Mexican greetings are warm and physical. Friends and acquaintances usually greet with a hug and one kiss on the right cheek, especially when a woman is involved. Men tend to shake hands or hug. With strangers and at work, a handshake is always safe. When you arrive, greet each person, and say goodbye to each one when you leave.
This lesson comes from Speak Better Spanish, live one-to-one Spanish coaching for adults with Hannah, Arturo and Jacky. Rated 5.0 on Google. Get a free speaking plan →
Updated November 1, 2026
Key Takeaways
- One kiss on the right cheek is the usual greeting between friends, family and friends of friends when at least one person is a woman. It is friendly, not romantic.
- A handshake is never wrong. Use it at work, with older people and any time you are not sure.
- At a party or family gathering, greet everyone one by one, and do the same when you leave.
- Say buenos días, buenas tardes or just buenas when you walk into a shop or a waiting room.
- Mexicans know visitors greet differently. Follow the other person’s lead and nobody will be offended.
How do people greet each other in Mexico?
It depends on how well you know the person. The Cultural Atlas puts it simply: a firm handshake with eye contact and a smile is right in most situations, and once people know each other, greetings get much warmer, with a loose hug and a kiss on the right cheek.
That matches what our coaches see every day in Monterrey, where Hannah, Arturo and Jacky live. This is the quick version:
| Who you are greeting | Usual greeting | What you might say |
|---|---|---|
| A woman you know, or a friend’s partner | A light hug and one kiss on the right cheek | ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? |
| Two men who know each other | A handshake, a hug, or a handshake that turns into a hug with a pat on the back | ¿Qué onda? or ¿Qué tal? |
| Someone you just met through friends | Often one cheek kiss if a woman is involved, otherwise a handshake | Mucho gusto. |
| A coworker or business contact | A handshake with eye contact | Buenos días. Mucho gusto. |
| An older person, or anyone you call usted | A handshake, and let them decide if it becomes a hug | Buenas tardes, ¿cómo está? |
| A shop, waiting room or small office | No touching, just a greeting to the room | Buenos días or buenas |
These are habits, not laws. Families, workplaces and regions differ. The Cultural Atlas notes, for example, that in many Indigenous towns in Oaxaca the expected greeting is a loose handshake, never a kiss or a hug, because close contact outside the family is less common there.
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Do Mexicans kiss on the cheek?
Yes, and it surprises a lot of visitors. It is one kiss, on the right cheek, usually with a light hug or a hand on the shoulder. In Monterrey it is mostly cheeks touching with a small kiss sound, not lips on skin. Women greet women this way, and men greet women this way. Between two men, a handshake or a hug is more usual.
It is not romantic. People greet friends, family, friends of friends and some coworkers like this, often the first time they meet. In the conversation we recorded for this post, Hannah pointed out that in Mexico the one kiss can be normal even with young children, depending on the family. If you are wondering where friendly ends and flirting begins, our guide to Mexican dating culture covers that side.
One kiss in Mexico, two in Spain
If you learned Spanish in Spain, you may lean in for two kisses, one on each cheek. Hannah studied abroad in Salamanca and remembers how strange the two kisses felt at first. In Mexico it is one. Go to the right cheek, then step back.
Why do Mexicans greet with a kiss on the cheek?
Because a greeting in Mexico is a way of saying “I see you.” Skipping it, or giving the room one general wave, can come across as cold. That is why the custom can feel so strong even to people who did not grow up with it. Jacky, who coaches with us, described her own first reaction in our conversation about things foreigners misunderstand in Mexico:
At first I didn’t understand the greeting. I’d think, but I don’t know you, I’m not your friend. I felt a little uncomfortable, because it’s part of the culture, and if you don’t do it, it’s like, hmm, why didn’t you say hello to me?
Jacky, Speak Better Spanish coach (translated from Spanish)
Her point is not that you must kiss everyone. It is that the greeting carries meaning. When you take a second to greet someone properly, you are showing respect.
Do you have to greet everyone in the room?
At a party or a family gathering, yes. In our coaches’ experience in Monterrey, people go around and greet each person, one by one, and they do it again when they leave. Walking in with one loud ¡hola a todos! is fine for a big crowd, but at a dinner with ten people it can seem a little distant.
Leaving works the same way. Say goodbye to each person, or at least to the hosts and anyone you talked with. A goodbye in Mexico can take a while, and that is normal. The Cultural Atlas also notes that it is common to pause a conversation for a moment to greet someone who just arrived, and that this is not considered rude.
- Con permiso. Excuse me, when you step past people or leave the table.
- Bueno, ya me voy. Well, I’m heading out.
- ¡Nos vemos! ¡Que estén bien! See you! Take care, all of you.
- Mucho gusto. Nice to meet you, said again on the way out to people you just met.
What do you say when you walk into a shop or waiting room?
Greet the room. A buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches, depending on the time, is enough. Nobody expects a handshake. People in Mexico often shorten all three to buenas, which is casual but polite. In Monterrey our coaches hear it all day in shops, offices and elevators. For the full list of greeting words and how to answer them, see our guide to essential Spanish greetings. If someone keeps chatting after hello, why strangers talk to you in Mexico explains what is going on.
Food has its own greeting. When you pass someone who is eating, or you leave a table where others are still eating, people say ¡provecho!, something like “enjoy your meal.” Hannah once shared a table at a busy little comedor with a man she did not know. When he finished and got up, he said provecho to her. She said gracias, and almost added usted también before she realized he had already eaten. We tell the rest in Mexican customs that surprise foreigners.
What words go with a Mexican greeting?
The gesture and the words go together. These are the ones you will use most:
- Mucho gusto or encantado (encantada if you are a woman): nice to meet you.
- ¿Cómo estás? with friends, and ¿cómo está? with someone you call usted.
- ¿Qué onda? or ¿qué tal?: what’s up, with friends and people your age. Keep ¿qué onda? out of formal settings. More casual words like it are in our list of the best Mexican slang.
- Don and doña before a first name, for older people you want to show respect to, as in Buenas tardes, doña Rosa. The Cultural Atlas lists this too.
- Señor and señora with a last name in formal settings.
If you are not sure whether to use tú or usted, start with usted and let the other person move you to tú. For more everyday phrases, see our guide to Mexican Spanish expressions.
What if you get the greeting wrong?
Then you are in good company. Even Hannah, who has lived in Mexico for years, still slips after time away. She said this in our recorded conversation:
Every time I come back to Mexico after a few months abroad, I forget about that part. My friends picked me up at the airport, leaned in to kiss me, and I just hugged them, because in my head I was still in U.S. mode. I’m sure they didn’t even notice.
Hannah Pinkerton, Speak Better Spanish lead fluency coach
Most Mexicans can tell when someone is visiting, and they adjust. Jacky put it plainly in the same conversation: if you look like you are not from here, people respect that and understand. Hannah has noticed the same thing:
In a really touristy area, people can tell right away I’m not from Mexico, so sometimes they just stick out their hand. They know I might be expecting a handshake, and that’s fine too.
Hannah Pinkerton, Speak Better Spanish lead fluency coach
So the simple rule is to follow the other person’s lead. If they offer a hand, shake it. If they lean in, lean in to the right. If you are not sure, a warm mucho gusto and a handshake will never offend anyone.
Common greeting mistakes visitors make in Mexico
- Saying one hola to the whole room at a small gathering instead of greeting each person.
- Leaving a party without saying goodbye. Slipping out quietly can read as rude.
- Going in for two kisses, Spain style, and meeting someone’s nose on the second one.
- Pulling back suddenly when someone leans in. If you would rather shake hands, offer your hand early and smile.
- Using tú and ¿qué onda? with someone’s grandmother. Start with usted and buenas tardes.
- Walking into a small shop or a doctor’s waiting room without a buenos días.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is very common. Women greeting women, and men greeting women, usually give one light kiss on the right cheek with a quick hug. Between men, a handshake or a hug with a pat on the back is more usual. It is friendly, not romantic, and it often happens with new acquaintances too.
Yes. A handshake is always safe, especially at work, with older people or when you are not sure what to do. Add eye contact and a smile. If the other person leans in for a cheek kiss, follow their lead. Mexicans know foreigners greet differently and will not be offended.
Usually not with other men. Men who know each other shake hands, hug, or do a handshake that turns into a hug with a pat on the back. Customs vary by family, so if a man leans in, simply follow his lead. A man greeting a woman friend usually gives one cheek kiss.
Yes. Buenas is a short, casual way to say buenos días, buenas tardes or buenas noches without thinking about the time. In Monterrey you hear it when people walk into a shop, an office or an elevator. It is polite enough for strangers, though with older people the full greeting sounds more respectful.
At a small party or family gathering, yes. People usually greet each person one by one when they arrive and say goodbye to each one when they leave. At a big crowd, greet the hosts and the people near you. One general hola to a small group can come across as cold.
Conclusion
Mexican greeting etiquette comes down to a few habits: one kiss on the right cheek with people you know, a handshake when in doubt, a greeting for each person in the room and a goodbye for each one when you go. Get it a little wrong and people will smile and meet you halfway. What matters is that you greet them.
Knowing the custom is one thing. Walking into a family party and greeting ten people in Spanish without freezing is another. If that is the moment you want to feel ready for, book a free Spanish roadmap session. A coach will build your plan around the real situations you are walking into. If you are moving to Mexico or visiting soon, see our Spanish coaching for travelers and expats.
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Bienvenidos de nuevo, Jackie.
Entonces, nuestro siguiente tema: “Things Americans misunderstand about Mexican culture”
o, mejor dicho, que Americans, “people from the U.S. that might misunderstand about Mexican culture”.
¿Qué tienes?
A lo mejor, este, cuando dices “provecho”, cuando alguien está comiendo.
Yo he escuchado que amigos estadounidenses o extranjeros en general dicen: “¿Cómo que provecho?”
y es cuando estás comiendo y se le puede decir a cualquier persona
que pasas por un restaurante y una persona que no conoces está comiendo,
tú pasas y dices “provecho” y significa “enjoy your food”.
