27 Greetings In Spanish

Summary

In this video, Rocky from SpeakSpanishFaster.com explores various formal and informal Spanish greetings that go beyond the common 'hola' and 'como estas'. He breaks down the differences between informal 'tu' and formal 'usted' greetings, offering practical examples for different situations, whether you're meeting friends, family, or authority figures. He also highlights culturally specific phrases from countries like Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. The video aims to help Spanish learners sound more natural and improve their conversational skills in diverse contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video covers both common and uncommon Spanish greetings that can help you sound more native when speaking Spanish.
• 🙂 The video aims to provide alternatives to basic greetings like 'Hola' and '¿Cómo estás?' for both informal and formal situations.
• 😊 Informal greetings typically use the 'tú' form, while formal greetings use the 'usted' form, depending on the relationship or context.
• 😎 Examples of informal greetings include '¿Qué hay de nuevo?' (What's new?), '¿Cómo te va?' (How’s it going?), and '¿Qué pasa?' (What’s up?).
• 😉 Formal greetings such as 'Buenos días' (Good morning) and 'Buenas noches' (Good night) are useful for addressing authority figures or people you don’t know well.
• 😃 Regional greetings include Puerto Rican '¿Qué la que?' and Dominican '¿Qué lo que?', which mean 'What’s up?' in their respective dialects.
• 😁 Be mindful of regional variations, as certain greetings may not be understood universally across different Spanish-speaking countries.
• 😄 When meeting someone for the first time or in formal settings, use greetings like 'Mucho gusto' (Nice to meet you) or 'Es un placer conocerlo' (It’s a pleasure to meet you).
• 🤔 Pay attention to how native speakers greet each other in real life or on TV shows to expand your understanding of greetings used in various contexts.
• 👍 The video encourages viewers to practice these greetings and offers additional resources to improve Spanish-speaking skills, including free training on the website.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The video covers different informal and formal Spanish greetings that can be used to sound more native when meeting people or starting a conversation.

Why did the creator make this video?

The video was made in response to a question from a member of the creator's 7-day Spanish program, asking for alternatives to basic greetings like 'Hola' and '¿Cómo estás?'.

What is the difference between informal and formal greetings in Spanish?

Informal greetings use the 'tú' form of verbs, and are used with friends, family, and peers. Formal greetings use the 'usted' form and are appropriate for authority figures, strangers, or in professional settings.

Can 'que hay de nuevo' be used when meeting someone for the first time?

No, 'que hay de nuevo' (What's new?) is typically used with someone you have a prior relationship with, not for first-time encounters.

What are some common informal Spanish greetings mentioned in the video?

Some common informal greetings include '¿Qué pasa?' (What's up?), '¿Cómo te va?' (How's it going?), '¿Qué tal?' (How's it going?), and '¡Hola!' (Hello).

What are some popular informal greetings specific to certain Spanish-speaking countries?

The video mentions '¿Qué la que?' (What's up?) from Puerto Rico, '¿Qué lo que?' from the Dominican Republic, and '¿Qué onda?' from Mexico.

What formal greetings can you use when meeting someone for the first time?

Formal greetings include 'Buenos días' (Good morning), 'Buenas tardes' (Good afternoon), 'Buenas noches' (Good evening), '¿Cómo está usted?' (How are you?), and 'Mucho gusto' (Nice to meet you).

Why is the 'usted' form used in formal greetings?

The 'usted' form conveys respect and formality, making it appropriate for authority figures, strangers, or people you are meeting in a professional context.

What is one tip provided by the video for learning more Spanish greetings?

The video suggests paying attention to how native speakers greet each other in different situations, such as in daily interactions or on TV shows, to expand your vocabulary.

Can the informal and formal greetings be mixed in conversation?

Mixing informal and formal greetings isn't typically recommended. However, the level of formality can depend on your relationship with the person, and in some cases, informal greetings might be acceptable in a more relaxed setting.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Introduction and Purpose of the Video

In this video, the speaker introduces himself as Rocky from Speak Spanish Faster and explains the goal of the session: to explore various formal and informal Spanish greetings that go beyond the basics of 'Hola' and '¿Cómo estás?'. He was inspired to create the video by a question from a member of the 7-day Spanish program who wanted more creative ways to greet people in Spanish and sound more like a native speaker.

