Spanish greetings and farewells: Learn how to say hello & goodbye

Say hello and goodbye like a native — with confidence and a smile 😊

Are you learning Spanish and want to start speaking right away? Start with the basics: greetings and farewells. In this post, you’ll learn the most natural and useful Spanish greetings and farewells, with pronunciation tips, cultural insights, and a mini quiz to test your skills.

📋 Summary: What you'll learn in this post

✅ Most common Spanish greetings and farewells for beginners

✅ When and how to use them like a native

✅ Cultural tips (like two kisses 💋)

✅ Flashcards, examples and a fun quiz

Spanish Greetings: Say 'Hello' the right way!

In Spain, greetings are everything. Whether you're entering a shop, meeting a friend, or starting class, greeting properly helps you connect — and feel like part of the culture.

Watch: Spanish Greetings & Farewells in Action

The best way to learn how natives greet each other is to hear it. In this video, our native Spanish teachers walk you through the most common greetings and farewells — from formal to casual — so you can start using them right away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6a3UjCHnw

Keep reading for the full breakdown of the most useful greetings for beginners (with translations):

Most common greetings

👋  Hola – Hello

☞ Simple, friendly and works any time of day

🌞 Buenos días  – Good morning

☞ Used until around 2 p.m. — especially in shops or with strangers.

🌇 Buenas tardes  – Good afternoon (after lunch)

☞ From around 2 p.m. until sunset.

🌙  Buenas noches – Good evening or good night

☞ Used when it’s dark — to greet or say goodbye.

😄 ¡Buenas! – Hi (casual)

☞ Short and common in Spain. You can use it all day long.

😊 ¿Qué tal? – How’s it going?

☞ Very common and friendly. Use it after 'hola'.

🙂 ¿Cómo estás? – How are you?

☞ Also informal. Great with people you know.

🧑‍⚖️ ¿Cómo está usted? – How are you? (formal)

☞ Use in formal situations — like with doctors or older people.

💬 ¿Cómo va todo? – How’s everything going?

☞ Relaxed and friendly.

😎 ¿Qué hay? / ¿Qué pasa? – What’s up?

☞ Informal greetings between friends.

🤝 Encantado / Encantada – Nice to meet you

☞ Say 'encantado' if you're a man, “encantada” if you're a woman.

🗯️ ¡Ey! / ¡Hola, hola! – Hey! / Hi

☞ Very informal, often between young people.

💡 Pro tip: In Spain, many people just say ¡Buenas! — a casual greeting that works any time of day.

Click below to get your FREE GUIDE - 50 Everyday Expressions:

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Easy follow-up questions

After saying 'hola', keep the conversation going with these phrases:

💭 ¿Cómo estás? – How are you? (informal)

☞ Used with friends, people your age, or anyone you know well.

💭 ¿Qué tal? – How’s it going? (very common in Spain)

☞ A favorite in Spain — works in almost any informal situation.

💭 ¿Cómo está usted? – How are you? (formal)

☞ Used in polite or professional settings — with doctors, clients, older people…

💭 ¿Cómo va todo? – How’s everything?

☞ Relaxed, friendly — great to use with coworkers or acquaintances.

💭 ¿Qué hay? / ¿Qué pasa? – What’s up?

☞  Very informal — used among close friends.

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Typical answers in Spain

🗣️ Bien, ¿y tú? – Fine, and you?

🗣️ Todo bien – Everything’s good

🗣️ Más o menos – So-so

🗣️ Genial – Great!

🗣️ Cansado/a – Tired

💡 TIP: In Spain, these questions are often part of the social ritual — just smile and say something simple!

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How do people greet in Spain?

In Spain, greetings are also physical. Here's how people typically say hello:

🤝 Handshake – used in formal settings

💋 Two kisses (dos besos) – one on each cheek; common in informal situations

🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️ Men rarely kiss each other — they shake hands or hug

😷 After COVID, people avoided physical contact, but kisses are back among friends

💡 TIP: Let the other person lead. A friendly smile is always a good start!

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Spanish Farewells: Say 'Goodbye' like a local

Just like greetings, saying goodbye in Spanish can change depending on the situation. Some are formal, others are super friendly. Let’s look at the most common ones:

👋 Adiós – GoodbyeNeutral and polite.

☞ Use anytime.

🔁 Hasta luego – See you later

☞ Very common in Spain.

👀 Nos vemos – See you

☞ Informal and casual.

🌜 Hasta mañana – See you tomorrow

☞ Use when you’ll see someone the next day.

✌️ Chao / Chau – Bye

☞ Informal and common with friends.

❤️ Cuídate – Take care

☞ Warm and caring — great for friends and family.

