Spanish Lesson 1: Introduction to Basic Spanish Greetings and Expressions

Welcome to your first Spanish lesson!

Whether you’re a complete beginner or just brushing up on your skills, this lesson will introduce you to essential Spanish greetings and expressions that will serve as the foundation for your language learning journey.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to greet someone, introduce yourself, and engage in basic conversation.

Why Start with Greetings?

Greetings are the first step in any conversation, making them the perfect starting point for learning a new language.

They are simple, universally understood, and can help you make a great first impression when interacting with Spanish speakers.

Basic Spanish Greetings

Let’s begin with some of the most common greetings in Spanish. These are phrases you’ll use daily, so practice them until they feel natural.

1. Hola (Hello)

   • Pronunciation: [OH-lah]
   • Use this versatile greeting at any time of day.

2. Buenos días (Good morning)

   • Pronunciation: [BWAY-nos DEE-ahs]
   • Use this greeting until around noon.

3. Buenas tardes (Good afternoon)

   • Pronunciation: [BWAY-nahs TAR-des]
   • Use this from noon until the early evening.

4. Buenas noches (Good evening/Good night)

   • Pronunciation: [BWAY-nahs NO-chess]
   • Use this both as a greeting in the evening and when saying good night.

Introducing Yourself in Spanish

After greeting someone, the next step is to introduce yourself. Here’s how:

1. Me llamo [Your Name] (My name is [Your Name])

   • Pronunciation: [Meh YAH-moh]
   • Example: Me llamo Ana (My name is Ana).

2. ¿Cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?)

   • Pronunciation: [KOH-moh teh YAH-mahs]
   • Use this to ask someone for their name.

3. Mucho gusto (Nice to meet you)

   • Pronunciation: [MOO-choh GOO-stoh]
   • This is a polite way to respond when meeting someone new.

Essential Courtesy Phrases

Politeness goes a long way in any language. Here are a few key phrases that will help you navigate basic interactions:

1. Por favor (Please)

   • Pronunciation: [Por fah-VOR]

2. Gracias (Thank you)

   • Pronunciation: [GRAH-syahs]

3. De nada (You’re welcome)

   • Pronunciation: [Deh NAH-dah]

4. Lo siento (I’m sorry)

   • Pronunciation: [Loh SYEN-toh]

5. Sí / No (Yes / No)

   • Pronunciation: [See / No]

Simple Conversational Phrases

Now that you can greet and introduce yourself, let’s expand your conversation skills with a few simple questions and responses:

1. ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)

   • Pronunciation: [KOH-moh eh-STAS]
   • Response: Estoy bien, gracias (I’m fine, thank you).

2. ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?)

   • Pronunciation: [Deh DON-deh EH-rehs]
   • Response: Soy de [Your Country] (I’m from [Your Country]).

3. ¿Qué tal? (What’s up? / How’s it going?)

   • Pronunciation: [KEH tahl]
   • This informal greeting is commonly used among friends.

Practice Makes Perfect

Now that you’ve learned some essential Spanish phrases, it’s time to practice!

Try using these greetings and expressions in your daily life.

Whether you’re talking to a Spanish-speaking friend or practicing with yourself, repetition is key to building confidence.

Here’s a quick dialogue to get you started:

A: Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? (Hello, what’s your name?)
B: Me llamo Carlos. ¿Y tú? (My name is Carlos. And you?)
A: Me llamo Laura. Mucho gusto. (My name is Laura. Nice to meet you.)
B: Mucho gusto, Laura. ¿Cómo estás? (Nice to meet you, Laura. How are you?)
A: Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
B: Estoy bien también, gracias. (I’m fine too, thank you.)

Congratulations on completing your first Spanish lesson!

By mastering these basic greetings and expressions, you’ve taken an important step towards fluency.

As you continue to learn, remember that practice and consistency are key. Stay tuned for more lessons, and don’t hesitate to revisit this one whenever you need a refresher.

¡Hasta luego! (See you later!)