05:01

👥 Informal vs Formal Greetings

The speaker explains the difference between informal and formal greetings in Spanish, focusing on when to use 'tú' versus 'usted'. Informal greetings are used with friends, family, and peers, while formal greetings are appropriate for strangers, authority figures, or in professional settings. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the correct verb conjugation for each situation, as well as understanding cultural norms around formality.

10:01

👋 Common Informal Greetings

This section covers basic informal greetings, such as 'Hola' (Hello) and '¿Cómo estás?' (How are you?). It explains the conjugation differences between informal ('tú' form) and formal greetings. Examples like '¿Cómo están?' (How are you all?) and '¿Qué hay de nuevo?' (What's new?) are provided, highlighting how to greet friends or people with whom you have an existing relationship. The speaker also touches on how to greet groups of people.

🙌 Popular Informal Phrases and Expressions

Here, the speaker dives deeper into some informal phrases commonly used among native Spanish speakers. He provides examples such as '¿Cómo te va?' (How’s it going?) and '¿Qué pasa?' (What’s happening?), explaining the use of the verb 'va' to refer to situations or events. He also introduces region-specific greetings like '¿Qué lo que?' from the Dominican Republic and '¿Qué onda?' from Mexico, noting their colloquial usage.

🌍 Regional Variations in Informal Greetings

The speaker highlights how certain informal greetings are specific to regions, such as '¿Qué la que?' (Puerto Rico) or '¿Qué onda?' (Mexico). He advises that while these phrases are common in some countries, they may not be easily understood in others. The section underscores the importance of learning region-specific expressions if you're speaking Spanish in different parts of the world.

🤵 Formal Greetings for Various Situations

The speaker transitions to formal greetings, such as 'Buenos días' (Good morning), 'Buenas noches' (Good evening), and '¿Cómo está usted?' (How are you?). These are suitable for formal interactions, including conversations with authority figures, bosses, or individuals you're meeting for the first time. He also touches on expressions like 'Mucho gusto' (Nice to meet you) and 'Es un placer conocerlo' (It’s a pleasure to meet you), emphasizing the need for respectful language in professional and formal contexts.

📻 Understanding the Nuances of '¿Cómo estamos?'

This section elaborates on the informal phrase '¿Cómo estamos?' (How are we doing?), which is used to create a sense of camaraderie. The speaker mentions how this phrase is often heard in radio shows or casual group settings and serves to address everyone collectively. He compares it to English expressions like 'How are we doing today?' used in a friendly tone.

💬 Unique Informal Phrases in Spanish-speaking Countries

The speaker introduces some lesser-known informal phrases like '¿Qué me dices?' (What do you tell me?), which is more common in the Dominican Republic. He acknowledges that these phrases might not be widely recognized outside certain regions but are important for learners who want to sound more native-like in those specific countries.

🎓 Conclusion and Practical Advice for Learners

The video concludes with the speaker encouraging viewers to actively listen to how native speakers greet each other in different Spanish-speaking regions. He advises learners to incorporate these greetings into their daily interactions. The speaker also promotes additional resources, such as a free Spanish training program available on his website, and invites viewers to provide feedback for future content.

Keywords

💡Informal Greetings

Informal greetings in Spanish are used when speaking with friends, family, or people in casual settings. In the video, examples such as 'Hola', '¿Cómo estás?', and '¿Qué pasa?' are given, which are commonly used to address peers. The informal nature of these greetings often utilizes the 'tú' form, making the conversation feel more personal and friendly.

💡Formal Greetings

Formal greetings are employed in more respectful or professional settings, such as addressing authority figures or strangers. In the video, examples like 'Buenos días' (Good morning) and '¿Cómo está usted?' (How are you? - formal) are presented. These greetings typically use the 'usted' form to show politeness and deference.

💡Tú vs. Usted

The distinction between 'tú' (informal 'you') and 'usted' (formal 'you') is crucial in Spanish, affecting how verbs are conjugated. The video explains that 'tú' is used for casual interactions, while 'usted' is reserved for formal situations, such as talking to a boss or someone older. The difference in pronoun choice helps to navigate social dynamics.

