Greetings and politeness in Galician
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Galician words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Galician phrases in this lesson
- OlaOH-lah
- Hello
- Bos díasbos DEE-as
- Good morning
- Boas noitesBOH-as NOY-tes
- Good evening
- Adeusah-DEH-oos
- Goodbye
- Ata logoAH-ta LOH-go
- See you
- Por favorpor fah-VOR
- Please
- GrazasGRAH-sas
- Thank you
- De nadadeh NAH-dah
- You're welcome
- Síntoo moitoSEEN-toh MOY-toh
- Sorry
- Perdónpehr-DON
- Excuse me
- Encantado / Encantadaen-kan-TAH-doh / en-kan-TAH-dah
- Nice to meet you
The standard greeting at any time of day. Galicians use it freely with strangers and friends alike.
Used until midday. Shop staff and café owners will often greet you this way first.
Said arriving anywhere after dark. Before that, "boas tardes" (BOH-as TAR-des), good afternoon.
A more definitive farewell than the casual "logo" (see you later). Pilgrims on the Camino hear it at every village exit.
Literally "until soon", the everyday goodbye. Adeus works too.
Tack it onto any request to soften the tone immediately. Works in shops, bars and restaurants.
Everyday thanks for small services. Locals appreciate hearing Galician rather than Spanish.
The standard reply to thanks, identical in form to Spanish. Tone is relaxed and friendly.
Literally "I feel it a lot", the real apology.
Use it to get attention, to squeeze past someone, or for a small bump.
Use "encantado" if you identify as male, "encantada" if female. A handshake accompanies this in formal settings.