Greetings and Basic Expressions

Greetings and basic expressions are fundamental for initiating and maintaining conversations in Spanish. These phrases are essential for interacting politely and effectively in various social situations. This lesson will cover the most common greetings and basic expressions that will help you communicate confidently in Spanish.

Common Greetings

1. Hola

"Hola" is the most common greeting and can be used at any time of the day.

• Example:

  Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hi, how are you?)

2. Buenos días

"Buenos días" is used to greet someone in the morning.

• Example:

  Buenos días, ¿cómo amaneciste? (Good morning, how did you wake up?)

3. Buenas tardes

"Buenas tardes" is used to greet someone in the afternoon.

• Example:

  Buenas tardes, ¿cómo estuvo tu día? (Good afternoon, how was your day?)

4. Buenas noches

"Buenas noches" is used to greet someone in the evening or to say goodnight.

• Example:

  Buenas noches, que descanses. (Good night, rest well.)

Farewells

1. Adiós

"Adiós" is a formal farewell and is used in various situations.

• Example:

  Adiós, nos vemos mañana. (Goodbye, see you tomorrow.)

2. Hasta luego

"Hasta luego" is used when you expect to see the person later the same day.

• Example:

  Hasta luego, nos vemos en la reunión. (See you later, see you at the meeting.)

3. Hasta mañana

"Hasta mañana" is used when you expect to see the person the next day.

• Example:

  Hasta mañana, que tengas una buena noche. (See you tomorrow, have a good night.)

4. Chau

"Chau" is an informal farewell, common in some Spanish-speaking countries.

• Example:

  Chau, hablamos más tarde. (Bye, talk to you later.)

Basic Expressions

1. ¿Cómo estás?

This expression is used to ask how someone is doing.

• Example:

  Hola, ¿cómo estás? (Hi, how are you?)

2. Mucho gusto

"Mucho gusto" is used when meeting someone for the first time.

• Example:

  Mucho gusto, soy Juan. (Nice to meet you, I'm Juan.)

3. Por favor

"Por favor" is used to politely ask for something.

• Example:

  ¿Me puedes pasar la sal, por favor? (Can you pass me the salt, please?)

4. Gracias

"Gracias" is used to express thanks.

• Example:

  Gracias por tu ayuda. (Thank you for your help.)

5. De nada

"De nada" is used to respond to thanks.

• Example:

  De nada, fue un placer ayudarte. (You're welcome, it was a pleasure to help you.)

6. Lo siento

"Lo siento" is used to apologize or express regret.

• Example:

  Lo siento, llegué tarde. (I'm sorry, I arrived late.)

7. Perdón

"Perdón" is used to apologize or get someone's attention.

• Example:

  Perdón, ¿puedes repetir lo que dijiste? (Excuse me, can you repeat what you said?)

8. ¿Hablas inglés?

This expression is used to ask if someone speaks English.

• Example:

  ¿Hablas inglés? (Do you speak English?)

9. No entiendo

"No entiendo" is used to indicate that you do not understand something.

• Example:

  Lo siento, no entiendo. (I'm sorry, I don't understand.)

10. ¿Qué tal?

"¿Qué tal?" is an informal way to ask how someone is doing.

• Example:

  ¿Qué tal tu día? (How's your day going?)