💡¿Qué pasa?

This is a popular informal greeting in Spanish, meaning 'What's up?' or 'What's happening?'. It can be used in casual conversations among friends, as mentioned in the video. The expression shows the speaker's interest in the other person's situation and is common in various Spanish-speaking regions.

💡¿Cómo te va?

An informal greeting meaning 'How's it going?'. The video highlights that this phrase is often used to check in with someone in a relaxed, familiar setting. It reflects interest in the person's well-being and can be slightly more nuanced than a simple 'How are you?'.

💡¿Qué tal?

A neutral, widely understood greeting that translates to 'How's it going?' or 'How are things?'. The video mentions that '¿Qué tal?' can be used across different Spanish-speaking countries, making it a versatile and commonly accepted way to start a conversation, both formally and informally.

💡Regional Greetings

These are greetings specific to certain Spanish-speaking countries or regions. For example, the video introduces phrases like '¿Qué lo que?' from the Dominican Republic and '¿Qué la que?' from Puerto Rico. These phrases highlight cultural variations in how people greet each other, often reflecting local slang or expressions.

💡Plural Greetings

Plural greetings like '¿Cómo están?' (How are you all?) are used when addressing more than one person. The video explains that this form is useful when greeting a group, such as a family or multiple friends, and demonstrates the importance of adapting greetings to fit the context of the conversation.

💡Mucho gusto

This phrase means 'Nice to meet you' and is typically used in formal introductions. The video highlights this as a polite way to express pleasure upon meeting someone for the first time. It is often paired with other formal greetings and can be followed by phrases like 'Es un placer conocerlo' (It's a pleasure to meet you).

💡Listening for Greetings

The video encourages viewers to observe and listen to how native speakers greet one another in various contexts. By paying attention to greetings in real life or on television, learners can expand their vocabulary and better understand regional differences. This advice emphasizes the dynamic nature of language learning and the importance of immersion.

Highlights

The video aims to provide alternative Spanish greetings beyond 'Hola' or '¿Cómo estás?' to sound more native-like.

Focus on both informal and formal greetings for different situations, such as casual conversations with friends or formal interactions with authority figures.

Informal greetings use the 'tú' form, commonly used with friends, family members, and peers.

Formal greetings utilize the 'usted' form, appropriate for authority figures, unfamiliar people, or formal situations.

'¿Qué hay de nuevo?' is an informal greeting used to ask, 'What's new?' often between friends with an established relationship.

'¿Cómo te va?' is an informal greeting meaning, 'How's it going for you?' emphasizing the use of 'va' for 'it.'

'¿Qué pasa?' is a popular informal greeting meaning 'What's happening?' commonly used in different Spanish-speaking regions.

'Bienvenidos' is a general greeting meaning 'Welcome,' suitable for both informal and formal contexts.

'¿Qué tal?' is a neutral and widely understood greeting across most Spanish-speaking countries.

'¿Qué lo que?' is a Dominican Spanish greeting equivalent to 'What's up?' commonly used in the Dominican Republic.

'¿Qué onda?' is a Mexican Spanish greeting meaning 'What's up?' often used informally.

The formal greeting 'Buenos días' means 'Good morning' and is appropriate for addressing authority figures or unfamiliar people.

'Mucho gusto' translates to 'Nice to meet you,' commonly used in formal introductions.

Encourages active listening to native speakers' greetings to expand one's vocabulary and adapt greetings to different regions and contexts.

Offers a free training resource titled 'Three Secrets to Learn Spanish Faster' to help learners improve their Spanish comprehension and fluency.

