Casual vs Formal Hi in Spanish (Mexico & Spain)

TL;DR

• The default way to say hi in Spanish is hola, which works in both Mexico and Spain in almost any context.
• Casual hi uses hola, ¿qué tal?, buenas or ey with friends, family, and people your age.
• Formal hi uses greetings like buenos días plus usted (formal “you”) with older people, clients, and authority figures — especially in Mexico.
• Spain uses tú more broadly, while Mexico keeps a stronger tú vs. usted distance in everyday speech.
• If you’re unsure, start slightly formal, then follow how locals greet and address you.

Casual vs Formal Hi in Spanish for Mexico & Spain

The core difference between casual vs formal hi in Spanish for Mexico and Spain is not just the word you use, but also tone, pronouns, and context.

In both countries, hola works almost everywhere, but Mexicans tend to maintain a clearer line between tú (informal) and usted (formal), while speakers in Spain use tú in many situations where Mexicans would still choose usted. Linguists describe this as part of the broader T–V distinction in pronouns of address.

This guide shows you exactly which greeting to use, with whom, and where—with examples for real-life travel, work, and everyday small talk.

Core Greetings: Hi in Neutral Spanish

Before we split by country, here are the core greetings that work in most Spanish-speaking places:

If you’re still working on basic Spanish sounds, it helps to review a clear vowel guide like our post How to Pronounce Spanish Vowels: Clear Guide with Examples, since greetings like hola and buenos rely on those pure Spanish vowels.

Casual vs Formal Hi in Spanish: Big Picture

What counts as “casual hi” in Spanish?

Casual greetings:

• Use relaxed phrases like hola, ¿qué tal?, buenas, ey.
• Usually pair with tú (informal “you”).
• Often include friendly add-ons: ¿cómo estás?, ¿todo bien?

What counts as “formal hi” in Spanish?

Formal greetings:

• Use time-based greetings: buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches.
• Often include titles: buenos días, señor / señora / doctor / profesor.
• Prefer usted instead of tú, especially in Mexico with older people or in professional contexts.

The Spanish language has a long tradition of using different pronouns and greeting formulas to signal respect and social distance.

Casual vs Formal Hi in Mexico

Spanish is the dominant language in Mexico, and greetings reflect a strong culture of respect and warmth.^mexican_spanish

Casual “hi” in Mexican Spanish

Use with friends, classmates, coworkers you know well, and younger people:

• Hola
  hola
  – default casual hi.
• ¿Qué onda?
  ¿Qué onda
  – very casual, like “What’s up?”
• ¿Qué tal?
  ¿Qué tal
  – neutral friendly “how’s it going?”
• Buenas
  Buenas
  – relaxed “hi” when entering a shop or office.
• Ey / Oye
  Ey
  – “hey” to someone you know.

Example dialogues (Mexico, casual):

• — Hola, ¿qué onda?
• — Buenas, ¿cómo estás?

Here you almost always use tú:

• ¿Cómo estás?
• ¿Ya comiste?
• ¿Qué haces mañana?

If you want to take these phrases straight into conversation practice, pair them with tips from Spanish Conversation Practice: Best Tips and Tools.

Formal “hi” in Mexican Spanish

Use with:

• older adults you don’t know well
• clients, customers, bosses
• teachers, doctors, officials
• anyone in a clearly professional context

Core formal patterns:

• Buenos días
  Buenos días
  , señor / señora.
• Buenas tardes
  Buenas tardes
  , licenciada.
• Buenas noches
  Buenas noches
  , doctor.

And you typically use usted:

• ¿Cómo está usted?
• ¿En qué le puedo ayudar?
• Mucho gusto en conocerlo / conocerla.

The stronger use of usted in Mexico reflects a more conservative approach to politeness and hierarchy, which linguists often highlight when discussing the T–V distinction in Romance languages.

Casual vs Formal Hi in Spain

Spanish in Spain—often called Peninsular Spanish in linguistic descriptions—shares the same greeting formulas, but the degree of formality is looser in many contexts.

