Spanish Greetings: How to Say Hello Like a Native
Every way to say hello in Spanish: formal and informal greetings, regional favorites from Mexico to Spain, cheek kisses and how to reply.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
A greeting sets the tone for the whole conversation. In Spanish-speaking cultures, greetings matter even more than in English: skipping one can feel cold, and getting it right instantly makes people warm up to you.
The essentials
| Spanish | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| Hola | Hi / Hello | Anytime, with anyone |
| Buenos días | Good morning | Until about noon |
| Buenas tardes | Good afternoon | Noon until dark |
| Buenas noches | Good evening / night | After dark, hello or goodbye |
| Buenas | Short for all of the above | Casual, very common |
Tip: combine them. "¡Hola, buenos días!" is extremely common and friendly.
Asking how someone is
- ¿Cómo estás? — informal
- ¿Cómo está usted? — formal
- ¿Qué tal? — neutral, works almost anywhere
- ¿Cómo te va? — How's it going?
- ¿Cómo andas? — casual, common in Latin America
See every variation in how are you in Spanish.
Regional casual greetings
Mexico
- ¿Qué onda? — What's up?
- ¿Qué pasó? — What's up? (friendly)
- ¿Quiubo? — What's up? (from ¿qué hubo?)
Spain
- ¿Qué pasa? — What's up?
- ¿Qué hay? — What's up?
- ¡Buenas! — very common when walking into a shop
Caribbean and Colombia
- ¿Qué más? — What's up? (Colombia)
- ¿Qué lo que? — What's up? (Dominican Republic, very casual)
Argentina
- ¿Todo bien? — All good?
- Che, ¿qué hacés? — Hey, what are you up to?
Formal greetings
- Buenos días, señor / señora.
- Mucho gusto en conocerle. (formal)
- Es un placer. — It's a pleasure.
Use usted with older people, officials and in formal settings. See tú vs usted.
Greeting customs
- Cheek kiss: in Spain, usually two (right cheek first); in much of Latin America, one. Usually between women, or a man and a woman.
- Handshake: common between men and in business.
- Hug: normal with family and close friends.
- Greet everyone: when you walk into a small shop, waiting room or elevator, a quick "Buenos días" is polite.
- Greet the whole family: at family gatherings, it's polite to greet each person individually. More in Spanish for family gatherings.
How to reply
- Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? — Fine, thanks. And you?
- Muy bien, ¿y usted? — Very well, and you? (formal)
- Todo bien. — All good.
- Aquí andamos. — Getting by (casual, common in Mexico).
- Más o menos. — So-so.
Mini dialogue
- A: ¡Hola, buenas tardes!
- B: ¡Buenas tardes! ¿Qué tal?
- A: Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?
- B: Bien, bien. Aquí trabajando.
Practice
Greetings become natural only by saying them many times. Every call with Lolo starts with a greeting, from a barista in Mexico City to abuela on the phone, so you'll practice formal and casual hellos in context. See also basic Spanish phrases.
Frequently asked questions
Is "buenas noches" hello or goodbye?
Both. It's used to greet people in the evening and to say good night.
What's the most casual way to say hi in Mexico?
¿Qué onda? is the classic casual greeting among friends.
Do I need to kiss on the cheek?
Follow the other person's lead. A friendly greeting matters more than the exact custom.
