Hitting “send” in a new language can feel scarier than speaking it out loud. At least when you talk, your words don’t sit there, frozen forever, waiting to be over-analyzed by your boss, landlord, or future in-laws.
The good news: if you already speak English and you’re learning español /espaˈɲol/ — Spanish, email is a very learnable skill. Spanish has clear email formulas, and once you know them, you can sound polite, natural, and confident without overthinking every sentence.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to structure a correo electrónico /koˈreo elekˈtɾo.ni.ko/ — email from subject line to signature, choose the right level of formality, and avoid the classic “oops, I just wrote English in Spanish clothes” mistakes.
Quick Primer: What Makes A Spanish Email Different?
Before building full emails, you need a few key concepts.
First, saludo /saˈlu.ðo/ — greeting. In Spanish emails, the greeting usually ends with dos puntos /dos ˈpun.tos/ — a colon, not a comma.
Querido Juan: /keˈɾi.ðo ˈxwan/ — Dear Juan:
Then the body of the email starts on a new line, with a capital letter.
Second, tú /tu/ vs usted /usˈteð/. In Spanish, you choose pronouns and verb forms depending on how formal you want to be. That makes your tone clearer but gives you one extra decision to make.
Third, Spanish likes direct, simple openings. Instead of long “I hope this email finds you well and…” intros, you’ll often see short, to-the-point phrases like:
Le escribo para… /le esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa/ — I’m writing to…
Those three ideas already put you ahead of a lot of learners.
Basic Structure Of A Spanish Email
Most correos electrónicos follow the same basic structure:
- Asunto /aˈsun.to/ — subject line
- Saludo — greeting
- Frase inicial /ˈfɾa.se iniˈsjal/ — opening sentence with your purpose
- Cuerpo del mensaje /ˈkweɾ.po ðel menˈsa.xe/ — body of the email
- Despedida /des.peˈði.ða/ — closing formula
- Firma /ˈfiɾ.ma/ — signature
Here is a simple formal example layout:
Asunto: Solicitud de información sobre el curso
Subject: Request for information about the course
Estimada señora López:
Le escribo para solicitar información sobre el curso de español intermedio. […]
Atentamente,
Carlos Pérez
An informal friend-to-friend email will look similar but with different greeting, tone, and closing:
Asunto: ¿Quedamos este sábado?
Subject: Shall we meet this Saturday?
Hola, Marta:
Te escribo porque quiero saber si puedes quedar este sábado. […]
Un abrazo,
Lucía
Once you memorise this skeleton, writing becomes a “fill in the slots” job instead of inventing a masterpiece every time.
Greetings And Openings: From Ultra Formal To Friendly
Your saludo sets the tone. Here are common options, from most formal to relaxed.
Common Email Greetings In Spanish
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| A quien corresponda: | a ˈkjen ko.resˈpon.da | To whom it may concern: |
| Estimado señor Pérez: | estiˈma.ðo seˈɲoɾ ˈpe.ɾes | Dear Mr. Pérez: |
| Estimada señora López: | estiˈma.ða seˈɲo.ɾa ˈlo.pes | Dear Mrs/Ms. López: |
| Estimado/a [Nombre]: | estiˈma.ðo / estiˈma.ða ˈnom.bɾe | Dear [Name]: (semi-formal) |
| Hola, [Nombre]: | ˈo.la ˈnom.bɾe | Hi, [Name]: |
| Buenos días: | ˈbwe.nos ˈdi.as | Good morning: |
| Buenas tardes: | ˈbwe.nas ˈtaɾ.ðes | Good afternoon: |
| Buenas noches: | ˈbwe.nas ˈno.tʃes | Good evening/night: |
Usage notes and common patterns:
- For formal emails, Estimado/Estimada + title or name is safe almost everywhere.
- For neutral work emails, Hola + name or Buenos días is very common, especially within a company.
- Remember the colon, not comma after the greeting. It’s a small detail that makes you look much more native.
After the greeting, add a clear first line stating your purpose.
