A Collection of 77 Greetings in Spanish

Although learning Hola won't take long at all, there are many more specific and casual ways of saying hello in Spanish that will have you speaking like a pro in no time.

The variety and adaptability of the Spanish language is one of its most attractive features. Spanish has more than 360 million native speakers and is an official language in more than 20 countries.

Here are 77 different ways to greet someone in Spanish, both formally and informally, via email, the phone, and in more everyday settings.

A basic understanding of Spanish greetings is useful for many reasons.

Saying "hola" and "ciao" in Spanish is easy to learn and will go a long way when interacting with native Spanish speakers. Being able to say "hola" or "holamos" in Spanish will go a long way whether you're visiting a Spanish-speaking country or simply making friends with some new neighbors.

Also, if you take the time to perfect the pronunciation of a few common greetings, you'll be better able to use Spanish in a variety of contexts. It's common knowledge that Spanish vowels are distinctly different in sound from their English counterparts. Learn some simple greetings in Spanish, and you'll have a much better chance of pronouncing other words, even if you're completely new to the language.

In addition, if you ever decide to enroll in Spanish classes, whether they be virtual or in-person, you will have a much simpler time getting started with the material. Before diving headfirst into a new language, try learning a few simple greetings.

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First of all, how do you actually say "hello" and "hi" in Spanish?

Now, I'm sure you're aware that "hello" in Spanish is "Hola." I'm sorry to interrupt, but how exactly does one say "hola" in Spanish?

As was previously mentioned, there are significant differences between the Spanish and English pronunciations. You won't impress anyone with your Spanish reading skills if you treat Hola like any other English word.

It's important that your greeting come across as genuine. Look at the first few seconds of the video below to see how former President Barack Obama greeted the crowd in Peru.

The crowd went absolutely crazy at the mere mention of Hola Pérez, did you notice that? That's the impact of a warm greeting.

To properly greet people in Spanish, you should review the Spanish alphabet and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Learning the IPA will allow you to correctly pronounce any Spanish greeting without having to commit the greetings to memory.

The video below will walk you through the Spanish alphabet and its IPA equivalents.

One can also say "hello" in Spanish in 77 other ways.

Below, you'll find a guide that provides you with the English greeting, the Spanish equivalent, and then the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Let's start off with some pleasantries now.

Spanish greetings that are commonly used

English Spanish Phonetic transcription Hello Hola ˈola I hope you're doing well. A how are you greeting in Spanish: cómo estás tomo satos () Greetings Saludos saˈluðos Good day, all! Hello, everyone. ala katoos Hi guys Howdy, y'all "ola maos" I am glad to meet you. Que tal, con mucha gusto ola musto usto To begin with, how are you doing Hello, how are you? (ola ke tal) I'm doing fine, how about you? Where have you been What's up, how are you? How are you doing? How have you been? ola koma stoto

Spanish greetings that are more casual or informal

English Spanish Standard International Phonetic Alphabet Pronunciation Hey Hey ˈei̯ Hi, there A warm greeting to you, in Spanish: Hola, hola A cheery "ola ola" Hello there, sweetheart Hello, my love Olayemi ji amose Hey ¡Oye ˈoʝe What's going on I mean, que onda "ke nda" Is there anything new The question, "What's New?" in Spanish. ke ai e nweo So, what’s up ¿Qué hay ˈke ˈai̯ To what are we witnessing Qué pasa AKA: ke pasa Give me the latest update. What do you tell me? ke me kwntas What's up, how's life Cómo va todo? komo ba too Hello, it's great to see you again. Howdy, what's up, how are you doing? "ola ke usto" Hi Holi ˈoli

Spanish greetings in the most formal style

English Spanish English to its IPA Pronunciation How are you doing? What's up, how are you? "ola komo st" First of all, how are you doing? How are things going with you? To you, my dear, ola komo le a Well, hello there, it's nice to meet you. Excuse my Spanish! hello and please I'm thrilled to finally put a face to your name. Encantado/a ɛ̃nkãntaˈðoa Hello, I'm glad to meet you. What's up, nice to see you In Spanish: ola n usto e loa

Spanish email greetings

English Spanish Phonetic transcription Dear Estimado/a ɛstimaˈðoa Beloved Querido/a kɛɾiˈðoa Distinguished Distinguido/a distĩnɡiˈðoa Whom It May Concern To Whom It May Concern The Hungarian phrase for "a kjn korspnda" is a kjn korspnda

Good morning in Spanish

English Spanish Pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet The day to you. Hello, or "Buenos das" Ias bwenos Good day Buen día Please say it again: bwen ia Morning ¡Buenos ˈbwenos̬ I greet you this morning sunshine. Good day, sunshine The phrase "bwenos ias solesito"

In Spanish, good afternoon!