Transcripts

hey lucky i'm gente it's rocky here from

speaks spanish faster.com

and in today's video we're going to

cover a few comments

and some uncommon spanish greetings that

you can use

when you are either meeting people or uh

you want to spark up a conversation with

somebody these are some greetings that

can definitely

help you out now the reason i'm doing

this video is because i received a

question in our members area

of our seven day spanish program from

somebody that wanted to know like what

are some other greetings that they can

use when they

are trying to strike up conversation

with somebody other than

hola or comastas or something like that

so what are some other ways that they

can get creative and

sound more native-like when they speak

spanish i mean

obviously spanish speakers say hola

como estas and stuff like that but we

also greet

each other and introduce ourselves in

many other ways for example

in this video i always start off

that is a type of greeting that somebody

could use of course it's more

informal but today we're going to cover

some informal greetings as well as some

formal greetings

that you can use when you're speaking

spanish when you're trying to

communicate with other people

again whether it's you're meeting them

for the first time or

you are just meeting a friend for the

first time of a certain occasion you

guys

show up at the movies together or maybe

not the movies now because of

what's going on in the world today but

you guys

meet at each other's house or something

um what else can you say other than

hola and that's what we're going to be

covering in today's video

so i'm going to be sharing my computer

screen with you i put up a i created a

little

quick presentation for you i'm not going

to spend too long on each term

we're i will try to run through them as

quickly as possible

but yeah definitely add them to your

arsenal so

um first we have to

pretty much break down um informal

and formal okay we have tu versus usted

the reason this is important

is because informal greetings

will be using most likely the form of a

verb

and the formal greetings will be using

the usted

form of a verb so

informal when we use informal greetings

which we will go through first

we are talking to people like our

friends our family members

our peers our kids

i mean i don't really have to explain

what an informal occasion

is but just know in an informal setting

you will be using the

form of a lot of these um words all

right when when they're conjugated

and again you'll see examples of this

and

then for formal you will use

okay usted in a formal situation it's

like if you're talking to somebody you

don't know

uh maybe it's somebody that's addressed

by like a title like uh

a doctor um we have authority figures

authority figures could be like a mayor

a president um

boss of your company things like that

you would want to

greet them with the usted form and then

parents and i put a question mark

by parents because you know i think it

really depends the situation

if it's a kid to their parent they might

talk with the usted form but if you're

an adult talking with your parents

you're probably going to use more of the

form it really depends the relationship

that you have with your parents all

right so first

let's look at some of the informal

greetings

in spanish that we can use now obviously

you can start with the basic

hola obviously that means hello

we have como estas how are you doing

now notice here estas is the tu form

okay and you'll see in the formal

greeting this would be

como esta usted so

it would be the usted form so that's

what i mean when i say

the informal greetings are the tu

form and the formal greetings use the

usted form

all right we have como estan that is how

are you guys doing

um in the plural

form present plural present form

how are y'all doing so if you walk in

and you're talking to like

um your mom and your dad or two friends

then you could say hey como stan

all right we have now you can put them

two together

all right very simple

next we have que de nuevo

que ai de nuevo so this means

what's new this is a cool way that you

can

greet somebody usually you would say

this to a friend

somebody that you've seen before

because obviously it's hey what's new

with you meaning that you have some past

relationship

with them so if you're meeting somebody

for the first time even if it's an

informal um meeting you probably

wouldn't want to use this one

all right next this is one of my

favorites

now i know you're probably going to say

wait a minute va

is the third person form why am i using

it here

so in this sentence

we are really talking about the va

pertains to the

it so it's really like how is it going

to you

or how is it going for you so how's it

going como te va

all right so this is still this is

informal

como les va same thing the va

is going to the it we are doing the lace

is pertaining to

them or you guys okay how are

you doing or how's it going for y'all

como vatodo this is the same exact thing

with va

how's everything going va pertains to

everything

it pertains to todo all right so

that's why you see this it's not como

vas todo

it's como va

is very popular um

a way of saying what's up especially

uh means what's up it's what's happening

hey what's up hey que pasa that's what's

up

uh you can greet people with that

bienvenidos

bien benidos welcome

very common

what's up so this is pretty much the

same as que pasa

i would say que tal is very um neutral

in the sense that it's used pretty much

amongst

all countries i mean you can pretty much

go to any country and say ketai

and they will know what that means you

can say que pasa

and they will know what that means now

this is

how i intro all my videos ke

that means what's up it's a puerto rican

way of saying in

