TL;DR
- The most common way to say hi in Spanish is “hola”, pronounced /ˈo.la/
with a silent h. - There are many different ways to say hi in Spanish, including “buenas,” “¿Qué tal?”, “¿Cómo estás?”, “buenos días,” “buenas tardes,” “buenas noches,” and slang options like “¿Qué onda?”.
- Formal greetings (like buenos días) work in professional or polite contexts, while casual ones (like ¿Qué tal? or ¡Ey!) fit friends and peers.
- Pronunciation is simple once you master pure Spanish vowels and the silent h rule; for a deeper breakdown of vowels, see How to Pronounce Spanish Vowels.
- The best way to remember these greetings is to use them in real conversations, reading practice, and short daily speaking drills.
Table of Contents
Open Table of Contents
- What Are the Main Different Ways to Say Hi in Spanish?
- Basic and Neutral Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
- Time-of-Day Greetings That Also Mean “Hi”
- Casual and Friendly Different Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
- Slang and Regional Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
- How to Choose the Right Spanish Greeting
- Pronunciation Tips for Hi in Spanish
- Using Greetings Inside Full Sentences
- Q&A: Common Questions About Saying Hi in Spanish
- References
What Are the Main Different Ways to Say Hi in Spanish?
The core idea is simple: you rarely use just one greeting in real life.
Most learners start with hola, but native speakers constantly switch between different ways to say hi in Spanish depending on time of day, relationship, country, and mood.
At a basic level:
- Neutral / universal:
- Polite / formal:
, , - Friendly casual:
, , , - Informal / slang:
, , ,
Spanish, like English, has a rich greeting system, and linguists treat greetings as part of pragmatics — language in social use — rather than purely grammar-focused structures.
Basic and Neutral Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
These are the safest greetings to use anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
Hola — the universal “hi”
- Meaning: hi / hello
- Pronunciation: /ˈo.la/
- Register: neutral, works in almost any situation
According to the Spanish phonology overview, hola follows standard Spanish phonetic rules: h is silent, stress on the first syllable, and pure vowels.
Examples:
- Hola, ¿cómo estás? — Hi, how are you?
- Hola, mucho gusto. — Hi, nice to meet you.
If you want to hear how vowels work inside greetings like hola, it helps to review a full vowel guide while you practice saying them aloud. Our post How to Pronounce Spanish Vowels: Clear Guide with Examples fits perfectly here.
Hola + name
Adding a name makes your greeting warm and personalized.
- Hola, Ana. — Hi, Ana.
- Hola, señor García. — Hello, Mr. García.
You’ll hear this constantly in workplaces, schools, and casual conversations.
Hola a todos / hola a todas / hola a todos y todas
Use these when greeting a group:
- Hola a todos. — Hi everyone.
- Hola a todas. — Hi everyone (all women).
These group greetings are common at the start of meetings, classes, or online calls.
Time-of-Day Greetings That Also Mean “Hi”
Spanish uses time-based greetings so often that they function like “hi” plus a sense of the moment.
Buenos días — “good morning”
- Literal meaning: good days (used as “good morning”)
- Use: morning until around lunchtime
Examples:
- Buenos días, profesor. — Good morning, professor.
- Buenos días, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle? — Good morning, how can I help you?
These are standard in polite contexts, and many Spanish teaching resources start with buenos días as a primary greeting.
Buenas tardes — “good afternoon”
- Used from early afternoon until sunset or early evening.
- Slightly more formal than hola, but still friendly.
Example:
- Buenas tardes, señora. — Good afternoon, ma’am.
Buenas noches — “good evening / good night”
- Used at night, both for greeting and saying goodbye.
- Works in formal and informal settings:
Examples:
- Buenas noches, doctor. — Good evening, doctor.
- Buenas noches, chicos. — Good night, guys.
Casual and Friendly Different Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
These are perfect for friends, classmates, coworkers, and informal chats.
¿Qué tal?
- Meaning: How’s it going? / What’s up?
- Register: friendly neutral
You’ll hear ¿Qué tal? across Spain and Latin America. It’s safe, easy to use, and not too formal.
- Hola, ¿qué tal? — Hi, how’s it going?
¿Cómo estás? / ¿Cómo están?
- Meaning: How are you? (singular / plural)
- Slightly more “caring” or personal than ¿Qué tal?
Examples:
- Hola, ¿cómo estás? — Hi, how are you? (to one person)
- Hola, ¿cómo están? — Hi, how are you all? (to several people)
Buenas
- Short for: buenos días / buenas tardes / buenas noches
- Meaning: a casual “hi” with a time-of-day flavor
- Common in Spain, Mexico, and many parts of Latin America.
Examples:
- ¡Buenas! — Hi!
- Buenas, ¿todo bien? — Hey, everything good?
Using casual greetings like buenas is a smart way to sound more natural once you’ve mastered the basics. If you’re already working through Spanish sentence patterns, our guide Spanish Sentence Structure: A Simple Beginner Guide can help you place these greetings correctly in full phrases.
Hola, buenas
Sometimes speakers combine neutral and time-of-day greetings:
- Hola, buenas. — Hi there / Hello, good day.