Casual “hi” in Spain

Casual greetings are extremely common, even with people you don’t know well but are similar in age:

• Hola – used everywhere, very flexible.
• ¿Qué tal? – one of the most typical Spanish greetings.
• Buenas – common in shops, cafés, and workplaces.
• Ey / Oye / Hola, buenas – relaxed and friendly.

In many situations where a Mexican might still say buenos días, señor and use usted, a Spaniard may jump straight to hola + tú:

• Hola, ¿qué tal?
• ¿Cómo estás?

Formal “hi” in Spain

Formal greetings do exist, just used more selectively:

• Buenos días, señor / señora.
• Buenas tardes, doctor García.
• Buenas noches, don / doña… (more traditional or regional)

Spain also uses usted, but less frequently in daily life than Mexico. Typical uses:

• with much older strangers
• in very formal service situations
• when explicitly wanting to keep distance or respect

Spanish dialect studies describe how many Spaniards now reserve usted for “marked” formality, while tú covers most everyday interactions.^tv

Quick Comparison: Mexico vs Spain

If you’re ever unsure, both countries accept buenos días + usted as a safe, respectful starting point.

How to Choose Casual vs Formal Hi (Simple Rules)

You don’t need to overthink it. Use this mental checklist:

1. Age difference

   • Much older than you? → Start formal.
   • Same age / younger? → Usually casual.

2. Social distance

   • Teacher, doctor, government office, job interview → formal.
   • Friend of a friend at a party, language partner, hostel staff → casual.

3. Country tendency

   • Mexico: default one step more formal, especially outside peer group.
   • Spain: default one step more casual, especially among adults.

4. Follow their lead

   • If they switch to tú, you can usually do the same.
   • If they keep saying usted, stay formal.

5. Remember: hola is safe

   • Hola works in casual and semi-formal settings.
   • Add formality with buenos días + title if needed.

For more help turning these patterns into natural sentences, see Spanish Sentence Structure: A Simple Beginner Guide.

Sample Dialogues: Mexico vs Spain

Mexico – Formal First Contact

You at a clinic in Mexico City
— Buenos días, doctor. ¿Cómo está usted?
— Buenos días, ¿en qué le puedo ayudar?

After a while, the doctor might say:

— Puedes tutearme, no hay problema.
(You can use tú with me, no problem.)

Spain – Neighbor in Your Building

— Hola, buenas. ¿Qué tal?
— Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?

Even if you’ve just met, tú is normal here.

Mexico – Friend’s Family Dinner

— Buenas noches, señora. Mucho gusto.
— Buenas noches, igualmente. Siéntate, por favor.

Spain – Casual Meetup

— Ey, hola, ¿qué tal todo?
— Muy bien, ¿y tú?

Pronunciation Tips for Hola and Other Greetings

To sound natural in both Mexico and Spain, focus on:

• Silent h in hola → /ˈo.la/
• Clear vowels in buenos días → /ˈbwe.nos ˈdi.as/
• The ¿qué in ¿qué tal? → /ke/ (not “kway”)

Spanish_phonology descriptions emphasize that vowels are short and pure, not diphthongized the way many English vowels are.

If you want a deeper dive into sound patterns beyond greetings, our article Listen and Learn Spanish: The Ultimate Guide pairs listening strategies with pronunciation practice.

Q&A: Casual vs Formal Hi in Spanish for Mexico & Spain

What is the safest way to say hi in Spanish in both Mexico and Spain?

Use hola with a friendly tone. It’s neutral enough for most situations.

When should I use “buenos días” instead of “hola”?

Use buenos días when you want to sound polite or formal, especially with older people, professionals, or in service situations.

Is “¿qué tal?” casual or formal?

Mostly casual–neutral. It’s fine with coworkers, acquaintances, or new people, as long as the situation isn’t very formal.

How do I know when to use usted vs tú?

In Mexico, default to usted with older strangers and authority figures and switch to tú only if invited. In Spain, tú is more common; usted feels very formal or distant.

Do greetings change a lot between Mexican and Spain Spanish?

The words are mostly the same, but frequency and tone change: Mexico leans more formal in many contexts, Spain more casual.