Business greetings: Some top phrases for doing business in Spanish

Many people decide to learn Spanish because they want to move to Spain or another Spanish-speaking country. Even if this isn’t your situation, you never know when knowing a few basic Spanish business phrases will come in handy.

Learning business greetings in Spanish can help you in so many ways. For example, you could be the only person in your company who speaks at least a little Spanish, or one of only a few. If your boss ever required you to travel to Spain for a business trip, knowing some business phrases in Spanish could come in handy.

Before moving into the business greetings, here is a quick recommendation for you. If you are looking to learn Spanish online, try looking for italki Spanish teachers. They are highly professional instructors and are mostly native Spanish speakers.

They will train you about using the right phrases for a particular situation. You can enroll yourself online.

Excelling a job interview

If you intend to work in Spain, one of the first things you must do is, well, find a job! Once you are going for a job interview, you should be familiar with the following phrases and sentences. Some of these are straightforward, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook them.

What should you say first when you arrive for your job interview? Of course, you should greet your interviewer! Here are some examples of appropriate business greetings in Spanish:

– Hola

Meaning: “Hello”

As you are probably aware, hola means “hello.” While simple, this greeting is neither formal nor informal, and you can certainly use it to start your job interview. Learning to say Hi in Spanish can help you initiate Spanish conversations in both formal and informal settings.

– Buenos días

Meaning: “Good morning”

Buenos das is a slightly more formal greeting than Hola. Remember that while you can never go wrong with Hola, Buenos das may be a more appropriate greeting.

Introduction

Introduce yourself as the next step in your greeting. Because the employer is likely to interview several candidates, you’ll need to introduce yourself.

Soy [name]

Meaning: “I’m [name]

We suggest using the form Soy ___, as in Soy John. (“My name is John.”) This is because the interviewer will most likely recognize your name but they might not know what you look like.

Sometimes the person you meet at the reception desk is unaware that you are there for an interview, so you will need to specify:

– Tengo una entrevista. (Translation: “I have an interview”).

This sentence is usually a little longer. For instance, if you have an interview at eleven a.m., you can say:

– Tengo una entrevista a las 11. → “I have an interview at ten.”

If you know the name of the person who is going to conduct an interview, you can mention that as well:

– Tengo una entrevista con Charles Adams. → “I have an interview with Charles Adams.”

There are a few more sentences you should know before the interview. Here are a few useful examples:

– Disculpa, ¿podrías repetir la pregunta? (Translation: “Excuse me, could you repeat the question?”)

Some Spanish speakers speak a little too quickly so there may be a few times when you are not sure what the question was. Instead of guessing and responding with something completely unrelated just to see if that’s what they meant, don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat the question.

– Tengo experiencia (en) ___. (Translation: “I have experience (in) ___.”)

The interviewer will most likely inquire about your previous experience in the company’s industry or in the workforce in general. You can also include your level of experience.

In the end, you need to thank your interviewer by saying something like Muchísimas gracias por esta increíble oportunidad. (Translation: “Thank you very much for this incredible opportunity).

This is a sentence that will always make you appear competent. Even if you are not sure the interview went as well as you hoped, we believe it’s always polite to thank your interviewers for taking the time to interview you.

Interacting with coworkers

When learning business Spanish, it is significant to understand how to communicate and connect with your coworkers. Suppose, you got the job and that is how you will interact with your coworkers:

– ¡Hola, soy el nuevo programador! (Translation: “Hello, I’m the new programmer!”)

Some people may have already been informed that you’d been hired on your first day, and others may have met you at the interview. However, because not everyone will recognize you, you should introduce yourself.

– Disculpa, ¿me puedes ayudar? (Translation: “Excuse me, can you help me?”)

When you start a new job, you will have many questions and concerns. Even if you are an expert in your field, working for a new company will introduce you to new aspects of your job. Never underestimate the value of seeking assistance.

There are a few other ways to ask this question, some more formal than others. The one we mentioned above is straightforward and slightly more formal than the others. However, because it includes an informal expression, the following example is a very casual way of asking for help:

– Perdona, ¿me puedes echar una mano con esto? (“Excuse me, could you give me a hand with this?”)

– ¿Me puedes explicar cómo funciona? (Translation: “Could you explain to me how it works?”)

This question could be about a specific aspect of your job, such as a new software program you are still learning, a machine you need to operate, or anything else you come across that’s new or complicated.

– ¿Puedes decirle al jefe que estoy enfermo? (Translation: “Could you tell the boss I’m sick?)

There are several ways to notify your employer that you are sick and will be unable to work. One of them is to text a close colleague and request that they speak with your boss. You could, of course, call your boss and say something like this:

– Estoy enfermo y no voy a poder venir/ir hoy. (“I’m sick and I won’t be able to come/go today.”)

We hope your boss will wish you a speedy recovery, like so:  De acuerdo, mejórate pronto. (“Alright, get well soon.”)

Handling Business phone calls and emails

Whether you work in an office or not, you should be ready to take phone calls and handle your business email in Spanish.

– Buenas tardes, le atiende Sandra. (Translation: “Good afternoon, Sandra speaking.”)

If you have to answer the phone at work, your company may have a standard phrase that you should use. But if they don’t, this is a fairly common and straightforward method. The beginning of the sentence will, of course, vary depending on the time of day.

– K. industries, buenos días, le atiende Paula. → “K. industries, good morning, Paula speaking.”

You may need to inquire about the customer’s name on occasion. Most companies will tell you not to ask for their name directly, but rather to ask in a more formal and indirect manner

– ¿Me puede decir su nombre, por favor? (Translation: “Could you tell me your name, please?”)

However, if no such policy exists, you can use the more common sentence below:

– ¿Cómo te llamas? Or ¿Cómo se llama? (“What’s your name?”)

Your employer may have a script that includes thanking the customer for calling or emailing them. This phrase is fairly adaptable and can be used at the beginning or end of a call, depending on your company’s requirements.

– stimada Marta, (Translation: “Dear Marta,”)

This is a standard business email greeting in Spanish. It will appear at the start of a letter or an email. If the email or letter you are writing isn’t too formal and is going to someone you know well, change the Estimado/a to Querido/a.

– Atentamente (Translation: “Sincerely”)

There are a few different Spanish business email closings that are considered appropriate, some more formal than others, just like in English. Atentamente is a good choice for all formal and business emails.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How do you greet a business in Spanish?

A. Buenos días. The greeting Buenos días is slightly more formal than Hola. Keep in mind that you can never go wrong with Hola, but Buenos días might be an even more appropriate greeting.

Q. What is the most neutral Spanish greeting?

A. Hola is the most common Spanish phrase for saying Hello because it’s universally acceptable. If you don’t know what else to say to the person, Hola is always a safe way to say Hello in Spanish.

Q. How do you respond to a Spanish greeting?

A. If in passing someone says “hola!” to you, it would acceptable to reply: “como estas?”

Conclusion

We assume you found this guide useful and that it will be of assistance to you in the future.  Even if you never travel to Spain for business, a large portion of the vocabulary listed in the guide will be useful when visiting for leisure or needing to speak Spanish in a non-casual situation. Stop wondering how to speak Spanish and use these business greetings in Spanish to maximize your chances of success and achievement.

Learning Basic vocabulary words like saying hi, days of the month, and days of the week in Spanish can also help you understand Spanish speakers easily. Make notes for yourself and build confidence to speak Spanish publicly.