👋 Spanish Greetings & Basic Phrases — Greetings are essential in Spanish culture. This lesson covers the most common greetings and phrases you'll need for everyday conversations. Spanish speakers are generally warm and formal greetings are important, especially when meeting someone for the first time.
🔊 Click the Listen button next to each phrase to hear the pronunciation using Text-to-Speech.
💡 Cultural Note: In Spanish-speaking countries, it's common to greet with a handshake (formal) or a kiss on the cheek (informal, between friends and family). Using "usted" (formal you) shows respect to elders and authority figures.
🔤 Basic Greetings & Responses
| # | Spanish | Pronunciation (English) | تلفظ (Urdu) | Meaning (English) | معنی (Urdu) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hola | Oh-lah | اوہ-لا | Hello | ہیلو | |
| 2 | Buenos días | Bway-nos dee-ahs | بوئے-نوس دی-آس | Good morning | صبح بخیر | |
| 3 | Buenas tardes | Bway-nas tar-des | بوناس تاردیس | Good afternoon | دوپہر بخیر | |
| 4 | Buenas noches | Bway-nas no-ches | بوناس نوچیس | Good evening / Good night | شب بخیر | |
| 5 | ¿Cómo estás? | Ko-mo es-tas | کومو ایسٹاس | How are you? (informal) | آپ کیسے ہیں؟ | |
| 6 | ¿Cómo está usted? | Ko-mo es-ta oos-ted | کومو ایسٹا اوسٹیڈ | How are you? (formal) | آپ کیسے ہیں؟ (ادب) | |
| 7 | Bien, gracias | Bee-en gra-see-as | بی-این گرا-سی-آس | Fine, thank you | ٹھیک ہوں، شکریہ | |
| 8 | Y tú / ¿Y usted? | Ee too / Ee oos-ted | ای تو / ای اوسٹیڈ | And you? | اور آپ؟ | |
| 9 | Adiós | Ah-dee-os | آ-دی-اوس | Goodbye | خدا حافظ | |
| 10 | Hasta luego | As-ta loo-eh-go | آسٹا لو-ای-گو | See you later | بعد میں ملتے ہیں | |
| 11 | Hasta mañana | As-ta man-ya-na | آسٹا مان-یا-نا | See you tomorrow | کل ملتے ہیں | |
| 12 | Mucho gusto | Moo-cho goos-to | مو-چو گوس-ٹو | Nice to meet you | آپ سے مل کر خوشی ہوئی |
📌 Note: "Tú" is the informal "you" used with friends, family, and people your age. "Usted" is the formal "you" used with elders, authority figures, and in professional settings.
💬 Useful Everyday Phrases
🌍 Cultural Note: Greetings in Spanish-Speaking Countries
In most Spanish-speaking countries, greetings are warm and personal. A handshake is common in formal situations, while friends and family often greet with a kiss on the cheek (one in Spain, one or two in Latin America). It's also common to ask "¿Cómo estás?" and expect a detailed response, not just "fine."
💬 Sample Conversation:
Person A:
¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
¡Oh-la! ¿Ko-mo es-tas? - Hello! How are you?
Person B:
¡Muy bien! ¿Y tú?
¡Moo-ee bee-en! ¿Ee too? - Very well! And you?
Person A:
Bien, gracias. Mucho gusto.
Bee-en, gra-see-as. Moo-cho goos-to. - Fine, thank you. Nice to meet you.