Like “bon apetit” en Spanish.
¡Ah, exacto!
Y pues no es algo que se dice o se entiende en Estados Unidos, por ejemplo.
That’s true.
That’s very true.
Today I went to have lunch at a little comedor and I had to share a table with a man that
I didn’t know because all the other tables were full.
So anyway, we were both eating there.
He was eating before I got there and I was eating.
He got up to leave the table because he had finished his meal.
He said to me “provecho” before he left.
And I said “gracias”.
I was going to say “usted también”, but then I realized no, he already finished his meal.
So that doesn’t apply.
Yeah.
So it is interesting that typically Mexicans will say that to other people around them,
even if they don’t know them.
And even with Arturo, like if the two of us sit down to have a meal,
before every meal, he says “provecho” before everyone.
We might eat together three times in the same day.
Every time.
“provecho, provecho, provecho”.
What about you guys?
This, Néstor, more than I.
Néstor.
Yeah.
Néstor.
He says “ah, usualmente es si vamos a comer algo nuevo o este,
en un restaurante que estábamos muy ansiosos para comer ese platillo,
que dice “provecho babe, como que está emocionado por mí,
de que disfruta tu comida”.
Oh, that’s nice.
Normalmente, no, no, no.
Como no es algo que yo digo en mi día a día,
él también como que también ya se acostumbró que no.
Ah, ok, ok.
Sí, pero para otras personas, sí.
Este, su familia o en la calle, con personas así, sí.
That’s interesting.
What are some other things that people from the U.S.
might misunderstand about Mexican culture?
Things they might see and think it means something different,
or like think that things are a certain way in Mexico,
but then they get there and they realize it’s a different way.
Pues no sé si esto aplica, pero para mí sí fue, este,
como que al inicio no entendía el saludo, de saludas a alguien,
la mano, un abrazo y un beso.
Ajá.
Sí, y no, y bueno, es algo muy normal, es de todos los días,
es de la vida cotidiana, pero para mí era muy raro.
Ajá.
Yo decía, pero yo no te conozco, yo no soy tu amiga.
Obviamente, cuando mis amigas o amigos lo hacen,
sí es como que, ok, muah.
Pero alguien que no es mi amigo, mi amiga, yo decía, hola.
Me decía un poco incómoda, porque también es como parte de la cultura,
y si no lo haces, es como que, mmm, ¿por qué no me saludaste?
Ajá.
Pero porque aquí se ve como algo muy normal, como saludar la mano.
Ajá, that’s true.
Ajá.
that culture is because now that person’s in your personal space and you didn’t necessarily know that
was going to happen right because you might be thinking I put my hand out here okay we’re done
indeed um yeah it’s interesting you know what’s so funny is every time I come back to Mexico after
a few months abroad I forget about that part because when I’m in my day-to-day it’s normal
right you see your friends listen that you greet them with the kiss on the cheek that’s fine but
when I come back like let’s say I was just in the U.S. for two and a half months where the only
greetings is either you shake someone’s hand you hug them or you just say hello from across the room
and that’s it so when I came back and Jackie mommy and um Gabby picked me up at the airport and they
came in to kiss me right away I didn’t kiss them on the cheek because in my mind I was still like in
U.S. mode of like okay I hugged you and then like oh oops oops I forgot I’m sure they probably didn’t
notice and they didn’t think anything of it because I still got in for the hug and everything but then I
was like oh right when you kiss them yeah on the cheek yeah so it does take a little getting used
to if you didn’t grow up with that culture and on a similar note when I when I studied abroad in Spain
it was super weird for me because in Spain they do the two kisses one on each cheek that was so weird
for me when I met like the young kids of my host family that they were like in elementary school and
they’re like okay go get her a kiss and I was like that’s weird like a little kid like kids
like that’s weird to me that was weird because I hadn’t been exposed to it but you know in Mexico
the one kiss even with little kids it can be very normal I mean it depends on the family of course
some things are changing as time passes but yes overall it’s generally very normal to greet people
like that I have noticed that if I’m in like a really touristy area obviously doesn’t look like
I’m from Mexico so people can tell that right away I’m not from Mexico so sometimes people will just
shake out their hand stick out their hand and that’s it because they know that I might not be
expecting the kiss on the cheek and I might be expecting a handshake which is also fine for me
but of course if you’re just with friends and groups of friends and stuff like that don’t happen
yes yes yes yes it’s de que no se sientan eh con miedo verdad nuestros amigos extranjeros
que puedan ver estos videos de de que si vienen a México no los vamos a besar así no no se preocupen
como dices tú Hannah o sea si te ves que extranjero que no eres de aquí eh se respeta y se entiende
hola hola pero si yo me veo mexicana y todos y yo no
pero ya ya ya me acostumbré mucho eso fue al inicio
interesting interesting cultural difference um i guess do you have anything else to add onto that topic
things that people from the u.s or foreigners might misunderstand about mexican culture
or assumptions they might make
no creo que por ahorita eso es todo
good all right we’ll leave it at that so um we’ll see you in the next video for another topic
along the same lines muy bien adios gracias
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