puerto rican spanish which i've done a

video on popular

puerto rican phrases um but que la quei

is a popular puerto rican

phrase to mean that means what's up

we have que lo que que lo que is a

dominican phrase

that means what's up sometimes you might

hear

um que la que in puerto rico but in

dominican republic

que lo que is very very common i

remember when i used to live there

um yeah everybody says

a mexican um

spanish phrase to say what's up que onda

i have mexican friends and um

they say hey keon that way stuff like

that

is like uh hey what happened

so if you're meeting somebody for the

first time um not for the first time but

if you're meeting somebody like if you

show up to their house and they look sad

you could say hey kefwa it's like a

greeting but it's like

hey what happened all right so it's

um that is that's very common

in any situation that seems negative

because if somebody's looking sad you

might want to be like

hey and they look sad right

it's better to maybe approach them like

hey kefwa

so next we have como estamos como

estamos is like

how are we doing i remember a radio show

where i live they used to say at the

beginning of

every episode they would say

that's how like hey how we doing today

that's what komo estamo that's how you

would use it

um because you're probably wondering why

would i say how are we doing it doesn't

really make sense

but when you put it in that essence hey

tamoy like how are we doing today

i'm sure we you've probably used that in

english right hey how we doing today

que medici que medici this is this is in

a very popular way but

i have used this and i have heard it

used um especially when i was living in

the dominican republic hey can

you say it's like hey what do you say

to me pretty much i know it doesn't

sound cool in english but

hey que medici it's a hey

that's how um people will greet each

other sometimes

especially like i said when i was living

in the dominican republic

that was pretty common now let's shift

to the formal greetings now i will say

the last few that i did

those are specific to cultures

in countries so if you go to spain and

you say keonda or

they might not understand you i mean

even if you go to somewhere like

colombia and you say

they might understand you or if you say

que honda they might understand you

but it's not 100 certain if i go to

mexican

mexico and i said okay they might not

understand me if i say

they might not understand me so know

that with those last few that i covered

they might not be understood in all the

the countries that you go to so now like

i said let's go to formal greetings

we'll run through this hola now we have

buenos dias

that's good morning you can't go wrong

with that if you're meeting somebody

for the first time that you don't know

or if you are meeting

um a boss of a company or the boss of

your company or president any

authority figure buenos dias

buenas noches you can't go wrong with

any of these good morning

um good afternoon good night not in

terms of good night going to sleep

but um if you're going to somebody's

house and it's late night you could say

hey buena noche it's like

it's not always used for oh buenas

noches good night like in english

we use good night

very rarely do we use that as a greeting

but in spanish you can use it as a

greeting

now you'll see como esta usted or you

could just say como esta

so how are you but this is the formal

way to say it

mucho gusto nice to meet you mucho

gusto nice to meet you es un placer

in conocerlo i guess you could use this

too for a

informal um greeting you could say it

next we have gusto inverlo this is

another way to say pleasure to meet you

gusto and verlos pleasure to meet y'all

this is the ustedes form you don't have

as much flexibility with the formal

greetings because

you don't want to go too crazy with it

you definitely don't want to walk up to

your boss and say hey

you know unless you and your boss have a

very cool relationship but

if your boss is a real authority like if

you're meeting a boss or a doctor

you want to greet them with something

like buenos dias if you're meeting them

for the first time

gusto verlo gusto and conocerlo

different things like that mucho gusto

eseren conocerlo so

those are the basic informal informal

greetings

that you can use to break the ice if

you're meeting somebody for the first

time

or if you just want to start a

conversation with

anybody now i will say one tip that i

will give you

is now turn on your listening um radar

and when you are um outside

in maybe a spanish-speaking country

around native speakers

listen to how they greet each other how

do they do it and start adding those

i'm sure i definitely missed some

greetings i'm sure in all different

types of countries they're all there's

all different types of greetings

just like where i live we can we may

greet each other differently than

the way people greet each other in new

york or california

it happens but listen

to how people greet each other when you

watch shows on tv

listen to how people greet each other

and you'll find more ways

that you can use for your greetings in

spanish

so i hope you found this video helpful

if you're looking to take your spanish

to the next level

definitely check out our training three

secrets our three secrets to learn

spanish faster training

i'll put that link in the comments for

you uh i'll pin it there so you can just

click that link

and go see the free training also um

visit our website speakspanishfaster.com

if you want more help

in taking your spanish to the next level

so that you can speak and comprehend

spanish better with native speakers if

you enjoyed the video do me a big favor

hit the thumbs up for me

comment below let me know what else you

need help with as you can see i'm always

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