Greetings and Partings

Between friends in Argentina, greetings consist of an informal hello and either one kiss on the cheek, or placing each cheek upon the other cheek while making a kissing noise. When strangers are informally introduced, they will also exchange one kiss on the cheek. In a formal situation a handshake is used. When entering a social gathering, one can choose to greet each person individually, or address the group as a whole.

In Argentine Spanish, one must use the "vos" pronoun (short for voçeo) instead of the more common "tu” pronoun. Originally, this form was highly formal, more so than “Usted,” but now is used informally. In a more formal situation, one would use the “Usted” form until the other person indicates that a less formal pronoun is acceptable.

Goodbyes tend to be informal and usually consist of saying a quick “Ciao.”