saludos
/saˈludos/
saludos is the Spanish way to say greetings or regards.
saludos is used as a greeting to say hello or to send regards to someone. While it can function as a standalone greeting, it is most commonly used at the end of emails or letters to mean 'best regards' or 'regards'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word saludos is the plural form of saludo, which literally means 'greetings'.
Which one should you use?
Unlike ¡Hola!, which is a direct greeting used to a person's face, saludos is often used to convey greetings to a third party or as a sign-off in written correspondence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
saludos is a neutral-to-formal way to close a correspondence, making it suitable for both professional settings and casual acquaintances. For more formal or professional settings like business emails, you might use saludos cordiales to convey 'warm regards'.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈludos/
Did you know?
- The word saludos is used in the same linguistic category as the phrase salud used when someone sneezes, which is the equivalent of saying 'bless you'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the physical act of a 'saludo' is often more complex than a simple wave, frequently involving a handshake or even a kiss on the cheek between acquaintances.
- When using saludos in a digital chat or text, it can sometimes feel overly stiff or even cold compared to the more common and warm 'un abrazo' or 'un beso'.
Examples in context
- Estimado señor García, Saludos cordiales, Juan LópezDear Mr. García, Warm regards, Juan López
- Muchos saludos para toda la familia.Many greetings to all the family.
- Recibe mis más cordiales saludos.Receive my most cordial greetings.
- Envíale mis saludos a tu hermano.Send my regards to your brother.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are catching up briefly over the phone.
- JavierHola Lucía, ¿cómo estás?Hello Lucía, how are you?
- LucíaBien, gracias, Javier. ¿Y tú?Fine, thanks, Javier. And you?
- JavierMuy bien. Dale mis saludos a tu madre.Very well. Give my regards to your mother.
- LucíaSe los daré, gracias.I will give them to her, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry saludos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