English Spanish English to its IPA Pronunciation I bid you a pleasant afternoon. It's late, but buenas tardes! Bwenas taes Good day ¡Buenas ˈbwenas̬ Good night Rest easy, tonight. bwenas noes

What to say when someone calls you in Spanish

English Spanish Phonetic transcription Hello ¿Hola ˈola Yes ¿Sí ˈsi Hello ¿Aló aˈlo Hello ¿Bueno ˈbweno Go ahead ¿Diga ˈdiɣa Tell me Dígame ˈdiɣame

Greetings, adapted for each country

Spain:

English Spanish Isolated Phonetic Alphabet Hi dude Hola, tío "ola, tio" Where do we stand How Do You Walk? Km nds The question "how are you doing" How would you describe your life? ke s e tu ia What's up, how's it going How's it going? the words "komo ba la kosa" So, what's up What do you know? We say, "ke te kwntas"

Mexico:

English Spanish The International Phonetic Alphabet Yo, what's up, bro? How about that, you güey English: ke nda wei What's going on Where was I? ˈke ˈuβo Okay, so what's the deal Quiúbole ˈkjuβole Hi, how are things going What a crock ˈke ˈroʝo Okay, so what's the deal ¿Qué pex Speak in ke peks ¡Friend ¡Amigo/a aˈmiɣo/a What the heck is happening Which is to say, "What a crock." The tense is "ke tnsa." When did this happen O, que pasión! ke pasjan

Argentina:

English Spanish Phonetic transcription ¡Good day Good and kind wishes bwenas i sangtas Holy Mary, the Virgin Mother Have a Blessed Virgin Mary (Ave Maria) ae mae puisimastu

Colombia:

English Spanish IPA phonetic transcription Greetings, how goes it ¿Quiubo ˈkjuβo OK, so what else is new Why, that's just ridiculous! To make a lot of money quickly: ke mas pwes In any case, how's that for a good Yes, but oh why bjan o ke Okay or not? Well, oh no bjn o' no Tell me about yourself, what's new Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Y t de qué in tu e ke

Chile:

English Spanish Phonetic transcription Hi, how are you doing The question "Cómo estái?" what's up, stja? Good day Wena ˈwena Hey, dude "Hello, weón" The phrase "ola wen"

Venezuela:

English Spanish IPA phonetic transcription Hello ¡Épale ˈepale Where have you been, pops? What happened, dad? ke aposto aposto In other words: what's up, comrade What happened, pal In Hawaiian: ke uo kmpae Talk to me Háblame ˈaβlame

Peru:

English Spanish Phonetic transcription Hello, how are things going Hola causa Ola kausa Hi, how are things going Speak the language of cause and effect the way of the kauai Hey man, what's up? Weo qué tal Weo Ke Tal Ke

The Dominican Republic:

English Spanish The International Phonetic Alphabet Hi, bro Que tal, manin "ola, Mann" Tell me ¡Dímelo ˈdimelo Tiger, please sing to me "Don't stop singing, tiger" The phrase "dimelo kntndo tie" Which is which When asked "Qué es lo que es? " anagram of "ke" and "s"

How to Say Hello in Spanish: Frequently Asked Questions

How does one greet a friend versus a coworker or other professional acquaintance in Spanish?

You may have noticed that people in Spanish-speaking countries, or those with whom you've made friends, are much more casual when greeting one another. While it's best to avoid using nicknames in more formal situations, it's practically obligatory when referring to a close friend.

Common forms of endearment include shortened names and pronouns. Friends and acquaintances will likely greet you with a hola, güey, hola weón, or hola to in a more casual setting. This article contains a lexicon of Spanish slang, informal expressions, and colloquialisms.

It's possible that you'll encounter the more proper usted construction in a more formal context. How are you doing? replaces "hello" with "how are you?" Calling someone by their nickname is inappropriate here.

Any egregious mistakes in Spanish greetings that you know of?

The most common error in Spanish greetings is either being too informal or too formal. Before being told otherwise, it's best to use the formal usted when speaking to a superior in a formal setting.

You may be expected to use the formal usted when speaking to someone who is older than you in some cultures. It's best to ask a close friend in advance what the expectations are, as they will vary greatly depending on where you go and the culture you're introduced to. It's safer to err on the side of formality and use usted whenever you're unsure.

And now that you know how to say "hola" in Spanish, what's next?

To sum up, the Spanish language is just as varied as the people who speak it. But with some work, you can become completely at ease using many different greetings in Spanish. Also, if you want to gain a deeper understanding of how to have natural conversations, Learn the basics of speaking Spanish here.

This is the beginning of a wonderful adventure that will put you in touch with hundreds of millions of people all over the world. Even though learning all the different ways to say "hello" in Spanish may seem difficult at first, we assure you that you will come to love them.  

Have you ever wished you could say "hello" in a bunch of different languages? If so, read this interesting piece of writing In any case, our Spanish blog is a great place to keep learning new words.

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