Lesson 1: Basic Greetings & Farewells

¡Bienvenidos! (Welcome!)

Welcome to your first Spanish lesson! In this lesson, you'll learn the most essential phrases for greeting people and saying goodbye in Spanish. These are the words you'll use every single day when speaking Spanish, whether you're traveling, making new friends, or conducting business.

Part 1: Time-Based Greetings (Saludos por Hora)

Spanish has specific greetings for different times of day. Unlike English where "hello" works anytime, Spanish speakers are more precise about the time.

Morning Greetings (Until Noon)

Buenos días (BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs)
- Literal meaning: "Good days"
- Used from sunrise until 12:00 PM (noon)
- This is formal and appropriate in all situations
- Example: "Buenos días, señora" (Good morning, ma'am)

Afternoon Greetings (Noon to Evening)

Buenas tardes (BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs)
- Literal meaning: "Good afternoons"
- Used from 12:00 PM until sunset (approximately 7-8 PM)
- Also formal and universally appropriate
- Example: "Buenas tardes, ¿cómo está?" (Good afternoon, how are you?)

Evening/Night Greetings (After Sunset)

Buenas noches (BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs)
- Literal meaning: "Good nights"
- Used after sunset, typically after 8:00 PM
- Also used when going to bed (like "goodnight")
- Example: "Buenas noches, hasta mañana" (Good night, see you tomorrow)

Universal Greeting (Any Time)

Hola (OH-lah)
- Meaning: "Hello" or "Hi"
- Can be used at ANY time of day or night
- Casual but not rude - appropriate in most situations
- Often used before time-specific greetings: "¡Hola! Buenos días"

💡 Teacher's Tip: When in doubt about the time, use "Hola" first, then add the time-specific greeting. Spanish speakers will appreciate your effort!

Part 2: Common Farewells (Despedidas Comunes)

Just as important as greetings are farewells. Here are the most common ways to say goodbye:

Formal Goodbye

Adiós (ah-dee-OHS)
- Meaning: "Goodbye"
- Etymology: From "a Dios" (to God) - originally "I commend you to God"
- Used for final goodbyes or when you won't see someone for a while
- Pronunciation tip: Stress the second syllable (OHS)

Casual Goodbyes

Hasta luego (AHS-tah LWEH-goh)
- Literal meaning: "Until later"
- Most common everyday goodbye
- Implies you'll see them again soon (today or in a few days)
- Very popular and versatile

Hasta pronto (AHS-tah PROHN-toh)
- Meaning: "See you soon"
- More immediate than "hasta luego"
- Use when you know you'll see them soon

Hasta mañana (AHS-tah mahn-YAH-nah)
- Meaning: "See you tomorrow" or "Until tomorrow"
- Only use when you'll definitely see them the next day
- Common in work/school settings

Nos vemos (nohs VEH-mohs)
- Literal meaning: "We'll see each other"
- Casual and friendly
- Implies future meeting without specifying when

Chao (chow)
- Meaning: "Bye!"
- Borrowed from Italian "ciao"
- Very informal - use with friends and family
- Popular in Latin America

💡 Teacher's Tip: "Adiós" can sound very final, like you might not see the person again. For everyday goodbyes, "hasta luego" is your best choice!

Part 3: Formal vs. Informal Language

Spanish has two levels of formality built into the language. This is crucial for social interactions!

When to Use INFORMAL Language (with "tú")

Use informal greetings with:
- Friends and peers
- Family members
- Children
- People your own age in casual settings
- People who tell you "llámame de tú" (use informal with me)

Informal Examples:
- "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?" (Hi! How's it going?)
- "¡Chao!" (Bye!)
- "Nos vemos" (See you)

When to Use FORMAL Language (with "usted")

Use formal greetings with:
- Strangers
- Elders (anyone significantly older than you)
- Authority figures (police, teachers, bosses)
- Business settings
- When showing respect
- When in doubt - it's safer to be too formal than too casual!

