Spanish Greetings for Kids: Easy Words & Real Use

Homeschool Languages
Oct 9
5 min read

The best Spanish greetings for kids are hola, buenos días, ¿cómo estás?, adiós, and mucho gusto. Start with 2–3, then add more weekly. Use songs, puppets, and daily routines to make them stick. Focus on responses, not memorization, so kids use greetings in real conversations at home.

Ready to teach your kids their very first Spanish words, but in a way that actually sticks? This is your go-to guide.

Here’s what you really need to know:

Start with greetings they’ll actually use, like Hola, ¿Cómo estás?, and Adiós.
Kids learn best when they REPLY, not just repeat after you.
Don’t skip the fun: Use songs, puppets, and play to get them talking.
You don’t need to be fluent, we’ll show you exactly what to say.
Avoid vocab lists, teach greetings as part of a conversation, not a worksheet.

That’s exactly what we created our Homeschool Languages curriculum for. It’s open-and-go, designed for non-fluent parents, and includes everything from step-by-step lessons to bilingual books and scripted conversations.

👉 Try the first lessons free and see how quickly your child says “¡Hola!” (and means it!)

Then keep reading, we’re about to walk you through everything from what to teach first to what to do when they just stare at you blankly. (Been there!)

This is a real-world roadmap to building a bilingual home, starting with the very first “hello.”

Let’s jump in!

Start Here: The First Spanish Phrases Every Kid Should Know

What should kids learn first in Spanish? Greetings. Not just because they’re easy, but because they’re useful. These are the words your child can say every single day, starting now.

Here’s where we start:

Hola – Hello
Buenos días – Good morning
¿Cómo estás? – How are you?
Mucho gusto – Nice to meet you
Adiós – Goodbye
Buenas noches – Goodnight

Start with just three for the week, then add the others next week.

Slow steps = fast confidence!

Formal vs. Informal Spanish Greetings for Kids

What’s the difference between hola and buenos días? Between ¿Cómo estás tú? and ¿Cómo está usted?

It all comes down to who your child is talking to.

For teachers, elders, or new acquaintances:

Hola, buenos días, señor
¿Cómo está usted?
Que tenga buen día

For siblings, friends, and playtime:

¿Qué tal?
Holi
¿Cómo estás?

For saying goodbye in any context:

Hasta mañana
Nos vemos
Que te vaya súper

Teaching Tip: Group greetings by who they’re talking to. It helps kids understand when to use what, and it also builds real-life communication skills from day one.

How to Teach Spanish Greetings That Actually Stick

Here’s what actually helps kids remember, and use, Spanish greetings.

Step-by-Step Teaching Flow:

Choose 3 greetings to focus on. (We love Hola, ¿Cómo estás?, and Adiós for starters.)
Teach each phrase with a quick chant or song. Bonus if it rhymes.
Act it out using a puppet or toy. Kids open up when it feels like play.
Practice the greeting at real moments (like waking up or mealtime).
Celebrate their replies. Smiles and hugs go further than you think.

At Homeschool Languages, we realized something surprising: Kids resist speaking Spanish to us, but not to a puppet who “doesn’t understand English.”

Add one to your lessons and watch the magic happen!!!

Wondering “How do I teach greetings in Spanish to preschoolers?” Keep it short, silly, and repeat it daily. That’s where the magic happens!

Real-Life Practice: Turn Everyday Moments Into Language Wins

The fastest way to turn Spanish greetings into a habit? Fit them into your actual day.

Here are a few natural moments that work like magic:

Daily routines:

Morning: Buenos días, mi amor.
After school: Hola, ¿Cómo estuvo tu día?
Bedtime: Buenas noches. Te quiero.

Fun role-play ideas:

Say “hola” to a puppet at breakfast.
Act out meeting a new friend at a pretend grocery store.
Pretend you're boarding a rocket and say “adiós” before blast-off.

Try This Phrase: “¡Dime hola!” (“Tell me hello!”) , It’s a great cue that feels like a game.

Worried your toddler just stares blankly when you speak Spanish? Add surprise and silliness.

Use a stuffed animal who only understands Spanish, and suddenly... they’re in!!!

What If My Child Won’t Respond in Spanish?

If your child knows the word but won’t say it back, don’t panic. This is more common than you think, especially if you’re the only one speaking Spanish at home.

Here’s what helps:

Ask questions they can respond to without words (nods, thumbs up).
Always reply to their English in Spanish, model the phrase you wish they’d try.
Use a puppet or toy as the one “expecting” a response.
Celebrate their attempt. Never correct mid-convo. You can model it better next time.

One of the biggest hesitations we hear is: “They know the word… they just never say it.”

That’s okay. Kids speak when they feel safe, not tested. Let the greeting live in their world first, and their words will follow.

Easy Games and Songs to Reinforce Spanish Greetings

When you add rhythm, motion, or silliness, kids remember.

Songs to Try:

Hola, ¿Cómo estás? (repeat in a call-and-response)
Add their name: Hola, Mateo. ¿Cómo estás?
Create your own to a familiar melody like “Twinkle Twinkle”

Games that work:

Greeting Bingo – Match the phrase with the meaning or picture.
Puppet Show – Practice greetings as your puppet meets new friends.
Pass the Greeting – Sit in a circle and greet the person next to you.
Greeting Match – Flip cards to find English–Spanish greeting pairs.

Tip: Repeat the same greeting in a new way each day. That’s how kids build fluency, not from memorizing, but from using.

Want Help Teaching Spanish at Home, Even If You're Not Fluent?

If this sounds like a lot, we promise, it doesn’t have to be.

When we built Homeschool Languages, we weren’t looking for a magic solution. We just needed something that worked during nap time.

Something that didn’t require fluency! Something that told us what to say and gave our kids a reason to say it back!!

And now? That’s what we get to offer other families.

Our Spanish curriculum helps your child use what they’re learning, not just recognize it. Every lesson is built around real conversations, small wins, and silly moments that stick.

Here’s what’s inside: