# Spanish For Gringos Lesson 1 Greetings Introductions 2026 10 03

Spanish for Gringos · Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:42:30 GMT · 2:17

Maya: ¡Hola! And welcome to Spanish for Gringos, the daily show that gets you ready for Latin America, one lesson at a time. I'm Maya.

Devon: And I'm Devon. If you've ever frozen up trying to say hello in Spanish, this course is for you. By the end of our thirty lessons, you'll handle restaurants, taxis, hotels, and emergencies like a pro.

Maya: Today's lesson one: greetings and introductions. The absolute essentials. Let's start with the most famous Spanish word of all. Hola. That means hello, and you say it OH-lah, nice and open.

Devon: Next, good morning: buenos días. That's BWAY-nohs DEE-ahs. Use it until about noon.

Maya: Good afternoon is buenas tardes, BWAY-nahs TAR-dehs. And good evening or good night is buenas noches, BWAY-nahs NOH-chehs. Quick tip: Spanish greetings love the plural. Even one morning gets buenos días, with an s.

Devon: Now introduce yourself. Me llamo... then your name. Me llamo Devon. That's may YAH-moh, and it literally means "I call myself." So, me llamo Devon.

Maya: When someone tells you their name, answer with mucho gusto. That's MOO-choh GOOS-toh, and it means "much pleasure," basically "nice to meet you."

Devon: And to ask how someone is: ¿cómo estás? KOH-moh ehs-TAHS. Informal and friendly, perfect for fellow travelers.

Maya: Let's put it together in a quick demo. Devon, you're a fellow traveler at a hostel in Mexico City.

Devon: ¡Hola! Buenos días. Me llamo Devon. ¿Cómo estás?

Maya: ¡Hola, Devon! Me llamo Maya. Mucho gusto.

Devon: Mucho gusto, Maya.

Maya: Beautiful. You just had your first Spanish conversation. Cultural note: in much of Latin America, greetings come with warmth. Friends often do a light kiss on the cheek, one side only. Don't be surprised, and don't overthink it.

Devon: Time for your recap drill. Repeat after us. One: hola, OH-lah, hello.

Maya: Two: buenos días, BWAY-nohs DEE-ahs, good morning.

Devon: Three: mucho gusto, MOO-choh GOOS-toh, nice to meet you.

Maya: That's lesson one! Tomorrow: the courtesy essentials, please, thank you, and the magic words that get you everywhere.

Devon: Hasta mañana, gringos!

Maya: Adiós!