Useful opening phrases:
- Le escribo para… /le esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa/ — I am writing to… (formal, usted)
- Te escribo porque… /te esˈkɾi.βo ˈpoɾ.ke/ — I’m writing because… (informal, tú)
- Me pongo en contacto con usted para… /me ˈpoŋ.go en konˈtak.to kon usˈteð ˈpa.ɾa/ — I am contacting you to… (very formal)
- Quería preguntarte si… /keˈɾi.a pɾe.ɣunˈtaɾ.te si/ — I wanted to ask you if… (friendly, softening tone)
Writing A Clear Subject Line In Spanish
A good asunto helps your email get opened and understood. In Spanish, subject lines tend to be short, informative, and fairly neutral.
Useful patterns:
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Solicitud de información sobre [tema] | so.li.siˈtuð ðe in.for.maˈsjon ˈso.βɾe ˈte.ma | Request for information about [topic] |
| Confirmación de reunión [fecha] | kon.fiɾ.maˈsjon ðe re.uˈnjon ˈfe.tʃa | Meeting confirmation [date] |
| Cambio de horario de clase | ˈkam.bjo ðe oˈɾa.rjo ðe ˈkla.se | Change of class schedule |
| Pregunta sobre la factura [número] | pɾeˈɣun.ta ˈso.βɾe la fakˈtu.ɾa ˈnu.me.ɾo | Question about invoice [number] |
| Entrega de documento adjunto | enˈtɾe.ɣa ðe ðo.kuˈmen.to aðˈxun.to | Delivery of attached document |
| Recordatorio de pago | re.koɾ.ðaˈto.ɾjo ðe ˈpa.ɣo | Payment reminder |
Tips:
- Put key words first: “Solicitud de…”, “Confirmación de…”, “Reunión…”.
- Avoid super vague English-style subjects like “Question” or “Hi :)”.
- Capitalization is flexible, but many Spanish speakers only capitalize the first word and proper nouns, as in the table above.
Useful Phrases For The Email Body (Formal And Informal)
Once your greeting and subject are done, the cuerpo del mensaje is where you actually say what you need. Here are ready-to-use phrases, grouped by function.
Introducing Yourself And Your Purpose
Formal (usted):
- Mi nombre es Ana García y soy estudiante de…
Mi nombre es Ana García y soy estudiante de… /mi ˈnom.bɾe es ˈa.na ɣaɾˈθi.a i ˈsoj estuˈðjan.te ðe/ — My name is Ana García and I am a student of… - Le escribo para solicitar más información sobre…
Le escribo para solicitar más información sobre… /le esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa so.li.siˈtaɾ mas in.for.maˈsjon ˈso.βɾe/ — I’m writing to request more information about… - El motivo de mi correo es…
El motivo de mi correo es… /el moˈti.βo ðe mi koˈreo es/ — The reason for my email is…
Informal (tú):
- Soy Diego, de la clase de español.
Soy Diego, de la clase de español. /ˈsoj ˈdje.ɣo ðe la ˈkla.se ðe espaˈɲol/ — I’m Diego, from the Spanish class. - Te escribo porque quiero confirmar…
Te escribo porque quiero confirmar… /te esˈkɾi.βo ˈpoɾ.ke ˈkje.ɾo kon.fiɾˈmaɾ/ — I’m writing because I want to confirm… - Solo quería comentarte que…
Solo quería comentarte que… /ˈso.lo keˈɾi.a komenˈtaɾ.te ke/ — I just wanted to tell you that…
Asking For Information Or Action
Formal:
- ¿Podría enviarme los detalles del curso, por favor?
/poˈðɾi.a enˈbjaɾ.me los deˈta.ʝes ðel ˈkuɾ.so poɾ faˈβoɾ/ — Could you send me the course details, please? - Le agradecería si pudiera confirmar la fecha de la reunión.
/le aɣɾa.ðeθeˈɾi.a si puˈðje.ɾa kon.fiɾˈmaɾ la ˈfe.tʃa ðe la re.uˈnjon/ — I would appreciate it if you could confirm the meeting date.
Informal:
- ¿Me puedes mandar el archivo?
/me ˈpwe.ðes manˈðaɾ el aɾˈtʃi.βo/ — Can you send me the file? - Avísame si te viene bien a las seis.
