One of the most important things kids should learn in Spanish are greetings and goodbyes. These two things are the basics of moral education. So, if they learn them in their mother tongue, why not in their second language? Kids must know how to be respectful and how to introduce and dismiss themselves in all languages. Plus, greetings and goodbyes tend to be short phrases, so they’re not that hard to learn.
You can help your children get an amazing Spanish education by teaching them these TruFluency Kids’ important Spanish greetings and goodbyes. They will learn the language, while practicing their values.
Formal Greetings
Here are the most appropriate ways for kids to greet an authority, an elder person, a teacher, or someone in a formal environment or situation.
Hola – Hello
This is used both in formal and informal situations. Though, when it’s used in a formal way, it’s better to add another phrase like “buenos días” (good morning). For example: “Hola, buenos días, señor”. / “Hello, good morning, Sir”.
Mi nombre es (tu nombre) – My name is (your name)
This is perfect for kids to introduce themselves to a new teacher.
Buenos días – Good morning / Buenas tardes – Good afternoon / Buenas noches – Good night
It’s perfect to say hello to both people that the children know and those who they don’t know but might cross paths with. For example: Let’s say you and your kid enter an elevator full of people. You don’t have to greet each stranger by name, both of you can simply say “buenos días” to show education.
It’s also a common phrase that kids in Spanish speaking countries use when the teacher enters the classroom. Just picture the teacher greeting the class: “Buenos días, niños” / “Good morning, kids”; and all the children answering in unison: “Buenos días, miss Patty”.
“Buenos días” has two counterparts depending on the time of the day. There’s also “buenas tardes” for the afternoon, and “buenas noches” for the night.
Buen día – Good morning
This is another form of “buenos días”, but the words are singular, and it’s less common. Nonetheless, it’s still good to use with formal people.
Mucho gusto – Nice to meet you
This is the perfect formal expression for when kids meet someone new. If the situation is too formal or the person is a big authority, adults can say “es un placer conocerle” (it’s a pleasure to meet you). But for kids, just “mucho gusto” is totally fine. After all, children don’t have to be completely refined.
¿Cómo está? / ¿Cómo está usted? – How are you?
Perfect to greet an old person that kids might not be very familiar with. Since it’s a question and it’s about someone’s well-being, it helps with small talk.
In Spanish you can add, or not, the pronoun “usted”; the phrase is understandable either way.
¿Cómo se encuentra? / ¿Cómo se encuentra usted? – How are you?
This works just like “¿cómo está?”, but this one is a bit more formal.
Formal Goodbyes
Hasta pronto – See you soon
It can be used in both formal and informal situations but it’s especially perfect for formal events. Because it’s better than a simple and vague “adiós” (goodbye).
Hasta luego – See you later
This is used like “hasta pronto”, both in formal and informal situations.
Que tenga buen día – Have a nice day
Giving your best wishes to someone is one of the kindest ways of saying goodbye. That’s why it’s perfect for formal situations. Because even if your kids don’t know someone very well, it’s nice and shows respect to wish them a good day.
This can also be said as “que tengas buen día”, but this version refers to the other person as TÚ (you). And, in Spanish, when speaking to an authority, it’s better to use USTED (you), the formal version of TÚ. And the phrase “que tenga buen día” has an implicit USTED, so it’s better that kids use this expression with their teachers and elders.
Hasta mañana – Until tomorrow
This is not the most formal expression, but it’s also not slang; it’s like an in-between: serious but kind. And it’s very common for kids to use it as a goodbye phrase to their teachers. For example: when Monday classes come to an end, children say “hasta mañana” to their teacher.
Because they know they’ll see her/him the next day.
Fue un gusto (conocerte) – It was a pleasure (meeting you)
It’s more common for older people to use this kind of goodbyes. But if you want your kid to be very elegant, teach them this phrase. It might not be as refined as “fue un placer” (it was a pleasure), but it’s still very formal.
Informal Greetings
All the formal greetings above can be used in informal situations as well. But these next greetings are even better to use with informal people, like friends, classmates, romantic partners, and more.
Hola – Hello
We already said that this is used both in formal and informal situations. When used in an informal way, just an “hola” is enough. It’s very common for kids to salute many people with this basic Spanish word, especially their friends.