Formal Examples:
- "Buenos días, señor" (Good morning, sir)
- "Buenas tardes, señora" (Good afternoon, ma'am)
- "Hasta luego, señorita" (See you later, miss)

Formal Titles

Señor (sehn-YOR) = Mr. / Sir (for men)
Señora (sehn-YOR-ah) = Mrs. / Ma'am (for married women or older women)
Señorita (sehn-yor-EE-tah) = Miss (for young, unmarried women)

⚠️ Important: When addressing someone directly, use just the title without their last name: "Buenos días, señora" (not "Buenos días, Señora García" unless it's very formal)

Part 4: Adding "¿Cómo está?" (How are you?)

Once you've greeted someone, it's polite to ask how they are:

Formal

¿Cómo está? (KOH-moh ehs-TAH?)
- "How are you?" (to one person, formal)
- Use with strangers, elders, authority figures

¿Cómo están? (KOH-moh ehs-TAHN?)
- "How are you?" (to multiple people, formal)

Informal

¿Cómo estás? (KOH-moh ehs-TAHS?)
- "How are you?" (to one person, informal)
- Use with friends and family

¿Qué tal? (keh tahl?)
- "How's it going?" / "What's up?"
- Very casual and friendly
- Can also be used as a greeting by itself: "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?"

Common Responses

Bien, gracias (bee-EHN, GRAH-see-ahs) = "Good, thanks"
Muy bien (MOO-ee bee-EHN) = "Very good"
Más o menos (mahs oh MEH-nohs) = "So-so"
¿Y usted? (ee oos-TEHD?) = "And you?" (formal)
¿Y tú? (ee too?) = "And you?" (informal)

Part 5: Cultural Notes (Notas Culturales)

Understanding the culture behind the language is just as important as the words themselves!

Greeting Etiquette

1. Always greet when entering: When you enter a room, store, or elevator, it's customary to greet everyone with "Hola" or "Buenos días" - even strangers!

2. Physical contact: In Spanish-speaking cultures, greetings often include:
   - A handshake (formal)
   - One kiss on the cheek (friends, varies by country)
   - A brief hug (close friends)

3. Eye contact: Make eye contact when greeting someone - it shows respect and sincerity.

4. Don't rush: Spanish culture values personal connection. Don't hurry through greetings - take a moment to acknowledge the person.

Regional Variations

Spanish varies by country and region:

Spain:
- More formal in general
- "Vale" is common for "okay"
- Later meal times affect greeting times

Mexico:
- "Buenas" can be used as a shortened greeting (for any time)
- "Qué onda" is slang for "what's up"

Argentina:
- "Che" is used to get someone's attention
- Italian influence (hence "chao")

Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic):
- More relaxed, casual greetings
- Faster speech patterns

💡 Teacher's Tip: The greetings in this lesson work everywhere Spanish is spoken. Regional differences are like accents - interesting but not essential for beginners!

Part 6: Pronunciation Guide

Spanish pronunciation is much more consistent than English. Here are the key sounds:

Vowels (Always pronounced the same way!)

• A = "ah" as in "father" (casa, mañana)
• E = "eh" as in "met" (tres, buenas)
• I = "ee" as in "meet" (días, sí)
• O = "oh" as in "go" (hola, noches)
• U = "oo" as in "moon" (usted, luego)

Important Consonants for This Lesson

• H = ALWAYS SILENT! (hola, hasta)
• J = Like English "h" but stronger, from the throat (adiós contains "di-OH" not "jota")
• LL = Like English "y" in "yes" (llamo, calle)
• Ñ = Like "ny" in "canyon" (mañana, señor)
• R = Lightly rolled (pero, señora)
• RR = Strongly rolled (perro)

Stress Rules

1. Words ending in vowel, N, or S: stress the second-to-last syllable
   - NO-ches, TAR-des, DÍ-as

2. Words ending in other consonants: stress the last syllable
   - se-ÑOR

3. Accent marks tell you where to stress:
   - a-diÓS, ¿có-mo es-TÁ?

Part 7: Complete Conversation Examples

Let's see these greetings in action!

