of verbs used when addressing or referring to people.  These two forms are generally known as informal and formal forms. The informal form is normally used for addressing relatives, friends, younger persons, or persons of lower status or position.  The formal form is normally used for strangers, older people who are not close friends or relatives and for people of higher position or status. 

Following the initial greeting, one usually says something such as “How are you?”  A Spanish speaker would say, “Como esta?” (formal) or “Como estas?” (informal), or perhaps “Que passa?” (What’s happening?”), “Como se va?” (formal) or “Como te vas?” (informal) for “How is it going with you?”.

In the morning you might say “Buenos dias” for Good morning (literally “Good day”) or in the afternoon, you might greet someone with “Buenas tardes” for “Good afternoon.”  At night it would be “Buenos noches” for “Good night.”

When meeting someone new you might ask their name by saying “Como te llamas?” (informal) or the more formal form, “Como se llama?” which literally translates as “How do you call yourself?”

These greeting words and phrases provide the basics of Spanish greetings.  As you continue to learn Spanish, you will learn harder and more complex phrases, but these will go along way in beginning your ability to speak Spanish.

The phrases used daily are the ones that help you to master Spanish more quickly because you will be using them on a regular basis. “Hello” and “Good Night” are two of the most used phrases so saying these words will give you plenty of practice in your comfort zone.