Soy (tu nombre) – I am (your name)
This is a more informal way to present yourself to someone that doesn’t know you.
Qué onda – What’s up
This is one of the most informal expressions. It’s very common among friends.
¿Qué tal? – What’s up
This is like asking the person how they’re doing or what’s up with them, but very informal. You don’t expect a big answer. Usually, the other person answers with another greeting, like “qué onda”.
Holi – Hi
You might hear this word a lot, especially among kids or girls. It’s a cute way of saying “hello”. People tend to add a sweet tone to it when saying it.
¿Cómo estás? – How are you?
In the formal greetings we learned the phrase “¿como está?”. Now, we add an “s” at the end, because for informal situations or close people we use the pronoun “tú” (you), instead of “usted” (you).
Informal Goodbyes
All the formal goodbyes that we learned above are also used in informal situations. Because they also work with friends, family, boyfriends and girlfriends, and more. But here are other words and expressions to say goodbye that work better in informal situations and with close people. Because they’re funny or irreverent.
Adiós – Goodbye
This is a basic word that all children trying to learn Spanish need to know. It’s also a very common way of saying goodbye. Kids can use it with their families, friends, classmates, and basically everyone. Though if they want to be very formal it’s better to use one of the formal goodbyes that we just showed you. Nonetheless, “adiós” is very neutral, so it’s fine to use with anyone.
Luego nos vemos – See you later
With this phrase, kids are telling someone that they’ll see each other in another moment. It’s usually accompanied by another goodbye word, like “adiós” or even “bye”, as many Hispanic people know and use this English word. For example: “Adiós, nos vemos luego”. / “Bye, see you later”.
Nos vemos – See you
It’s like the one above, but even more casual as you get rid of the “luego” (later). It’s used a lot among friends.
Te cuidas / Cuídate – Take care
This is a kind way of saying goodbye, because you’re wishing for well-being.
Que tengas buen día – Have a nice day
This is the informal version of “que tenga buen día”. Because with “que tengas buen día” we are talking to someone using the implicit pronoun “Tú” (you), used in informal situations.
¡Que te vaya súper! – Have a great time / Good luck
Do you want an even more fun and casual goodbye phrase? “¡Que te vaya súper!” is amazing to wish someone a great day or great result in something, while dismissing them.
It’s like saying “que te vaya bien”, but the word “súper” (super) might sound more cool for kids than “bien” (good/well).
For example: If your children’s friend is leaving because he/she has an exam, your kids can say goodbye with this phrase. It would mean that they wish their friend a great result on their exam.
Or let’s say you’re going on vacation. If someone tells you “¡que te vaya súper!”, they’re wishing you a great time.
It can be accompanied by another goodbye, like “adiós” or “hasta luego”.
How to Practice These Greetings and Goodbyes
Memorizing these expressions won’t really help your kid to really know them. They need to practice them to truly know when and how to use them.
You could play make-believe with your kids. Create a fun environment and cool characters that they would like. Then make your kids practice their greetings and goodbyes casually while playing. For example: if you’re playing astronauts, your kids must say hello to the chief of astronauts with one of the greetings above. And when you all go to space, they must say goodbye to their friends. So let them pick one phrase to do that. And so on.
You could also say goodbye in Spanish to your kids when they leave for school. And greet them with a Spanish expression when they arrive home. That way, they’ll learn Spanish greetings and farewells by listening to you. It’ll be like the immersion learning method.
Another way of helping your kids practice is by enrolling them in TruFluency Kids’ classes. If you teach them some greetings and goodbyes before class, they can surprise our teachers by saying hi in Spanish. And with us, they’ll learn even more words and phrases to say hello and bye.
But not only that! With our native teachers, kids also learn other useful Spanish vocabulary, idioms and expressions. Plus, they all get enough time to speak in class, so they become fluent in Spanish.
We teach Spanish through immersion. That means your kids will learn while doing fun, everyday activities, like singing, cooking, and playing games. And because we know that all families have different routines, we offer flexible schedules, and all our classes are completely online.
Just sign up for the next four-week session and see for yourself why we are the best option for your kids’ Spanish classes.
