🇪🇸 SpanishA1–A2

Spanish Introductions: Essential Phrases

This page gives you the core lines for a first meeting in Spanish: how to say hello, give your name, ask where someone is from or what they do, and end the conversation without sounding abrupt. The phrases are chosen for everyday use in Spain, so you can copy them into a café chat, a class, or a new-workplace introduction.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Spanish phrases

Greetings and opening

Simple ways to start a first conversation.

Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hi, how's it going?
Buenos días.
Good morning.
Buenas tardes.
Good afternoon.
Mucho gusto.
Nice to meet you.

Introducing yourself

Say your name, where you are from, and a little about yourself.

Me llamo [name].
My name is [name].
Soy [name].
I'm [name].
Soy de [place].
I'm from [place].
Soy estudiante.
I'm a student.

Asking basic questions

Common follow-up questions about names, origin, and work.

¿Cómo te llamas?
What's your name?
¿Cómo se llama?
What's your name?
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?
¿De dónde es?
Where are you from?
¿A qué se dedica?
What do you do for work?

Replying and closing

Useful replies and natural ways to end the conversation.

¿Y tú?
And you?
¿Y usted?
And you?
Igualmente.
Likewise.
Ha sido un placer.
It was a pleasure.
Hasta luego.
See you later.

Example conversations

Meeting someone casually

You meet someone at a language exchange and start a relaxed first conversation.

You
Hola, ¿qué tal?
Hi, how's it going?
Other person
Hola, bien. ¿Y tú?
Hi, I'm well. And you?
You
Bien también. Me llamo Laura.
I'm well too. My name is Laura.
Other person
Mucho gusto. Soy Carlos.
Nice to meet you. I'm Carlos.
You
Mucho gusto. ¿De dónde eres?
Nice to meet you. Where are you from?
Other person
Soy de Valencia. ¿Y tú?
I'm from Valencia. And you?
You
Soy de Madrid. Hasta luego.
I'm from Madrid. See you later.
Other person
Hasta luego.
See you later.

Meeting someone in a more formal setting

You meet someone at a work event and want to keep the introduction polite and brief.

You
Buenos días.
Good morning.
Other person
Buenos días.
Good morning.
You
Soy Marta. ¿Cómo se llama?
I'm Marta. What's your name?
Other person
Me llamo Javier. Mucho gusto.
My name is Javier. Nice to meet you.
You
Igualmente. ¿A qué se dedica?
Likewise. What do you do for work?
Other person
Trabajo como arquitecto.
I work as an architect.
You
Soy estudiante. Ha sido un placer.
I'm a student. It was a pleasure.
Other person
Hasta luego.
See you later.

A few things to know

polite by default

Start with the polite options if you do not know the person, especially Buenos días., Mucho gusto., ¿Cómo se llama?, and ¿De dónde es?. In everyday Spanish in Spain, people often move to tú quite quickly once the conversation feels friendly, so informal forms such as ¿Cómo te llamas? and ¿Y tú? are also very common after the first exchange.

usage

Me llamo vs. Soy

Both phrases can introduce your name. Me llamo [name]. is the clearest default; Soy [name]. is shorter and works well when the conversation is already obviously an introduction.

grammar

Answering origin with de

After ¿De dónde eres? the normal reply keeps de: Soy de Madrid, Soy de Argentina. Do not drop de in the answer. For nationality, Spanish usually uses an adjective instead: Soy español o española.

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Spanish Restaurant and Café PhrasesSpanish (Spain) phrases for restaurant and café visits: getting a table, ordering, checking ingredients, handling a problem, paying, and leaving politely.How to Ask for Directions in SpanishSpanish phrases for asking where a place is, understanding street directions, and checking or thanking someone who helps you find it.Spanish Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesSpanish hotel phrases for checking in, asking about services, reporting room problems, and checking out in Spain.Essential Spanish Shopping PhrasesEssential Spanish phrases for shopping in Spain: asking for help, checking price and size, trying items on, understanding basic replies, paying, and handling a simple exchange or return.Spanish Public Transport PhrasesSpanish (Spain) phrases for finding the right bus or train, buying tickets, asking about stops and times, making transfers, and handling delays or confusion.

Put the phrases in context