How to start, write and end a letter in Spanish [formal + informal]

Knowing how to write a letter in Spanish is a useful tool to have, even in 2023.

Besides kindling the glamour and nostalgia of the good ol’ pre-internet days, writing a letter in Spanish can be incredibly helpful in certain situations. Indeed, even if you’re not going to sit down with a quill and a bottle of ink to write a long-winded letter on parchment paper, there are still countless scenarios where a formal or informal letter would maximize your chances of getting your point across.

From love letters to letters of complaint, there are many different types of letters that you could write in Spanish, each of them serving a different purpose. As such, each letter requires slightly different terminologies, and some may even require slightly different formats.

In this article, we’ll go over several types of letters in Spanish to help you find the right kind of letter to suit the occasion. We’ll also go over formal and informal letters so you can communicate with professional colleagues and also your friends and family. And if you’re looking for a job in a Spanish-speaking country or industry, we’ll also cover how to write a cover letter to help you land the job of your dreams!

Without further ado, let’s delve right into how to write a letter in Spanish!

Table of contents

• Why learn Spanish letter writing?

• Letter formatting

• How to write a formal letter

• How to write an informal letter

Why learn how to write a letter in Spanish?

If writing a letter sounds like something of the past, you might be in for a surprise. You probably haven’t thought about writing a letter in a long time because you’re already very familiar with the English letter format. However, writing a letter in Spanish is a bit different, as you’ll need to learn different formatting guidelines, letter etiquette, and some extra vocabulary.

Here’s what learning how to write a letter in Spanish can help you do, even in 2023:

• Stand out in business. Sending a business letter can be a good way to make a great first impression with your clients and maintain long-lasting relationships.
• Send emails. Although email etiquette is a bit different than that of physical letters, the body of an email follows the structure of a traditional letter very closely.
• Send formal complaints. Nothing will ensure that your voice is heard more than sending a formal written letter to HQs.
• Send heartfelt wishes. Nothing will help you express your most sincere wishes like writing a happy birthday or happy new year letter — or, why not, even a romantic love letter!

See? Learning to write a letter in Spanish can be super helpful! Let’s get started.

Key letter writing vocabulary to keep in mind

Before we look at all the different types of letters out there, we should learn a few key vocabulary words related to letters. This will make the next few sections much, much easier to follow. Here are some of the most essential words and phrases you should be familiar with before you set out to write a letter in Spanish.

Formatting a letter in Spanish

Spanish letter formatting is slightly different than English, especially for formal letters. Generally, you should follow this format when writing your Spanish letters:

• Letterhead: The letterhead should be the very first thing on your letter, in the top-left. Your letterhead should include the business name and its address, phone number, logo, and website, if applicable.
• Date: The date should be one space after the letterhead and aligned to the right.
• Receiver address: The receiver address should be one space after the date and aligned to the left. Refer to the section below for writing addresses in Spanish.
• Greeting: The greeting should follow the address and should be aligned to the left. We will cover dozens of greetings in this article, so keep reading!
• Body: The body of the letter is by far the most flexible component. It should follow the greeting and be formatted like normal prose.
• Sign-off: The sign-off can vary depending on the relation between the sender and receiver. We’ve included several formal and informal sign-offs below. It should be aligned to the left with a slight indentation.
• Signature: The signature should be the very last part of the letter. It can include both your name and your signature or just one of the two. It should be aligned to the right.

How to write the address on a letter in Spanish

Each country has its own way of writing addresses, so you’ll have to look into the specific country you’re trying to mail a letter to before writing the address. However, in general, you can expect Spanish-speaking countries to roughly follow this basic pattern:

• First and last name or company name
• Street, street number, apartment number
• Zip code, county or municipality, state
• Country (only for international mail)

Here’s an example:

Juan Pérez
Avenida Insurgentes #1337, 17A
C.P. 10038, Monterrey, Nuevo León
MEXICO

Sometimes, you’ll need to use a more complete address format when sending letters to more complicated locations, like hospitals or organizations. Here’s what information to include in the address in such situations:

• Denomination or business name
• Department or role in the organization
• First and last name of the receiver
• Street, street number, apartment number
• Any complementary information
• Information about the neighborhood
• Zip code, county or municipality, state
• Country (only for international mail)

Here’s an example of what a more complete address format would look like in Spanish:

Hospital Ángeles
Subdirector de Desarrollo
Dr. Andrés Monteverde
Bulevar Colosio #1808
esquina con Avenida Patria
Colonia Américas
C.P. 33009, Guadalajara, Jalisco
MEXICO

How to write the date on a letter in Spanish

Another common mistake made by native English speakers is writing the date incorrectly. If this sounds a bit odd, that’s because dates are written a bit differently in Spanish. If you know how to talk about months and tell the exact time in Spanish, then you already know that Spanish follows a different order than English.

These are a few of the most common ways to write the date in Spanish:

• 25 de mayo de 2023.
• 25/05/2023.
• 25-05-2023.

Generally, writing out the full date as in the first example above is the most formal. Only use the abbreviations below if your letter is tight on space or if you’re trying to be as succinct as possible.

How to write a formal or business letter in Spanish

Writing a formal letter in Spanish can sound a lot harder than it actually is. This is particularly true if you already know some business Spanish vocabulary, as you’ll just need to learn some formalities for opening and closing formal letters in Spanish. Here are some of the most important things to consider when writing formal or business letters in Spanish.

