Common Greetings in Spanish

Ready to add some flair to your Spanish conversations? This week, we’re diving into common greetings in Spanish. 
We know you’re already familiar with the basic ‘Hola’ and ‘Buenos días’, so let’s skip those and look at some unique greetings that will help you sound more natural and confident.
Friendly and Informal Greetings
¿Qué tal? – What’s up?/How’s it going?

¿Qué tal tu fin de semana? – How was your weekend?

¿Cómo estás? – How are you?
¿Cómo estás hoy? – How are you today?

¿Qué pasa? – What’s happening?/What’s going on?
¿Qué pasa, amigo? Tiempo sin verte. – What’s going on, friend? Long time no see.
Regional Variations
¡Hola, tío/tía! – Common in Spain, especially in informal settings. It’s like saying “Hey, dude!” or “Hi, buddy!”

¡Hola, tío! ¿Qué haces? – Hey, dude! What’s up?

¿Qué onda? – Popular in Mexico and some parts of Central America, meaning “What’s up?”

¿Qué onda, amigo? – What’s up, friend?

¿Cómo andás? – Used in Argentina and Uruguay, a casual way of asking “How are you?”
¿Che, cómo andás? – How are you, mate?
Tips for Using Greetings
Match the greeting to the time of day: In a more formal setting, use “Buenos días” in the morning, “Buenas tardes” in the afternoon, and “Buenas noches” in the evening.

Gauge the formality: “Hola” and “¿Cómo estás?” are perfect for almost any situation, while region-specific greetings like “¿Qué onda?” are great for informal contexts.