Example 1: Morning at a Coffee Shop (Formal)

You: Buenos días. (Good morning)
Barista: Buenos días, señor/señora. ¿Cómo está? (Good morning, sir/ma'am. How are you?)
You: Bien, gracias. ¿Y usted? (Good, thanks. And you?)
Barista: Muy bien, gracias. (Very good, thanks)

Example 2: Meeting a Friend (Informal)

You: ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? (Hi! How's it going?)
Friend: ¡Hola! Bien, ¿y tú? (Hi! Good, and you?)
You: Todo bien. (All good)
[Later, saying goodbye]
You: Nos vemos. (See you)
Friend: Chao. (Bye)

Example 3: Business Meeting (Very Formal)

You: Buenos días, señor Martínez. (Good morning, Mr. Martinez)
Sr. Martínez: Buenos días. Mucho gusto. (Good morning. Nice to meet you)
[End of meeting]
You: Hasta luego, señor. (See you later, sir)
Sr. Martínez: Hasta luego. (See you later)

Example 4: Leaving in the Evening

You: Buenas noches, hasta mañana. (Good night, see you tomorrow)
Colleague: Buenas noches. Que descanses. (Good night. Rest well)

Part 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Using "Buenos días" at night

• Wrong: Buenos días (at 8 PM)
• Right: Buenas noches

❌ Mistake 2: Forgetting that "H" is silent

• Wrong: Saying "HOE-la" with an H sound
• Right: "OH-la" (silent H)

❌ Mistake 3: Being too informal with elders

• Wrong: "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?" (to an elderly stranger)
• Right: "Buenos días, señora. ¿Cómo está?"

❌ Mistake 4: Using "adiós" for everyday goodbyes

• Wrong: Adiós (to coworker at end of day)
• Right: Hasta mañana / Hasta luego

❌ Mistake 5: Not greeting people when entering

• Wrong: Walking into a small shop silently
• Right: "Hola" or "Buenos días" as you enter

Part 9: Practice Scenarios

Try to figure out which greeting to use in these situations:

Scenario 1: You enter your office at 9:00 AM.
Answer: Buenos días

Scenario 2: You're leaving a friend's house at 10:00 PM.
Answer: Buenas noches or Chao / Nos vemos

Scenario 3: You see a stranger in an elevator at 3:00 PM.
Answer: Buenas tardes

Scenario 4: You're texting a friend and want to say hi.
Answer: ¡Hola! or ¿Qué tal?

Scenario 5: You're leaving work and will see your colleagues tomorrow.
Answer: Hasta mañana

Part 10: Memory Tips and Study Strategies

Memory Trick #1: Time-Based Greetings

Think of it like the sun's journey:
- Buenos días = Sun RISING (morning)
- Buenas tardes = Sun HIGH (afternoon)
- Buenas noches = Sun DOWN (night)

Memory Trick #2: "Hasta" Phrases

"Hasta" = "until" → You're saying "until [when we meet]"
- Hasta LUEGO (later)
- Hasta MAÑANA (tomorrow)
- Hasta PRONTO (soon)

Memory Trick #3: Formal vs. Informal

If you would call them "Mr." or "Mrs." in English → Use formal
If you would call them by their first name → Use informal

Study Recommendation

Practice these greetings OUT LOUD every day:
1. Morning: Say "Buenos días" to yourself in the mirror
2. Afternoon: Greet family members with "Buenas tardes"
3. Evening: Say "Buenas noches" before bed
4. Use "Hola" when answering your phone (even in English contexts!)

Vocabulary Summary

Essential Greetings

Essential Farewells

Additional Phrases

📚 Ready to Practice?

Now that you've learned all about Spanish greetings and farewells, it's time to test your knowledge! Below you'll find 50 exercises that will help you master these essential phrases.

Study Tips for the Exercises:
1. Read through this lesson completely before starting
2. Focus on the pronunciation guides
3. Remember the time-based rules (morning/afternoon/evening)
4. Think about formality (formal vs. informal)
5. Don't be afraid to look back at the lesson for help!

¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

Remember: Making mistakes is part of learning. Every Spanish speaker started exactly where you are now!

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - and in Spanish, that step starts with '¡Hola!'"

Now scroll down to begin your 50 practice exercises! 👇