👋 Hasta pronto – See you soon

☞ A bit more formal or polite.

😎 Hasta la vista – Until we meet again

☞ Not used much in daily life — but famous thanks to the movies.

🕐 Hasta ahora – See you in a bit

☞ Very typical in Spain when you’ll see someone again the same day.

🌞 Que tengas un buen día – Have a nice day

☞ Polite and useful in shops or formal situations.

😴 Que descanses – Sleep well

☞ Used at night before bed.

🎉 Buen finde – Have a nice weekend

☞ Short for “Buen fin de semana”. Informal and friendly.

📅 Hasta el lunes / martes... – See you Monday / Tuesday...

☞ Common between coworkers or classmates.

🤗 Un abrazo – A hug

☞ Used in texts or when saying goodbye warmly.

💋 Besos – Kisses

☞ Informal, used in texts or phone calls with friends.

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🇪🇸 Cultural Tip: Formal vs. Informal

In Spain, context matters. Here's how to know when to be formal or casual:

Formal

👉 Use 'Buenos días', '¿Cómo está usted?', and shake hands

👉 Use with older people, clients, teachers, or in professional situations

Informal

👉 Use 'Hola', '¿Qué tal?', and give two kisses or a hug

👉 Use with friends, classmates, or anyone your age

😷 After COVID, handshakes and waves became more common, but kisses are returning among friends and family.

💡 Best tip: Don’t worry too much — just smile and follow the lead of the other person 😊

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Real-Life Dialogue: Greeting & Goodbye

Marta: ¡Hola, Luis! ¿Qué tal?

Luis: ¡Buenas! Muy bien, ¿y tú?

Marta: Todo bien. Me voy ya. ¡Hasta luego!

Luis: ¡Cuídate! ¡Nos vemos mañana!

Try reading this out loud or practicing with a friend!

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❌ Common mistakes to avoid

🚫 Saying 'Buenas noches' in the morning

✅ Use 'Buenos días'

🚫 Using '¿Cómo estás?' in formal situations

✅ Use '¿Cómo está usted?'

🚫 Not replying to '¿Qué tal?'

✅ Say 'Bien, ¿y tú?'

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Quiz Time! Test your Spanish greetings and farewells

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🧠 Practice with Flashcards! 🗂️

Here are some key Spanish greetings and farewells to review and memorize:

👉 Tap or click each card to see the English translation.Try to say the Spanish word out loud before flipping — it's great practice for memory and pronunciation! 🗣️💪

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👋 Summary Table: Spanish Greetings & Farewells (Spain)

💬 Español	🇺🇸 English	🤝 Registro
¡Hola!	Hello	Neutro (informal y formal)
¡Buenas!	Hi! (short for “Buenas tardes”)	Informal
¿Qué tal?	How’s it going?	Informal
¿Qué pasa?	What’s up?	Muy informal
Ey / ¡Oye!	Hey!	Muy informal
¿Cómo estás?	How are you?	Informal
¿Cómo está usted?	How are you? (formal “you”)	Formal
Encantado/a	Nice to meet you	Neutro (cortés)
Mucho gusto	Pleasure to meet you	Formal o neutro
Buenos días	Good morning	Formal o neutro
Buenas tardes	Good afternoon	Formal o neutro
Buenas noches	Good evening / Good night	Formal o neutro
Que tengas un buen día	Have a good day	Informal (singular "tú")
Que tenga un buen día	Have a good day	Formal (usted)
Que descanses	Sleep well / Rest well	Informal
Que duerma bien	Sleep well	Formal
Hasta luego	See you later	Neutro
Hasta pronto	See you soon	Neutro (ligeramente formal)
Hasta ahora	See you in a bit	Informal (muy usado en España)
Hasta mañana	See you tomorrow	Neutro
Hasta la vista	See you sometime (more vague)	Formal o literario
Chao	Bye (from Italian)	Informal
Adiós	Goodbye	Formal o neutro
Cuídate	Take care	Informal
Cuídese	Take care	Formal
Un abrazo	A hug	Informal o neutro (amistoso)
Besos	Kisses	Informal, escrito o íntimo

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📣 Want to learn real Spanish you’ll actually use?

If you’ve enjoyed learning Spanish like this — practical, real and fun — imagine what you can learn in a class with us! 😍

Take our free level test and book a trial class to start your journey with Straight from Spain — an online Spanish academy that teaches the Spanish you’ll actually use in real life.

💬 Your Turn!

Which greeting or farewell will you try today?

Hola, ¿Qué tal?, Hasta luego, Cuídate…

👇 Tell us in the comments and try it in real life this week!