Contents
Introduction
Greetings and farewells in Spanish
Why these phrases matter
Practice tips for beginners
Conclusion
22 Spanish Greetings & Farewells You Should Know About
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December 09, 2025
Introduction
Embarking on your Spanish language journey? One of the easiest and most important ways to start learning Spanish is by mastering Spanish greetings and farewells. This means knowing not just how to say hello and goodbye in Spanish and using Spanish courtesy phrases.
These foundational expressions are essential for making good first impressions, showing respect, and communicating politely in everyday conversations. If you're just beginning, learning basic Spanish phrases will set the perfect foundation.
These essential Spanish phrases for everyday conversations will boost your confidence. Use them when greeting a coworker, thanking someone in a shop, or saying goodbye after a meeting.
In this post, you’ll discover 20 key Spanish greetings and goodbyes. You’ll get pronunciation tips, real-life examples, and cultural notes to help you navigate social interactions with ease.
Greetings and farewells in Spanish
Mastering greetings and farewells in Spanish is key to building your language skills. When you meet someone new, start a chat, or end a conversation, these phrases are key for daily interactions. Here are some examples:
1. Hola – Hello
• Use: Informal and friendly.
• Example: ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? (Hi! How are you?)
2. Buenos días – Good morning
• Use: From early morning until around noon.
• Example: Buenos días, señor García. (Good morning, Mr. García.)
3. Buenas tardes – Good afternoon
• Use: From noon to sunset.
• Example: Buenas tardes, ¿cómo le va? (Good afternoon, how’s it going?)
4. Buenas noches – Good evening / Good night
• Use: Greeting in the evening or as a farewell expressions at night.
• Example: Buenas noches, hasta mañana. (Good night, see you tomorrow.)
5. ¿Cómo estás? – How are you? (Informal)
• Use: Among friends, family, or people your age.
• Example: ¡Hola, Ana! ¿Cómo estás? (Hi, Ana! How are you?)
6. ¿Cómo está usted? – How are you? (Formal)
• Use: With elders, clients, or formal settings.
• Example: ¿Cómo está usted, doctora? (How are you, doctor?)
7. ¿Qué tal? – What’s up? / How’s it going?
• Use: Very casual. Great with peers or friends.
• Example: ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal tu día? (Hi! How’s your day going?)
8. Mucho gusto – Nice to meet you
• Use: When meeting someone for the first time.
• Example: Hola, soy Luis. Mucho gusto. (Hi, I’m Luis. Nice to meet you.)
9. Encantado/a – Pleased to meet you
• Use: Formal and polite. Use encantado if you identify as male, encantada if female.
• Example: Encantada de conocerte. (Pleased to meet you.)
10. ¿Cómo te llamas? – What’s your name?
• Use: Informal introduction.
• Example: ¿Cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?)
Me llamo Carla. (My name is Carla.)
11. Me llamo… – My name is…
• Use: For introducing yourself.
• Example: Me llamo Javier. (My name is Javier.)
12. Adiós – Goodbye
• Use: Standard farewell expressions, slightly formal.
• Example: Adiós, hasta pronto. (Goodbye, see you soon.)
13. Hasta luego – See you later
• Use: Very common Spanish greetings and farewells.
• Example: Tengo que irme. ¡Hasta luego! (I have to go. See you later!)
14. Hasta pronto – See you soon
• Use: Use when you expect to see the person again soon.
• Example: Nos vemos en clase. ¡Hasta pronto! (See you in class. See you soon!)
15. Hasta mañana – See you tomorrow
• Use: Use when saying goodbye for the day.
• Example: Terminé el trabajo. ¡Hasta mañana! (I finished the work. See you tomorrow!)
16. Nos vemos – See you
• Use: Casual and informal Spanish farewells.
• Example: Nos vemos más tarde. (See you later.)
17. Chao – Bye
• Use: Very casual, used mostly in Latin America.
• Example: ¡Chao! Cuídate. (Bye! Take care.)
18. Cuídate – Take care
• Use: Informal, friendly way to say goodbye.
• Example: Chao, cuídate mucho. (Bye, take good care.)
19. Por favor – Please
• Use: A basic polite phrases in Spanish
• Example: ¿Puedes ayudarme, por favor? (Can you help me, please?)
20. Gracias / Muchas gracias – Thank you / Thank you very much (courtesy words (por favor)
• Use: Use often and generously!
• Example: Gracias por tu ayuda. (Thank you for your help.)
21. De nada – You’re welcome
• Use: In response to gracias.
• Example: –Gracias. –De nada. (–Thanks. –You’re welcome.)
22. Disculpe / Perdón – Excuse me / Sorry
• Use: Disculpe is used to get attention politely; perdón is more like “sorry.”
• Example: Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño? (Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?)
Why these phrases matter
These Spanish greetings and polite Spanish phrases are more than just vocabulary—they’re social tools. Using them naturally shows that you respect the culture and the people you interact with. It also boosts your confidence early on, helping you break the ice and build real-world language skills.
Practice tips for beginners
When starting your Spanish learning journey, use effective practice strategies. These will build confidence and strengthen key skills. Focus on consistent practice and engaging activities. Embrace mistakes as part of learning. This way, beginners can build a solid foundation in Spanish. Staying motivated helps improve steadily over time. Staying consistent is one of the best ways to stay motivated as you learn.
Here are a few ways to practice:
Repeat each phrase aloud, focusing on pronunciation:
Repetition is key to mastering pronunciation and improving your speaking skills. By saying each phrase out loud, you engage your mouth muscles to form correct sounds.
Focus on mimicking native speakers' tone, rhythm, and accent. Using tools like Babbel, Pimsleur, or speech recognition apps can help refine your pronunciation. Consistent practice will make Spanish sounds feel more natural over time.
Greet coworkers or friends in Spanish once a day:
Incorporating Spanish into your daily interactions reinforces vocabulary and boosts confidence. Simple greetings like “¡Hola!” (Hello), “¿Cómo estás?” (How are you?), or “¡Buen día!” (Good day) can become second nature. By making this a daily habit, you'll improve your conversational skills without feeling overwhelmed.
Watch YouTube videos or Spanish TV with subtitles to hear them in context:
Listening to authentic Spanish content exposes you to natural speech patterns, slang, and cultural references. Watching with subtitles helps you connect spoken words to their written form, improving comprehension. Try starting with beginner-friendly shows or channels that focus on language learning before progressing to more advanced content.
Write short dialogue examples using Spanish greetings and farewells:
Writing brief conversations helps reinforce vocabulary and grammar. For example, you could create a dialogue like this:
Person 1: “¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?” (Hello! How are you?)
Person 2: “Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?” (I'm good, thanks. And you?)
Person 1: “Muy bien. ¡Nos vemos!” (Very well. See you!)
Writing out these exchanges helps you remember key phrases, practice sentence structure, and build confidence for real-life conversations.
Conclusion
Mastering common Spanish greetings and farewells is a simple but powerful first step in learning Spanish. It opens the door to more meaningful interactions. These common phrases help you connect with others respectfully and confidently. You can use them while traveling, studying, or speaking Spanish in your community, fostering positive relationships.
Ready to go further? Start using these phrases in real conversations today—and take the next step with structured learning support.
Comligo offers live online Spanish classes. Our native-speaking instructors help you gain confidence right from day one. You’ll learn to say hello and goodbye in Spanish with “¡Hola!” and “¡Hasta pronto!” You’ll also build a solid foundation for your language journey, whether you’re in Kenya or elsewhere.
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