/aˈβi.sa.me si te ˈbje.ne ˈβjen a las ˈsejs/ — Let me know if 6 o’clock works for you.
Referring To Attachments
- Adjunto /aˈðxun.to/ encontrará el documento.
/aˈðxun.to en.kon.tɾaˈɾa el ðo.kuˈmen.to/ — Please find the document attached. - Le envío en adjunto el formulario.
/le enˈβi.o en aðˈxun.to el foɾ.muˈla.ɾjo/ — I am sending the form as an attachment.
Informal:
- Te mando el archivo adjunto.
/te ˈman.do el aɾˈtʃi.βo aðˈxun.to/ — I’m sending the file as an attachment.
Closings And Sign-Offs That Sound Natural
Your despedida finishes the email with a polite touch. Here are common options.
Formal And Neutral Closings
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Atentamente, | a.tenˈta.men.te | Sincerely, |
| Saludos cordiales, | saˈlu.ðos koɾˈðja.les | Kind regards, |
| Cordialmente, | koɾ.ðjalˈmen.te | Cordially, |
| Muchas gracias por su atención, | ˈmu.tʃas ˈɣɾa.sjas poɾ su a.tenˈsjon | Thank you very much for your attention, |
| Quedo a su disposición, | ˈke.ðo a su ðis.po.siˈsjon | I remain at your disposal, |
Informal Closings
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Un saludo, | un saˈlu.ðo | Best, / Regards, |
| Muchos saludos, | ˈmu.tʃos saˈlu.ðos | Best regards, |
| Nos vemos, | nos ˈβe.mos | See you, |
| Un abrazo, | un aˈβɾa.so | Hugs, / Best, (friendly) |
| Un beso, | un ˈbe.so | A kiss, (very close friends/family) |
Usage notes:
- In many contexts, Atentamente, and Saludos cordiales, are the safest formal choices.
- Always put your name on the line below the closing.
- If your closing is a short phrase without a verb (Atentamente, Saludos cordiales,), a comma is very common before your name; with a full sentence before the name, a period works better.
Formal Vs Informal: Tú, Usted, And Tone
Choosing between tú and usted is a big part of sounding appropriate in Spanish emails.
- Use usted with people you don’t know well, in job contexts, official institutions, teachers (in many countries), and anything that feels “professional distance.”
- Use tú with friends, classmates, many colleagues at your level, and people who clearly write to you in tú first.
Compare:
Formal:
Le escribo para confirmar nuestra cita del lunes.
/le esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa kon.fiɾˈmaɾ ˈnwes.tɾa ˈsi.ta ðel ˈlu.nes/
I am writing to confirm our appointment on Monday.
Informal:
Te escribo para confirmar lo del lunes.
/te esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa kon.fiɾˈmaɾ lo ðel ˈlu.nes/
I’m writing to confirm our plan for Monday.
Grammar, vocabulary, and closings all shift slightly with formality. When in doubt, start formal; if the other person replies using tú and a relaxed tone, you can usually match it in your next email.
Usage Notes & Common Mistakes
A few common traps for English speakers:
- Using commas after greetings
In English: “Dear John,”
In Spanish: Querido Juan: — colon, not comma, and body on a new line with capital letter. - Translating “you” without thinking
“You” can be tú, usted, vosotros, or ustedes. For most learners, focusing on tú and usted (and ustedes for plural) is enough at first. - Over-explaining
English emails often start with “I hope this email finds you well…”. In Spanish, it’s totally fine, but you don’t need it every time. Short and direct is usually better:
Le escribo en relación con… /le esˈkɾi.βo en re.laˈsjon kon/ — I’m writing in relation to… - Forgetting accents
Writing si instead of sí, or tu instead of tú, can change the meaning. In emails to employers or clients, accents matter. - Mixing tones
Don’t start with Estimado señor Pérez and end with Un beso. Keep the level of formality consistent.
Region Notes
Spanish email style is similar across countries, but there are a few regional quirks.
