Inside: The best Greetings song in Spanish. Teach Spanish Greetings through popular & authentic songs in Spanish.
Author – Allison Wienhold
Published on Mis Clases Locas – November 12, 2024
As a Spanish teacher or parent teaching your child Spanish, you know how important it is to establish a welcoming and engaging environment at the start of class. One powerful way to create a positive classroom community and reinforce language skills is through music. Specifically, a greetings song in Spanish can be a fun tool to introduce students to common Spanish phrases.
Whether you’re teaching your own children or middle school Spanish class, incorporating a greetings song in Spanish into your daily routine can have a lasting impact.
Why Use a Greetings Song in Spanish?
Builds Routine and Structure. You know I love Spanish Class Routines! Starting each class with a greeting song in Spanish helps establish a consistent routine for your students. It signals the beginning of the lesson and sets a positive tone for the day. Over time, students will come to associate the song with the start of their Spanish class, making them more excited and ready to learn.
Reinforces Vocabulary and Pronunciation. A greetings song in Spanish can introduce or reinforce essential vocabulary like “hola” (hello), “¿cómo estás?” (how are you?), “buenos días” (good morning), and “hasta luego” (see you later). Through repetition, students will internalize these phrases more naturally, improving their language retention. Singing also helps with pronunciation by encouraging students to pay attention to the rhythm and intonation of the language.
Creates a Positive Learning Environment. Music has an undeniable ability to lift moods and create a positive atmosphere. A lively, upbeat greetings song can get your students excited and ready to learn, making the classroom feel more like a community. It’s also a great way to energize students as a Brain Breaks.
Choosing the Right Greetings Song in Spanish
Not all greeting songs in Spanish are created equal! Here are some tips for choosing the right one for your classroom:
- Consider the Age Group: If you’re teaching young children, look for simple, catchy songs with easy-to-understand lyrics. For older students, you might prefer a more sophisticated song with more complex vocabulary and grammar structures. Older students do not like to be treated like babies!
- Focus on Repetition: The beauty of a greetings song in Spanish is in its repetition. Choose a song that repeats key phrases several times so students can pick up the vocabulary naturally. Repetition helps students acquire the language.
- Be Culturally Relevant: Find a song that includes greetings commonly used in the Spanish-speaking world. For example, some greetings may be more appropriate for certain regions (e.g., “¿Qué tal?” in Spain vs. “¿Cómo estás?” in Latin America). A culturally relevant song will help students appreciate the diversity within the Spanish-speaking world.
- Check for Engaging Music: The melody is just as important as the lyrics! A catchy, upbeat tune will engage students and make it easier for them to remember the words. Look for songs with simple melodies that are easy to follow.
Popular Greetings Songs in Spanish
“Buenos días” Greetings Song in Spanish
Buenos días is my go-to Spanish greeting song. This is the song I taught to my students & used for Having my high school students Teach Elementary Spanish Lessons. This greeting song in Spanish was our day 1 lesson plan to teach the vocabulary: Buenos días, ¿Cómo estás?, Muy bien, gracias, ¿Y usted? There are 2 versions of the Buenos días songs below with José Luis Orozco & Basho & Friends.
The classic Spanish greeting song lyrics are:
Buenos días, buenos días.
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás?
Muy bien, gracias, muy bien, gracias.
¿Y usted? ¿Y usted?
“Buenos Días” – Rockalingua
If you have more advanced students, this “Buenos Días” from Rockalingua has all three greetings with lots of repetition. It focuses on greeting people with “buenos días” (good morning), “buenas tardes” (good afternoon), and “buenas noches” (good night). It’s great for teaching time-related greetings and helps students learn how to greet others at different times of the day.
Saludos y despedidas en español – Disney
If you teach saludos y despedidas en español this short video is for you. As I was looking for songs I came across this video clip that has many different Disney scenes that include greetings and farewells in Spanish. It is not a song, so it would work better with your older students who think they are too cool for the more babyish songs.
Beret – Hola, qué tal?
This new October 2024 authentic song from Spanish artist Beret is not the traditional Spanish greeting song. There are not many repetitions, but it would be a great song for high school Spanish students to learn the phrase Hola, qué tal?
¿Cómo Te Llamas? Songs
This is a Super Simple Spanish song to teach Spanish greetings and introductions. It would go perfect with my Spanish introduction lesson 1st Day of Spanish 1 – Name Game Speedball if you are teaching young kids. The simple lyrics are below.
Hola, hola
¿Cómo te llamas?
Me llamo…
Mucho gusto
Ilich – ¿Cómo Te Llamas?
Also, this is an authentic song from Venezuelan artist Ilich. ¿Cómo Te Llamas? would be a great song for high school Spanish students to learn the phrase ¿Cómo Te Llamas?
The chorus includes ¿Cómo Te Llamas? four times.
¿Cómo Te Llamas? ¿Cómo Te Llamas?
Sólo quiero acercarme ir de frente
Y preguntar ¿Cómo Te Llamas?
¿Cómo Te Llamas?
¿Cómo estás? Songs
The newer ¿Cómo estás? song from Señor Wooly is a great one to teach repetitions of Spanish greetings. Just the song is on YouTube, but if you have Señor Wooly Pro there is a full video with lesson plans & activities. Read more Señor Wooly in Spanish Class
Spanish ¿Cómo estás? Song! Canción
For younger students, this is a simple canción ¿Cómo estás? from Lingobox Learning. Learn How are you? + Feelings in Spanish.
The simple chorus is ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás? Estoy muy bien ¿y tú?
How to Incorporate a Greetings Song in Your Classroom
Here are some tips on how to make the most of a greetings song in Spanish in your lessons:
- Start Each Class with the Song: Make the song a ritual for young learners. Starting every class with the same song can help students feel comfortable and set the tone for a successful lesson. This is what we did with Elementary Spanish Lessons.
- Use Props or Gestures: To make the song more interactive for little kids, add props, gestures, or visuals that correspond to the greetings in the song. For example, you could show a picture of the sun when singing “buenos días” or wave your hand for “hasta luego.”
- Vary the Song’s Speed: To help students with pronunciation, try singing the song at different speeds. Start slowly to allow beginners to keep up, and gradually increase the tempo as they become more confident.
Spanish Class Basics to Teach Your Kids or Students Spanish
- Alphabet Songs in Spanish Class
- Happy Birthday Songs Spanish Class
- Teaching Days of the Week in Spanish
- Name Game Speedball – 1st day of Spanish Class
- High-Frequency Verb Unit to Start Spanish 1.
Review – Greetings Song in Spanish
Incorporating a greetings song in Spanish into your lessons is a fantastic way to start each class on a high note. Not only does it help reinforce essential vocabulary and grammar, but it also builds rapport with your students and promotes an environment of active participation. With a catchy tune and some repetition, your students will be singing their way to Spanish proficiency in no time!
Do you use a greetings song in Spanish in your classroom? Share your favorite songs or tips in the comments below!
Want more Music in Spanish Class?
- Spanish Thanksgiving Songs
- Spanish Class Christmas Songs
- Spanish Songs for Hanukkah
- Afro-Latino Music in Spanish Class
- Just Dance in Spanish Class
- Música miércoles
- How to Use Music in Spanish Class with Roxxem
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