Once you have communicated the central message of your letter with your points well explained, the right thing to do is to end your letter. To add finesse to your letter, you can choose to start your letter in Spanish.
In this article, we’ll show you how to start a formal and informal letter in Spanish. Carefully read through.
Table of contents
How To Start A Letter in Spanish
It is normal in English to start formal and informal letters with “Dear.” In Spanish, you can use a number of introductions depending on how formal you want to be.
In an informal letter, the equivalent of “dear” is querido or querida (the past participle of querer), which is usually based on the gender of the person you are writing to. Querido is used for a male receivers while Querida is for females.
It is customary in Spanish to follow the greeting with a colon rather than the comma used in English. The use of a comma is considered Anglicism.
- Querido Jonas: (Dear Jonas,)
- Querida Michelle: (Dear Michelle)
- Queridos Juan y Lisa: (Dear Juan and Lisa) Note that in Spanish, the masculine form, queridos, is used if the recipients include people of both sexes.
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How To Start A Formal Letter In Spanish
If you want to start a business correspondence letter in Spanish, otherwise known as a formal letter, it is preferred to use estimado or estimada instead. The word technically means “esteemed,” but it is understood in the same way that the English word “dear” is.:
- Estimado Sr. Pique: (Dear Mr. Pique,)
- Estimada Sra. Cruz: (Dear Mrs./Ms. Cruz,)
- Estimada Srta. González: (Dear Miss González,)
The English courtesy term Ms. has no true equivalent in Spanish (although in Spanish, the distinction between seora and seorita, conventionally rendered as “Mrs.” and “Miss,” respectively, can be one of age rather than marital status).
If you are unsure whether the female recipient of the letter is married, you are permitted to use the courtesy title of Sra. (the abbreviation for seora). Unless you know the woman favors Srta, it is best to use Sra.
In a case here you don’t know the person you are writing to, you can use any of the words in Spanish:
- Estimado señor: (Dear sir,)
- Muy señora mía: (Dear madam,)
- Muy señores míos: (Dear sirs, dear sirs/madams,)
- Muy señor mío: (Dear sir,)
- Estimada señora: (Dear madam,)
- Estimados señores: (Dear sirs, dear sirs/madams,)
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How To Start An Informal Letter In Spanish
If you want to start an informal letter in Spanish, you need to use the word Querido (dear) to create. For example:
- Querido Juan: (Dear Juan)
- Querida Ana: (Dear Ana)
- Amado: Beloved (masculine)
- Queridas: Dear ones
If the letter is meant for a group of persons or friends, you can use the word mis queridos amigos (my dear friends). For very close friends, you can use queridísimo/a (My very dear)!
Did you notice anything else fascinating in the examples? A colon, not a comma separated them. In Spanish, this is the norm. Use a comma as you would in English, as it appears Anglicized. And we intend to write in the style of native Spanish speakers!
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How To Start A Letter In Spanish: Essential Vocabulary To Use
Here’s a list of English words and their Spanish translation related to letters you may like to employ in your letter writing.
English equivalent | Spanish word |
Letter | Carta |
Envelope | Sobre |
Correo electrónico / Mail | |
To deliver | Entregar |
Address | Destinatario |
ZIP code – Post Code | Código postal |
Sender | Remitente |
Attached file | Archivo adjunto |
Junk mail | Correo basura |
To send | Enviar |
Postman | Cartero |
To receive | Recibir |
PS – Postscript | PD – Postdata |
Registered lettered | Carta certificada |
Signature | Firma |
PO box | Casilla de correo |
Stamp | Estampillas |
Post office | Oficina postal |
How To Close A Formal Letter in Spanish?
Writing a close for a formal or informal letter can be difficult, especially for someone who doesn’t speak Spanish.
Here’s a list of how to close a letter in Spanish for formal and informal correspondence.
1. Quedo a la espera de su respuesta
If you want to let the receiver know you are expecting feedback from them, you can use this closing sentence. You can also opt for the closing sentence Espero su respuesta, which means “I await your reply.”
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2. Por favor no dude en contactarme si necesita más información
Por favor no dude en contactarme si necesita más información when translated to English means “please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information in English”.
If you are applying for a position that needs further verification, this sentence shos you are open to answering questions.
Alternatively, you can use the similar sentence Cualquier cosa estoy a su disposición, which translates as “I am available should you have any questions.”
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3. Gracias por su asistencia con este asunto
At the end of the letter, you can also thank the recipient. Using the phrase Gracias por su asistencia con este asunto is a show of appreciation to the receiver. In English, the Spanish sentence translates to “thank you for your assistance in this matter.”
Additionally, you can also use muchas gracias por su ayuda (“thank you for your help”) or muchas gracias por su tiempo (“thank you for your time”) for a more direct expression of gratitude.
- Sin más por el momento, quedo a la espera de su respuesta…
Without further ado, I await your response… - Le agradezco de antemano…
Thank you in advance… - Gracias por su atención y espero su respuesta…
Thank you for your attention, and I await your response…
How To Close An Informal Letter In Spanish
If you have been looking for how to close that interesting informal letter in Spanish and sign out with swag, here’s a way to go.
