GREETINGS AND LEAVINGS

buenos días	hasta mediodía	hello good morning
buenas tardes		good afternoon
buenas noches	saludo	good evening
hola		hi
¿Cómo está(s)?		How are you?
¿Qué tal?		How’s it going?
bien		fine
muy bien		good
malo		not so good
más o menos, así así		so so OK
¿Qué hay de nuevo?		What’s up? What’s new?
nada		nothing nothing much
adiós		good-bye
buenas noches	de despedida	good night
hasta luego		bye see you later
hasta pronto		see you soon

Shaking Hands

	When meeting someone formally for the first time, we shake their hand and say “How do you do?” or “Pleased to meet you.” “How do you do?” isn’t really a question, it just means “Hello”.
	When young people meet informally they sometimes say “Give me five!” and slap their hands together (high five).
	Generally we do not shake hands with people we know well.

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Naturally speaking

You say hello, and I say goodbye!

Follow the dialogue.

Mr Bean meets Mrs Breuer, one of his students, and her husband in the street.

Mr Bean:	Good morning, Mrs Breuer.
Mrs Breuer:	Good morning, Mr Bean. How are you?
Mr Bean:	I’m fine thanks, and you?
Mrs Breuer:	Not too bad. Mr Bean, this is my husband Michael, Michael this is Mr Bean my English teacher.
Mr Breuer:	Pleased to meet you.
Mr Bean:	Pleased to meet you too. Are you from Germany, Mr Breuer?
Mr Breuer:	Yes, East Germany, from Dresden. And you, are you from London?
Mr Bean:	No, I’m from Derby, but I live in London now.
Mrs Breuer:	Well, goodbye Mr Bean, it was nice to see you.
Mr Bean:	Yes, goodbye.