How to Say Spanish Greetings

When traveling in a Spanish speaking country, it is very important to know how to say Spanish greetings. You will greet people in restaurants, hotels, attractions and even people you do not know. Therefore, you should know a few Spanish greetings before you begin to travel.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Say "buenos días" for good morning, "buenas tardes" for good afternoon, and "buenas noches" for good night. Theses are the 3 most commonly used greetings in Spanish. Be careful to use buenos with días and buenas with tardes and noches.

2. Learn "Hola. ¿Cómo estás?" to express "Hello. How are you?" You can also use "¿Qué tal?" which means "What's up?" These Spanish phrases initiate a conversation with another person.

3. End the conversation by saying, "Lo siento, pero me tengo que ir." This means, "I am sorry, but I have to go." You can also say "adiós" which means "good-bye" or "chao" which also means "good-bye."

4. State "nos vemos" or "hasta la vista" which both mean, "See you later."

Tips & Warnings

• When learning all of the greetings in Spanish, it is important to learn the formal greetings and the informal greetings. Use formal greetings with people you do not know well or with professional people. Use the informal greetings with friends and close family members.
• Study Spanish every day. The more you study, the more you remember. Always seek opportunities in your community to practice your Spanish.