How to Say Hi in Spanish
Learn how to say hello and greet people in Spanish for any situation. Covers casual, formal, and time-based greetings with pronunciation.
We took four years of Spanish in school and somehow still froze the first time someone said "hola" to us in real life. Knowing a language in a textbook and using it with an actual person are completely different experiences.
Greetings in Spanish are genuinely simple. There are only a handful you need to know, and most Spanish speakers will appreciate any effort you make, even if your accent is not perfect.
This guide covers the greetings people actually use in conversation. Not the textbook list of 30 phrases you will never remember, but the five or six that cover every situation you are likely to encounter. Casual, formal, time-based, and the one to use when you are not sure which is appropriate.
Start with hola for most situations
"Hola" (OH-lah) is the universal Spanish greeting. It works everywhere, with everyone, in any situation. Casual or formal, morning or night, with strangers or friends. The H is silent, so you are just saying "oh-lah" with a slight emphasis on the first syllable. For most of the greetings you will need, this one word is the whole answer. When in doubt, use hola. It is never wrong and never rude.
Good to know: Spanish vowels are always pronounced the same way. A is "ah," E is "eh," I is "ee," O is "oh," U is "oo." Once you know these five sounds, you can pronounce almost any Spanish word reasonably well.
Use time-based greetings for formal situations
In professional settings, shops, or when speaking to someone older, add a time-based greeting after hola or use it on its own. "Buenos dias" (BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs) means good morning and is used until about noon. "Buenas tardes" (BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs) means good afternoon and covers noon until sunset. "Buenas noches" (BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs) means good evening and is used after dark. Notice that "buenos" changes to "buenas" because "tardes" and "noches" are feminine nouns.
Learn casual greetings for friends
Among friends and peers, Spanish speakers use casual greetings just like English speakers say "hey" or "what's up." "Que tal" (keh-TAL) means "how's it going" and is the most common casual greeting after hola. "Que onda" (keh-OHN-dah) is Mexican slang for "what's up" and is very informal. "Que hay" (keh-EYE) means "what's there" and is used like "what's new." These are friendly and warm. Use them with people your age or younger, or anyone you are already comfortable with.
Know the common response patterns
When someone greets you in Spanish, responding is simple. To "hola," just say "hola" back. To "que tal," you can say "bien" (bee-EHN), meaning "good," or "muy bien" (MWEE bee-EHN), meaning "very good." Add "y tu" (ee-TOO) meaning "and you" to be polite. A typical exchange sounds like this. "Hola, que tal?" "Muy bien, y tu?" "Bien, gracias." That three-line exchange is the most common greeting pattern in Spanish and will carry you through almost any social interaction.
Choose between tu and usted
Spanish has two words for "you" that affect formality. "Tu" (too) is informal and used with friends, family, children, and peers. "Usted" (oo-STEHD) is formal and used with strangers, elders, bosses, and anyone you want to show respect to. When greeting, "como estas" (KOH-moh eh-STAHS) uses tu and is casual. "Como esta usted" (KOH-moh eh-STAH oo-STEHD) is formal. If you are unsure which to use, start with usted. The other person will switch to tu if they prefer casual, and nobody is offended by being addressed formally.
Good to know: In most of Latin America, you can default to tu with people your own age in casual settings. In Spain, tu is used even more freely. The usted form is safest with anyone noticeably older than you or in professional or service contexts.
That covers every greeting situation you are likely to encounter. We use "hola" for almost everything and switch to "buenos dias" in professional settings. Nobody has ever corrected us or seemed put off by a simple, friendly greeting in their language. The key is to just go for it. People appreciate the effort far more than they judge the accent. A slightly imperfect "hola" is infinitely better than an awkward silence or defaulting to English without trying.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Not at all. A simple hola is perfectly polite in any context. Adding buenos dias or que tal makes it slightly warmer or more formal, but hola on its own is never considered rude. Spanish speakers use it exactly the way English speakers use a quick "hi" or "hello." If you only learn one word from this guide, hola is the one to pick.
For greetings, the differences are minor. Hola, buenos dias, and que tal are universal across all Spanish-speaking countries. The main difference is accent and speed. Some slang greetings like "que onda" are specific to Mexico and Central America. Spain uses "vale" (VAH-leh) as an all-purpose "okay" or agreement word. But the core greetings in this guide work everywhere from Madrid to Buenos Aires to Mexico City.
"Adios" (ah-dee-OHS) is the standard goodbye. "Hasta luego" (AH-stah loo-EH-goh) means "see you later" and is more casual and common in daily conversation. "Nos vemos" (nohs VEH-mohs) means "we'll see each other" and is used among friends. "Chao" (like the Italian "ciao") is also widely used in Latin America as a casual goodbye. For formal situations, stick with adios or hasta luego.
Aim for the Spanish pronunciation but do not stress over perfection. The phonetic guides in this article will get you close enough to be understood clearly. Spanish speakers universally appreciate the effort of trying their language, even with an obvious accent. What matters most is that you try. An imperfect "buenos dias" delivered with a smile always beats awkward silence.
Words & Pronunciation
How to Say Hi in Spanish
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