How to End a Letter in Spanish

Ending a Formal or Business Letter

Let the recipient know you look forward to hearing back from them. Quedo a la espera de su respuesta means "I'm looking forward to your answer." This is a good closing sentence for a formal letter in which you need a response from the recipient. You can also use the closing sentence Espero su respuesta, which means "I await your reply."

Offer assistance or further information in your closing sentence. Por favor no dude en contactarme si necesita más información is a formal sentence that means "Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information." You could also use the similar sentence Cualquier cosa estoy a su disposición, which means "I am available should you have any questions."

Thank the recipient in your closing sentence. Use the phrase Gracias por su asistencia con este asunto if the purpose of your letter was to bring a matter to the recipient's attention. This is a formal sentence that means "thank you for your assistance in this matter." For more specific expressions of gratitude, use muchas gracias por su ayuda ("thank you for your help") or muchas gracias por su tiempo ("thank you for your time").

Use atentamente or cordialmente as a basic final greeting. These Spanish final greetings are similar to "sincerely" or "sincerely yours" in English. You can also say muy atentamente, which means "very sincerely." Saludos cordiales or un saludo cordial are more formal ways to say "cordial greetings." This final greeting may be appropriate if you're writing to someone older than you, or someone in a position of authority. The phrase Le saludo atentamente means "I attentively send greetings," and is considerably more formal than the other options. Use it if you're writing to someone in a position of authority. Cordialmente is typically considered a colder final greeting. It can be used if you are writing a complaint letter or expressing displeasure about something. However, you might not want to use it for more positive letters.

Thank the recipient in your final greeting if you haven't already done so. You may have included a word of thanks in your closing sentence. If you didn't, a final greeting such as gracias y saludos ("thank you and greetings") expresses your gratitude toward the recipient. You could also write muchísimas gracias, which means "thank you very much."

Closing an Informal Personal Letter

Let the person know you look forward to hearing from them. If you want the person to write you back, close your letter with the sentence Espero saber de ti pronto, which means "I look forward to hearing from you soon." You can also use the phrase Escríbeme pronto, which simply means "write back soon." If you only want to hear back from the person when they have further information or news about something, you can write Escríbeme cuando tengas más información, a sentence that means "Send me news, when you know anything more."

Send greetings to someone other than the recipient. Sometimes you want to acknowledge someone else close to the recipient of the letter, such as a partner, spouse, or close friend. Do this by writing Saluda a Maria de mi parte, which means "Say hello to Maria for me." Substitute the name "Maria" for the name of your own friend or loved one. For close friends or family members, you might also say Envía cariños a Maria y diles cuánto los extraño, a sentence that means "Give my love to Maria and tell them how much I miss them." If there is someone in your life whose greetings you want to pass along, you can use the phrase Maria te envía muchos cariños, which means "Maria sends her love."

Use a friendly final greeting, such as Cariños, before your signature. The greeting Cariños means "best wishes" or "kindest regards," and is a common informal greeting used between friends, family, and colleagues. You can also use the final greeting Mis mejores deseos, which means "all the best." If you're not extremely close to the recipient of the letter, you might use un saludo or saludos. These final greetings simply mean "greetings" or "cheers."

Choose a more affectionate greeting if you're close to the recipient. If you're writing to a close friend or family member, a greeting like cariños might seem cold. There are more affectionate final greetings you can use instead, such as besos y abrazos ("hugs and kisses"). There are numerous ways to express affection using similar words. For example, you might say un abrazo ("a hug"), un fuerte abrazo ("a big hug"), un beso ("a kiss"), or besos ("kisses"). If you want to say "with love," use the phrase con amor. You can also use con cariño, which means "with affection."

Setting Your Letter's Tone

Write more formally if the recipient is in a position of authority. Use the formal second-person pronoun usted (or ustedes, if your letter is addressed to more than one person) when writing to someone older than you, or who is in charge of something. If you're making a request or seeking confirmation of something, you would almost always use formal language. For example, if you're writing a letter to confirm your hotel reservations, write formally.

Take an informal tone if you know the recipient well. If you're writing to someone younger than you, or to a close friend or family member, you'll typically use informal speech. Address them with the second-person pronoun tú. If your letter is addressed to more than one person, use the second-person plural pronoun ustedes – unless you're writing to someone in Spain. Spaniards use an informal second-person plural pronoun, vosotros. You may want to maintain a formal tone if the recipient is significantly older than you, even if you know them well. For example, if you were writing a letter to your grandmother, you would probably use usted rather than tú in your letter, even if you were very close to her. She is older, and the formal pronoun indicates respect.

Keep business letters courteous and professional. A more formal tone is appropriate for business letters, even if you're writing to a friendly colleague. If the letter has a business purpose, it may be shared with others you don't know, or kept in business records. Keep personal inquiries or information out of a business letter. For example, if you're writing to a co-worker you're friends with about a work-related matter, you wouldn't ask them about their plans for their upcoming birthday.

Adjust your tone to reflect your familiarity with the recipient. If you're writing a personal letter, you may use more casual and affectionate language – even if you're using formal pronouns. However, if the person you're writing to is a stranger, you would typically refrain from being causal or affectionate. While the specific words are different, the same concept applies in English. You wouldn't write a letter to a company asking for a job and sign it "with love." Likewise, when ending a letter in Spanish, choose a closing that falls in line with the purpose of your letter and your familiarity with the recipient.

Use a more formal tone whenever you have doubts. Spanish is generally a more formal language than English. If you can't decide what tone to use, err on the side of formality. No one will fault you for writing too formally. However, a letter that's too casual could send the wrong impression. For example, if you used the pronoun tú in a cover letter to apply for a job, you'd likely not get called for an interview – even if you were highly qualified for the position.