Ways to say it
| Latin American Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¡Hola! | |
| Buenas | informal |
| Buenos días | morning |
| Buenas tardes | afternoon |
| Buenas noches | evening |
For a more polite greeting, use the greeting for the time of day: Buenos días in the morning, Buenas tardes from about noon and Buenas noches after dark. Shopkeepers, neighbours and people you do not know are usually greeted this way.
What does it mean word for word?
Buenos días is literally "good days" and Buenas tardes "good afternoons". The plural is simply how Spanish forms these greetings.
Which one should you use?
¡Hola! is friendly and neutral. Buenos días and its partners sound a little more polite and are expected when you walk into a shop or an office.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Buenas on its own is a relaxed short form of the time-of-day greetings. It is very common, but too casual for a job interview.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The greetings are the same across Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. What changes is the follow-up question, such as ¿Cómo está? or ¿Qué tal?
How does it change in a sentence?
Spanish writes an upside-down exclamation mark at the start: ¡Hola! In relaxed writing it is often left out.
How do you pronounce it?
The h in hola is silent, so it sounds like "OH-lah".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying Buenas noches only when going to bed is a common mistake. In Latin America it is also the normal greeting for the whole evening.
When do people say it?
In many Latin American countries people greet with a single kiss on the right cheek, especially women and between men and women. Handshakes are usual in business.
Did you know?
- Buenas on its own, clipped from buenas tardes or buenas noches, is one of the most common everyday greetings in Latin America.
- In Spanish the h of hola has been silent for centuries, so it sounds the same as the start of ola, "wave".
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?Hello! How are you?
- Buenos días, señora. ¿Tiene pan fresco?Hello, ma'am. Do you have fresh bread?
- Buenas, ¿me da un café, por favor?Hello, can I have a coffee, please?
Example conversation
Lucía walks into a small corner shop in Bogotá and greets the owner, Don Ernesto.
- LucíaBuenos días, don Ernesto.Hello, Don Ernesto.
- Ernesto¡Hola, Lucía! ¿Cómo está?Hello, Lucía! How are you?
- LucíaMuy bien, gracias. ¿Tiene huevos?Very well, thank you. Do you have eggs?
- ErnestoSí, claro. Aquí tiene.Yes, of course. Here you are.
