Hola
neutral
To say hello to a man, Hola works in most situations. For a respectful greeting, use the time of day and señor, such as Buenos días, señor. It is also called Buenas tardes, señor.
Meaning: greeting a man, polite (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | neutral |
| Buenos días, señor | polite |
| Buenas tardes, señor | polite |
Use buenos días in the morning, buenas tardes in the afternoon and buenas noches after dark. Adding señor shows respect to a man you do not know.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you greet a man with señor, the conversation usually continues with usted. With friends Hola and tú are normal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The greetings themselves have no gender. Only titles like señor show you are speaking to a man.
Did you know?
- Señor comes from Latin senior, meaning "older", which is also the root of English "senior".
Examples in context
- Hola, buenos días.Hello, good morning.
- Buenas tardes, señor. ¿Cómo está?Good afternoon, sir. How are you?
- Mucho gusto, señor López.Nice to meet you, Mr. López.
Example conversation
Lucía introduces herself to her neighbor Mr. López for the first time.
- LucíaBuenas tardes, señor. Soy su vecina.Good afternoon, sir. I am your neighbor.
- Señor LópezMucho gusto. Soy Pedro López.Nice to meet you. I am Pedro López.
- LucíaEl gusto es mío.The pleasure is mine.
