Greetings in Spanish
Greetings in Spanish (Saludos en Español)
¡Hola! (Hi! or Hello!)
Buenos días (Good morning)
Note: Literally, it says, "good days."
Buenas tardes (Good afternoon)
Note: After 5pm and before 6pm, this phrase can be used to mean "good evening."
Buenas noches (Good evening)
Note: Of course, as a goodbye, this would be translated "good night."
¡Buenas! (Greetings! or Hello!)
¡Epa! (Hey!)
¡Oye! (Hey! or Listen!)
Note: This comes from the imperative (command) form of the verb oír, which means "to hear," or "to listen to." This expression, like others in the list, is not only used as a "greeting," but is also used during a conversation.
¿Qué tal? (How are things? or How goes it?)
Note: This expression, among others, are often preceded by one of the above salutations, for example, "Hola, qué tal?" The word "tal" is literally an adjective that means "such," or "certain."
¿Qué hay? (How are things?)
Note: For example, one might say, "Hola, qué hay?" Literally, "qué hay" means, "what is there?"
¿Qué hubo? (How are things?)
Note: For example, "Epa, qué hubo?" Literally, "qué hubo" means, "what was there?"
¿Cómo le va? ¿Cómo te va? ¿Cómo les va?
(How is it going? - literally, how does it go to you? - formal, informal, and plural, respectively)
¿Cómo está? ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo están?
(How are you? - formal, informal, and plural, respectively)
¡Mucho gusto!
(Pleased to meet you! or How do you do?) Note: Literally it says, "much pleasure!"
¡Encantado! ¡Encantada!
(Pleased to meet you! or How do you do? - when stated by a man and when stated by a women, respectively) Note: Literally it says, "delighted," or "charmed."
Encantado de conocerla. Gusto en conocerla.
(Pleased to meet you (either of the above) - when talking to a female)
Encantado de conocerlo. Encantado de conocerle. Gusto en conocerlo. Gusto en conocerle.
(Pleased to meet you (any of the above forms) - when talking to a male - formal situation)
Encantado de conocerte. Gusto en conocerte.
(Pleased to meet you (either of the above) - informal situation)
Encantado de conocerles. Gusto en conocerles.
(Pleased to meet you (either of the above) - plural, when talking to a group)
Permítame presentarme. Déjeme presentarme.
(Allow me to present (or introduce) myself (either of the above) - formal situation, speaking to an individual)
Permítanme presentarme. Déjenme presentarme.
(Allow me to present (or introduce) myself (either of the above) - speaking to a group)
When answering the telephone, any of the following words can be used to say "hello!"
¡Hola! ¡Aló! ¡Diga! ¡Bueno!
Note: ¡Diga! comes from the imperative (command) form of the verb "decir," which means "to say." The word "bueno" literally means "good."
Return to Back-to-Basics Table of Contents