Learning Spanish - More Spanish Greetings

In the last post, we learned a little bit about some of the formal greetings and salutations. We'll continue today, starting with something a little less formal.

¿Qué tal?
[ke tal]
‘What’s up?’

¿Como estas?
[ko-mo es-tas]
‘How are you?’

Both expressions above are used for asking how another person is today, what he has been doing lately, how he is feeling, and the likes.

Note: When talking formally, use esta instead of estas in the latter expression.

(Muy) Bien
[(moo-ee) byen]
‘(Very) Well’

(Muy) Mal
[(moo-ee) mal]
‘(Very) Bad’


Mas o Menos
[mahs oh may-noes]
So-so

Questions on knowing ‘how you are doing’ can be answered depending on how you are actually feeling during the moment you are asked. Hence, from the options above, you can reply with a good, a very good, a bad, or a very bad, or just 'so-so'.

Por favor
[por fa-vor]
‘Please’

Por favor is the Spanish way of showing respect when asking a favor. It can be used either at the beginning of your sentence or at the end.

To Remember Easily: Don’t you usually say please when you ask por (for) a favor? 

Gracias
[grah-see-yas]
‘Thank you"

De nada
[de na-dha]
‘You’re welcome’

¡Adiós!
[a-dhyos]
‘Goodbye’

¡Adios! or ‘goodbye’ is used when you bid farewell to somebody you know – whether personally or through the telephone. It’s like wishing that God be with the other person as he continues his journey as a diós literally means ‘to God.’