Spanish - Casual Check-ins

Lesson 140 of 159

Two friends greeting each other in Spanish — casual Latin American greetings practice.

Goal: Common Latin American greetings and quick answers

Free Spanish lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome — let’s practice short, friendly check-ins you'll hear every day in Latin America. This lesson is about quick greetings and natural replies you can say without thinking too hard.

Level A1: In this short, CEFR-aligned lesson (140) you'll learn casual, everyday ways to ask “How are you?” and simple responses used across Latin America. We'll practice greetings like ¿Qué tal? and regional phrases like ¿Qué onda?, plus friendly invites such as Pásale. Listen, repeat, and try a few quick quizzes to feel comfortable using them.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use basic Latin American greetings (e.g., ¿Qué tal?, ¿Qué onda?).
  • Answer simple check-ins with natural replies (e.g., Más o menos., Ahí vamos.).
  • Invite or welcome someone with Pásale and Siéntate, por favor.
A street meet-up where people ask '¿Qué tal?' and '¿Qué onda?' — practice common check-ins.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

¿Qué tal?

How’s it going?

Meaning: How’s it going?

When to use: Use as a neutral, everyday greeting or quick check-in with friends, colleagues, or neighbors.

¿Qué tal, Carlos?
How’s it going, Carlos?
¿Qué tal? ¿Todo bien?
How’s it going? Everything okay?

¿Qué onda?

What’s up?

Meaning: What’s up?

When to use: Say this to friends or people your age; it’s casual and very common in Mexico.

Tip: Avoid using this in formal situations (boss meeting, formal event).

¡Hola! ¿Qué onda?
Hi! What’s up?
¿Qué onda, pues? ¿Cómo estás?
What’s up, then? How are you?

¿Cómo va todo?

How’s everything going?

Meaning: How’s everything going?

When to use: Use when you want a slightly fuller check-in than a quick greeting.

¿Cómo va todo en el trabajo?
How’s everything going at work?
¿Cómo va todo con tu familia?
How’s everything going with your family?

¿Todo bien?

Everything okay?

Meaning: Everything okay?

When to use: A short way to ask if there is a problem or just to check someone’s mood.

¿Todo bien? Te ves preocupado.
Everything okay? You look worried.
¿Todo bien con la tarea?
Everything okay with the homework?

Más o menos.

So-so.

Meaning: So-so.

When to use: A natural short reply when things are not great but not terrible either.

—¿Cómo estás? —Más o menos.
—How are you? —So-so.
Hoy estoy más o menos, necesito descansar.
Today I’m so-so, I need to rest.

Ahí vamos.

Getting by.

Meaning: Getting by.

When to use: Use when things are okay overall — you’re managing.

¿Cómo va todo? —Ahí vamos, gracias.
How’s everything going? —Getting by, thanks.
Ahí vamos con el proyecto, poco a poco.
We’re getting by with the project, little by little.

Aquí, tranquilo.

Just here, taking it easy.

Meaning: Just here, taking it easy.

When to use: Casual reply when someone asks how you are and you want to say you’re relaxed.

¿Cómo estás? —Aquí, tranquilo.
How are you? —Just here, taking it easy.
Después de la clase, aquí, tranquilo en casa.
After class, just here, relaxing at home.

¿Qué cuentas?

What’s new with you?

Meaning: What’s new with you?

When to use: A friendly way to invite someone to share news or updates.

¡Hola! ¿Qué cuentas? ¿Alguna novedad?
Hi! What’s new with you? Any news?
¿Qué cuentas del viaje? Cuéntame.
What’s new about the trip? Tell me.

Nada nuevo.

Nothing new.

Meaning: Nothing new.

When to use: Short, common answer when there aren’t any updates to share.

—¿Qué cuentas? —Nada nuevo.
—What’s new? —Nothing new.
Nada nuevo, todo como siempre.
Nothing new, everything as usual.

Hace mucho que no te veía.

I hadn’t seen you in a long time.

Meaning: I hadn’t seen you in a long time.

When to use: Say this when you run into someone you haven’t seen for a while.

¡Hace mucho que no te veía! ¿Cómo has estado?
I hadn’t seen you in a long time! How have you been?
Hace mucho que no te veía desde la universidad.
I hadn’t seen you in a long time since university.

Qué gusto verte.

Great to see you.

Meaning: Great to see you.

When to use: Use as a warm, friendly greeting when you meet someone.

¡Qué gusto verte! ¿Cómo estás?
Great to see you! How are you?
Qué gusto verte después de tanto tiempo.
Great to see you after so long.

Pásale

Come on in.

Meaning: Come on in.

When to use: Very common in Mexico to invite someone into a home; friendly and casual.

Tip: This is informal and especially common in Mexico; avoid in formal invites.

Pásale, ponte cómodo.
Come on in, make yourself comfortable.
¡Pásale! La puerta está abierta.
Come on in! The door is open.

Siéntate, por favor.

Have a seat, please.

Meaning: Have a seat, please.

When to use: Polite invitation to sit; good in slightly formal or relaxed situations.

Tip: Don't confuse with the formal 'Siéntese' when speaking to someone you must treat formally.

Siéntate, por favor, yo te traigo algo de beber.
Have a seat, please, I’ll bring you something to drink.
Siéntate, por favor. La reunión empieza en cinco minutos.
Have a seat, please. The meeting starts in five minutes.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends run into each other and then go inside

Friends invite each other in and say 'Pásale' and 'Siéntate, por favor.' — friendly home visit scene.

Why are Anna and David talking?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¡Hola, David! ¿Qué tal?

Hi, David! How’s it going?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

¡Hola, Anna! Hace mucho que no te veía.

Hi, Anna! I hadn’t seen you in a long time.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Qué gusto verte. ¿Qué cuentas?

Great to see you. What’s new with you?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Ahí vamos. ¿Y tú? ¿Qué onda?

Getting by. And you? What’s up?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Aquí, tranquilo. Pásale.

Just here, taking it easy. Come on in.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Gracias. Siéntate, por favor.

Thanks. Have a seat, please.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase means “What’s up?” (casual)?

Which reply best matches 'So-so'?

Which phrase is used to invite someone into a Mexican home?

Which phrase means 'Great to see you'?

You meet an old friend and say: 'Great to see you.' I hadn’t seen you in months.

You meet an old friend and say: '___' I hadn’t seen you in months.

A friend asks '¿Qué onda?' You answer: 'Just here, taking it easy.'

A friend asks '¿Qué onda?' You answer: '___' (you are relaxed).

At home you want to invite the guest to sit. You say: 'Have a seat, please.'

At home you want to invite the guest to sit. You say: '___' to be polite.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Qué tal?

How’s it going?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Qué onda?

What’s up?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Cómo va todo?

How’s everything going?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Todo bien?

Everything okay?

Say this phrase out loud:

Más o menos.

So-so.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ahí vamos.

Getting by.

Say this phrase out loud:

Aquí, tranquilo.

Just here, taking it easy.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Qué cuentas?

What’s new with you?

Say this phrase out loud:

Nada nuevo.

Nothing new.

Say this phrase out loud:

Hace mucho que no te veía.

I hadn’t seen you in a long time.

Say this phrase out loud:

Qué gusto verte.

Great to see you.

Say this phrase out loud:

Pásale

Come on in.

Say this phrase out loud:

Siéntate, por favor.

Have a seat, please.