hola, mucho gusto
/ˈola ˈmut͡ʃo ˈɡusto/word by word
In Spanish, "hello, nice to meet you" is hola, mucho gusto.
This phrase is a polite greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. You can also use the shorter version ¡Encantado/a! to say "Pleased to meet you!"
What does it mean word for word?
The component mucho gusto literally translates to "much pleasure".
Which one should you use?
While mucho gusto is a standard way to express the sentiment, you may use encantado if you are male or encantada if you are female to mean "Delighted".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the phrase gusto en conocerte is used to mean "pleasure to meet you".
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the phrase encantado/a, the ending changes to match the gender of the speaker: use encantado if the speaker is male and encantada if the speaker is female.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola ˈmutʃo ˈɡusto/
When do people say it?
When someone says mucho gusto to you, a common and natural way to respond is igualmente, which means "likewise" or "equally".
Did you know?
- The word hola likely originated from the French word 'holà', which was used as a command meaning 'hey! stop!'
- If you use the phrase encantado or encantada to say 'delighted', you are technically using a word that implies you have been 'enchanted' or placed under a spell.
- The word gusto originates from the Latin gustus, which refers to 'taste'. This explains why the phrase mucho gusto connects the 'pleasure' of a meeting to a sensory experience of flavor.
Examples in context
- Hola, mucho gusto.Hello, nice to meet you.
- Hola, mucho gusto en conocerte.Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you.
- Hola, mucho gusto, soy la nueva profesora.Hello, nice to meet you, I am the new teacher.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro meet for the first time at a social event.
- ElenaHola, mucho gusto, soy Elena.Hello, nice to meet you, I am Elena.
- AlejandroMucho gusto, Elena. Soy Alejandro.Nice to meet you, Elena. I am Alejandro.
- Elena¿Cómo estás hoy?How are you today?
- AlejandroMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thank you.