1. Espero saber de ti pronto
If you want the person that receives the letter to respond to your mail, you can end the letter with the sentence, Espero saber de ti pronto, which translates to”I look forward to hearing from you soon” in English.
In place of the former Spanish sentence, you can also use the Spanish phrase Escribeme Prontoo, which means “write back soon.”
If you only want to hear from someone when they have more information or news about something, you can write Escrbeme cuando tengas más información, which translates as “Send me news, when you know anything more.”
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2. Saluda a Maria de mi parte
If you want to acknowledge someone else close to the letter’s recipient, such as a partner, spouse, or close friend, you can close the letter with the Spanish sentence, Saluda a Maria de mi parte, which means “Hello to Maria for me.” Replace the name “Maria” with the name of a friend or loved one.
If the letter is for a close pal of family member, you can use the Spanish sentence, Envía cariños a Josep y diles cuánto los extraño, which translates to “Give my love to Joseph and tell them how much I miss them.”
If your dad or friend wants to extend a warm greeting to the recipient, you can use the sentence Diego te envía muchos cariños, which means “Diego sends her love.”
3. Cariños
Cariños means “best wishes” in English. This informal way expresses love and care for friends, family, partners, and colleagues. You can also use Mis mejores deseos, which means “all the best.”
4. Besos y abrazos
If you feel best wishes might not translate as much affection as you would love to, you can use the Spanish phrase besos y abrazos, which translates to “hugs and kisses” in English.
Con amor is the phrase to use if you want to communicate “with affection.” Con cario, which means “with tenderness,” is another option.
How To End A Formal Letter With Spanish
Formal letters are those that are written in a professional setting or capacity. You could be writing to a coworker, asking for a job, or sending an email to a business client. Whatever the cause, you want to show the utmost respect and use the proper forms of speech. The following are some famous formal letter endings in Spanish:
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
muy atentamente | yours sincerely |
atentamente | sincerely |
saludos cordiales | kind regards / cordial greetings |
cordiales saludos | kind regards / cordial greetings |
muchas gracias | many thanks |
cordialmente | cordially/best |
un cordial saludo | kind regards / cordial greetings |
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How To End An Informal Letter With Spanish
Informal letters are sent to somebody you know well, such as a friend or family member. In Spanish, informal letter endings are typically words and phrases that convey affection and a general sense of warmth and friendliness.
Here are a few words you can use to end your letter in Spanish:
SPANISH | ENGLISH |
---|---|
un saludo | greetings / cheers |
con cariño | with affection |
un abrazo | hugs |
con amor | with love |
saludos | greetings / cheers |
un beso | kiss |
mil gracias | many thanks |
un fuerte abrazo | big hug |
cariñosamente | affectionately |
besos | kisses |
How To Say Goodbye In Spanish In A Formal Letter
Here are a few stylish ways you can say goodbye in Spanish in a formal letter:
Farewell Expressions
English | Spanish |
sincerely | atentamente |
I take my leave, sincerely | me despido atentamente |
cordial greetings | un cordial saludo |
cordially | cordialmente |
Sample Formal Letter In Spanish
Sample 1
Estimada Sra. López,
Por favor revise el adjunto para encontrar el contrato con mis recomendaciones. Disculpe la demora en devolvérselo.
Tan pronto como haya terminado el contrato, avíseme si hay algún otro cambio que hacer. No deje de ponerse en contacto conmigo si tiene alguna pregunta.
Atentamente,
Gabriela
English translation
Dear Ms. Lopez,
Kindly check the attached to find the contract with my recommendations. Please pardon the delay in sending it back to you.
As soon as you have gone through the contract, please let me know if there are any other changes to be made. Do not fail to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Gabriela
Sample Informal Letter In Spanish
Spanish
Querido José,
¡Fue bueno verte en la celebración de Mariana! Hace tiempo que quería escribirte para saber cómo van tus prácticas en Madrid desde hace un tiempo. Estoy planeando un viaje a Barcelona a finales de mayo. ¿Te importaría venir a Barcelona entonces o estarás en Madrid durante ese tiempo? ¡Sería increíble vernos allí!
Un fuerte abrazo,
Ana Carolina
English translation
Dear Jose,
It was nice to see you at Mariana’s celebration! I’ve been meaning to write to you to know how your internship is going in Madrid for a while. I’m planning a trip to Barcelona at the end of May. Would you mind coming to Barcelona then, or will you be in Madrid during that time? It would be awesome to see each other there!
Big hug,
Ana Carolina
Conclusion
With the above tips on how to end a letter in Spanish, you are one step closer to communicating like a Spaniard.
References
- baselang.com – How To Write A Letter In Spanish: A Simple Guide
- fluentu.com – The Quick and Easy Guide to Writing Letters in Spanish
- wikihow.com – How to End a Letter in Spanish
- spanishdict.com – What Are Some Different Ways to End a Letter in Spanish?