Formal letter greetings

Starting a formal letter with a strong greeting is one of the best ways to make a great first impression. This alone can help you stand out from the rest of the competition if you’re trying to win big by doing business in Spanish. One thing to note is that, while English greetings are followed by a comma, Spanish greetings are followed by a colon. Here are some examples to show you what we mean:

How to start a formal letter in Spanish

After the initial greeting, starting a formal letter in Spanish will vary depending on the purpose of your letter. Below, we’ll cover half a dozen of types of formal letters in Spanish to help you nail the assignment, whatever that may be.

Cover letters when applying for a job

Applying for a new job is one of the best things you can do for your career — especially if you’re looking for a job that can maximize your Spanish-speaking skills. A strong cover letter, known in Spanish as la carta de presentación, is your first impression of your potential new employer, so you have to make sure it stands out! Here are a few impressive ways to open your cover letter in Spanish.

Letter of inquiry

A letter of inquiry, known in Spanish as la carta de consulta, is a very versatile business document that can help figure out a number of issues. Generally used with other businesses, this type of letter can help you ask direct questions or follow up on past requests. Here are a few examples.

Letter of complaint

Perhaps unfortunately so, we’ve all been in a situation where we’ve had to complain about a product or service we received. A letter of complaint, also known as la carta de reclamación or la carta de reclamo, can be a great way to get your point across and make your concerns heard. Here are some ways to get started:

Letter of apology

Sometimes, just saying sorry isn’t enough. For those situations, writing an apology letter can be a more effective way of getting your sincere apology across. Also known as la carta de disculpas, writing one can be a great way to show that you’re really sorry for a particular situation.

Plus, with dozens of ways to say sorry in Spanish, you should be able to customize it very easily. This can be helpful for businesses that provide customer service, as owning up to mistakes and offering solutions can make a difference in the customer’s experience. Here are a few examples:

Letter of response

A letter of response is, naturally, a formal way to respond to a formal or official inquiry. Known as la carta de respuesta in Spanish, these types of letters can be very helpful for businesses and formal organizations. They can also serve as a way to acknowledge that they’ve received a request but need more time to answer the question or process the petition. Here are a few cases:

Letter of sales/promotion

One of the best skills you could possibly have to succeed in business is being able to sell. Being an amazing salesperson is a skill that can translate across languages, but only if you have the right vocabulary to do so. Here are some of the most common phrases for writing a letter of sales, or la carta de ventas, in Spanish:

How to sign off or end a formal letter in Spanish

Finally, you will want to close out your formal Spanish letter with a powerful sign-off. One of the most common ways to close out a formal letter is by thanking the receiver for their time and attention. Luckily, there are many ways to say thank you in Spanish. You’ll want to stick to the more formal ones when closing out your formal letter, though. Here are some examples:

Example of a formal letter in Spanish

Now, before you put all these new Spanish letter components to the test, let us show you a good example of a formal letter in Spanish. Feel free to use it as a template and customize it to your needs!

Asociación de Escritores de México
Avenida Jalisco #8876-B
C.P. 10038, Monterrey, Nuevo León
MEXICO

25 de mayo de 2023

Dr. Rogelio González González
Calle Pilares #223, PH2
Colonia Roma Norte
C.P. 03100 Cuauhtémoc, CDMX

Estimado Doctor:

En respuesta a la petición recibida, nos complace compartir que su solicitud de admisión a la Asociación de Escritores de México ha sido aceptada. A partir de hoy, usted será parte de un distinguido grupo de escritores mexicanos.

En las próximas semanas, usted estará recibiendo su paquete de bienvenida por correo en la dirección proporcionada. Ahí, usted encontrará su carta de aceptación y documentos con información importante de su membresía.

Sin otro particular, le saluda atentamente

Miguel Ángel Cervantes Rodríguez
Director General
Asociación de Escritores de México

How to write an informal letter in Spanish

Writing an informal letter in Spanish can be a bit more fun than writing a formal one, as there are fewer rules to stay on top of. Generally, you’ll be writing informal letters to your friends, family members, neighbors, and other people you know well. That means you can use more laid-back writing, even including some Spanish slang. However, there are still a few guidelines you should follow to make your informal letter flow better.

Also known as la carta informal, here are some tips on how to write an informal letter in Spanish:

Informal letter greetings

Writing the greeting for your informal letter can be a great way to be personable and show your appreciation for the person you’re writing to. You may want to start with a term of endearment, a fun nickname, or any of the greetings below:

How to start an informal letter in Spanish

After your initial greeting, you’ll want to follow with a question asking about their well-being or what’s new. Alternatively, you may want to simply get to the point and tell them exactly why you’re writing them. Here are a few examples:

How to end an informal letter in Spanish

Ending an informal letter can be just as fun as starting it. With over 87 ways to say goodbye in Spanish, you can definitely find the perfect way to end your letter in Spanish informally. Here are a few examples:

Build bridges by writing letters in Spanish

Sure, there are times when meeting face-to-face or giving someone a call is a better way to build relationships and develop your business empire. However, writing a formal or informal letter can also be a great way to create unique bonds with your friends and business partners. You could even pick up the habit of sending postcards with a short letter summarizing your travels to your friends back home as you make your way through the Spanish-speaking countries. Who wouldn’t love to receive a letter from Peru or Costa Rica!?

If you’re feeling more confident in your ability to write letters in Spanish, then you should check out the rest of our Spanish articles. We regularly publish fun new guides to help you improve different parts of the Spanish language, like the difference between por and para and how to master the Spanish prepositions. Oh, and the best part? It’s all free!