This hybrid greeting is very common in shops, restaurants, and customer service interactions.
Slang and Regional Ways to Say Hi in Spanish
Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries, so it’s no surprise that each region has its own favorite greetings. The Spanish dialects and varieties overview highlights how vocabulary and expressions vary widely across the Spanish-speaking world.
You don’t need to memorize everything, but knowing a few can make you sound much more local.
Spain
- ¿Qué pasa? — What’s up? / What’s going on?
- ¡Ey! — Hey!
- ¡Oye! — Hey / Listen (informal, but common among friends)
Example:
- ¡Ey, qué pasa! — Hey, what’s up!
Mexico
- ¿Qué onda? — What’s up? (very common)
- ¿Qué show? — Slangy “What’s up?” in some areas
- ¿Qué tal, güey? — Super informal among close friends
Example:
- ¡Qué onda, Carlos! — What’s up, Carlos!
Argentina & Uruguay
- Che, hola — “Hey, hi” (che is a very Argentine attention-getter)
- ¿Todo bien? — All good?
Example:
- Che, ¿todo bien? — Hey, all good?
Caribbean Spanish (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)
- ¿Qué lo qué? (Dominican slang)
- Oye, hola — Hey, hi
- ¿Todo bien? — Everything good?
These country-specific greetings are best learned gradually through listening. A practical way to absorb them is to combine this article with listening-focused resources like Listen and Learn Spanish: The Ultimate Guide, which encourages you to pull real phrases straight from audio.
How to Choose the Right Spanish Greeting
With so many different ways to say hi in Spanish, how do you choose?
Ask yourself these quick questions:
-
What’s the context?
- Job interview, professor, store clerk → buenos días / buenas tardes / buenas noches
- Friend, classmate, coworker → hola, ¿qué tal?, buenas
-
What’s your relationship?
- New or formal relationship → avoid strong slang like ¿Qué onda? at first.
- Close friends → slang and playful greetings are fine.
-
Where are you?
- In Mexico, ¿Qué onda? sounds natural.
- In Spain, ¿Qué pasa? or ¿Qué tal? feel more local.
-
What do you feel comfortable pronouncing?
Start with hola and buenos días, then expand as your pronunciation improves.
If you’re building a broader Spanish routine, it helps to combine greetings practice with a structured speaking routine like the one in Spanish Conversation Practice: Best Tips and Tools.
Pronunciation Tips for Hi in Spanish
Even if you only remember three or four different ways to say hi in Spanish, sound matters. Spanish pronunciation is more regular than English, which makes greetings a good training ground.
1. Remember: h is silent
Words like:
- hola
- hacer
- hoy
All start with a vowel sound, not an English “h.”
2. Keep vowels pure
Spanish has five stable vowels: a, e, i, o, u.
They don’t glide the way English vowels do.
- hola → “oh-lah” (not “ow-luh”)
- buenas → “bweh-nas”
Learning these vowel patterns will help you pronounce every greeting in this article more confidently.
3. Watch your stress
Most greetings follow standard stress rules:
- HO-la — stress on the first syllable
- BUE-nas — stress on the first syllable
- ¿Qué TAL? — stress on the last syllable
Stress patterns are a core part of Spanish rhythm and are documented in academic descriptions of the language’s phonology.
For a deeper dive, pair this article with our vowel-focused guide How to Pronounce Spanish Vowels: Clear Guide with Examples.
Using Greetings Inside Full Sentences
To move from single words to real conversation, you should plug greetings into complete sentences. That’s where grammar and word order matter.
Examples:
- Hola, me llamo Marta. — Hi, my name is Marta.
- Buenos días, soy el nuevo estudiante. — Good morning, I’m the new student.
- Buenas, ¿tienen mesa para dos? — Hi, do you have a table for two?
- Hola, ¿todo bien? — Hey, everything good?
If you’re still figuring out how to build these sentences, Spanish Sentence Structure: A Simple Beginner Guide walks through the typical word order you’ll need.
And when you want to expand beyond greetings into basic vocabulary, you can grab common descriptive words from Essential Spanish Words Guide and start combining them with greetings in your own mini-dialogues.
Q&A: Common Questions About Saying Hi in Spanish
What is the most common way to say hi in Spanish?
The most common greeting is hola, a neutral “hi/hello” used in almost every Spanish-speaking country.
What is the most polite way to say hi?
Use buenos días, buenas tardes, or buenas noches in professional, formal, or respectful situations like workplaces, shops, or with older people.
Is “buenas” on its own correct?
Yes. Buenas is a very common casual greeting, shortened from time-of-day expressions. It’s widely used, especially when entering a shop or joining a group.
Is “¿Qué tal?” rude or too informal?
No. ¿Qué tal? is friendly and neutral. You can use it with coworkers, classmates, and acquaintances almost anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
Which different ways to say hi in Spanish should beginners learn first?
Start with hola, buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches, ¿Qué tal?, and buenas.
Once those feel easy, slowly add regional slang like ¿Qué onda? or ¿Qué pasa? as you listen to more native audio.