Leccion Dos: Greetings and Farewells in Spanish

 

Greeting and saying farewells are important in your day-to-day life. As a beginner, you must know common Spanish greetings and farewells in order to initiate a conversation.

There are several ways to greet someone in Spanish, depending on the time of day and the level of formality. Here are some common greetings:

1. "Hola" - This is a simple and informal greeting that can be used at any time of day. It's equivalent to saying "Hi" in English.
2. "Buenos días" - This means "Good morning" and is typically used until around noon.
3. "Buenas tardes" - This means "Good afternoon" and is used from around noon until sunset.
4. "Buenas noches" - This means "Good evening/night" and is used after sunset.
5. "¿Cómo estás?" - This is a common greeting that means "How are you?" It's used in informal settings and with people you know well.
6. "¿Cómo está usted?" - This is a more formal version of "Cómo estás" and is used with strangers or in formal settings.
7. "Mucho gusto" - This means "Nice to meet you" and is often used when introducing yourself to someone for the first time.

Remember, when in doubt, it's always better to err on the side of being more formal, especially when meeting someone for the first time or in a professional setting.

Now, here are some common farewells in Spanish:

1. "Adiós" - This is the most common way to say "Goodbye" in Spanish. It's equivalent to saying "Bye" in English.
2. "Hasta luego" - This means "See you later" and is used when you expect to see the person again soon.
3. "Hasta pronto" - This means "See you soon" and is also used when you expect to see the person again soon.
4. "Nos vemos" - This means "We'll see each other" and is another way to say "See you later".
5. "Chao" - This is an informal way to say "Goodbye" and is commonly used among friends and family.
6. "Hasta la vista" - This means "Until we see each other again" and is a more formal way to say "See you later".
7. "Que te vaya bien" - This means "I hope things go well for you" and is a way to wish someone luck or good fortune before parting ways.

Remember, the appropriate farewell to use will depend on the context and level of formality. It's always a good idea to match the level of formality used by the other person, especially in professional or formal settings.

Watch this short video on common greetings and farewells in Spanish and do your own practice.

Now answer these two questions in the comments:

1. Which greeting meaning "how are you" would you use if you were speaking to your school principal?
2. Which greeting meaning "how are you" would the principal's daughter use when speaking to her mother?

References:

Tandem Escuela Internacional Madrid. (n.d.). Hola; Adios [Photograph]. https://www.tandemmadrid.com/spanish-online/lessons/greetings-in-spanish/. https://tandem.b-cdn.net/tandem/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/holadios.png