Spanish for beginners
Spanish for Beginners: Greetings and First Questions
Use a small number of high-frequency phrases to begin interacting. The examples use broadly understood forms and note that local usage may differ.
Essential phrases
Hola, me llamo Elena.
Hello, my name is Elena.
¿Cómo está?
How are you? (formal)
Mucho gusto.
Nice to meet you.
Por favor / Gracias
Please / Thank you
A first dialogue
A: Hola, me llamo Elena. ¿Cómo te llamas?
B: Me llamo Diego. Mucho gusto.
A: ¿De dónde eres?
B: Soy de Colombia, pero vivo en Canadá.
Build your own exchange
- Soy… — I am…
- Vivo en… — I live in…
- Quiero… — I want…
- ¿Dónde está…? — Where is…?
- Replace each personal detail in the dialogue.
- Introduce yourself in three sentences.
- Ask one question with “¿Dónde…?”
- Practise both informal and formal greetings.