- Spain
In Spain, usted is still used formally but tú appears fairly quickly in many workplaces once there’s some familiarity. You might also see vosotros /boˈso.tɾos/ — you (plural, informal) inside a company email to a group. - Latin America
Ustedes /usˈte.ðes/ is the standard plural “you” for all situations, formal and informal. Many companies prefer formal tone longer, especially in written communication. - Neutral safe zone
If you’re not sure where your reader is from, Estimado/a + name, usted forms, and neutral closings like Saludos cordiales work almost everywhere.
Mini Dialogues
Here are some short dialogues you can use around emailing. Each line shows the Spanish, IPA, and natural English.
- Asking A Teacher If Email Is OK
¿Puedo enviarle un correo con mis preguntas? /ˈpwe.ðo en.bjaɾˈle un koˈre.o kon mis pɾeˈɣun.tas/
Can I send you an email with my questions?
Sí, claro, envíeme un correo y se lo respondo mañana. /si ˈkla.ɾo enˈβi.e.me un koˈre.o i se lo resˈpon.do maˈɲa.na/
Yes, of course, send me an email and I’ll reply tomorrow.
- Checking If Someone Received Your Email
Te mandé un correo ayer, ¿lo recibiste? /te manˈde un koˈre.o aˈʝeɾ lo reθiˈβis.te/
I sent you an email yesterday, did you get it?
Sí, ya lo vi, te contesto ahora. /si ʝa lo ˈβi te konˈtes.to aˈo.ɾa/
Yes, I saw it, I’ll reply now.
- Suggesting To “Take It To Email”
Si quieres, seguimos por correo. /si ˈkje.res seˈɣi.mos poɾ koˈre.o/
If you want, we can continue by email.
Perfecto, mándame tu dirección. /peɾˈfek.to ˈman.da.me tu ði.ɾekˈsjon/
Perfect, send me your address.
Quick Reference
A screenshot-friendly table of top formulas.
| Spanish | IPA | English |
| Asunto: Solicitud de información | aˈsun.to so.li.siˈtuð ðe in.for.maˈsjon | Subject: Request for information |
| Estimado señor / Estimada señora: | estiˈma.ðo seˈɲoɾ / estiˈma.ða seˈɲo.ɾa | Dear Sir / Dear Madam: |
| Hola, [Nombre]: | ˈo.la ˈnom.bɾe | Hi, [Name]: |
| Le escribo para… | le esˈkɾi.βo ˈpa.ɾa | I am writing to… |
| Te escribo porque… | te esˈkɾi.βo ˈpoɾ.ke | I’m writing because… |
| Adjunto encontrará el documento. | aˈðxun.to en.kon.tɾaˈɾa el ðo.kuˈmen.to | Please find the document attached. |
| Quedo a su disposición. | ˈke.ðo a su ðis.po.siˈsjon | I remain at your disposal. |
| Atentamente, | a.tenˈta.men.te | Sincerely, |
| Saludos cordiales, | saˈlu.ðos koɾˈðja.les | Kind regards, |
| Un saludo, | un saˈlu.ðo | Best, / Regards, |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Subject line sprint (1 minute)
Write five asuntos in Spanish for real situations in your life (job, class, landlord, friend). Keep each one under 8–10 words. - Greeting + first line combo (2 minutes)
Choose one formal and one informal situation. For each, write: greeting + one clear first sentence of purpose. Say them out loud. - Copy-the-music (1 minute)
Pick any two phrases from the Quick Reference table. Whisper them slowly while following the IPA, then repeat them at natural speed. - Mini email draft (1 minute)
Write a three-line email to a teacher or colleague: greeting, one sentence with a request, and a closing with your name. - Formality check (extra minute if you have it)
Look at your mini email and underline every verb linked to “you”. Decide: am I using tú or usted? Adjust everything to be consistent. - Send a real one (optional homework)
Send a short real email in Spanish this week, even if it’s just to a language partner or teacher. Real “send” beats ten imaginary drafts.
Yak-Style Closing Spark
Emails in Spanish aren’t a mysterious art form; they’re Lego bricks. Once you’ve got a box of good greetings, clear opening lines, and polite closings, you just snap them together to fit the situation. Practice a few of these formulas until your fingers can type them on autopilot, and soon “formal email in Spanish” will feel less like a boss fight and more like a quick side quest you always win.