The Spanish Blog · Post Nº 1
How to Say Hello in Spanish — and Keep the Conversation Going
Every friendship starts with one brave word. In Spanish, that word is short, warm, and easy to steal: hola. This post gives you the whole first minute of a conversation — hello for every hour of the day, how to ask how someone is, how to give your name, and how to say goodbye like you mean to come back.
Hello, by the clock
Spanish changes its hello with the sun. One word works all day — and three more make you sound like you belong.
| Say it | It means | How it sounds | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hola | Hello / Hi | OH-lah | Any time, with anyone |
| Buenos días | Good morning | BWEH-nos DEE-ahs | Until about noon |
| Buenas tardes | Good afternoon | BWEH-nahs TAR-des | Noon until dark |
| Buenas noches | Good evening / Good night | BWEH-nahs NOH-ches | After dark — hello and goodbye both |
Notice the small trick: días is the odd one out (it takes buenos). The other two take buenas. Say them out loud twice — your mouth learns faster than your eyes.
Ask how they are
| Say it | It means | Use it with |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cómo estás? | How are you? | Friends, family, kids, anyone close |
| ¿Cómo está usted? | How are you? | Elders, strangers, anyone you respect |
| ¿Qué tal? | How's it going? | Casual, everywhere |
| Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? | Very well, thanks. And you? | The answer that keeps it alive |
Give your name
| Say it | It means |
|---|---|
| Me llamo… | My name is… (it really says "I call myself") |
| ¿Cómo te llamas? | What is your name? |
| Mucho gusto | Nice to meet you |
| Igualmente | Likewise — the easy reply |
Say goodbye like you'll be back
| Say it | It means |
|---|---|
| Adiós | Goodbye |
| Hasta luego | See you later |
| Nos vemos | See you (we'll see each other) |
| Cuídate | Take care |
Steal the whole first minute
Here is the full conversation, small enough to carry in your pocket. Read it out loud — both parts — three times tonight:
— Buenos días. ¿Cómo estás? (Good morning. How are you?)
— Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Very well, thanks. And you?)
— Bien también. Me llamo María. ¿Cómo te llamas? (Well too. My name is María. What is your name?)
— Me llamo James. ¡Mucho gusto! (My name is James. Nice to meet you!)
— Igualmente. ¡Hasta luego! (Likewise. See you later!)
That is a real first conversation — the same one you will have at the fence, at work, at church, at the store. The words are few. The door they open is not.
Where to go next
Greetings live inside the very first stories of Level 1 — and Level 1 is free, complete, no card.
Start Level 1 free →Day 1 is this exact conversation, one small mission at a time. Your first 7 days are free.
Start your 7 free days →Questions? Talk to Isabel
Isabel answers the school's WhatsApp herself — she is a teacher here, not a bot. Ask her anything about starting.