Hola
hello, everyday
In Colombia you say Hola to greet and Chao to say goodbye. Among friends a very Colombian hello is ¿Quiubo?, short for ¿Qué hubo? For a polite goodbye people say Que le vaya bien, "may it go well for you".
Meaning: greeting and farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | hello, everyday |
| Chao | goodbye, casual |
| ¿Quiubo? | hello, informal, Colombia |
| Que le vaya bien | goodbye, polite |
Chao is the everyday farewell for friends, family and coworkers. In shops and offices Hasta luego is common, and strangers are often greeted with Buenas.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Que le vaya bien uses le, the polite form, and fits strangers, older people and clients. With friends Chao or Nos vemos is enough.
Is it said differently in some regions?
¿Quiubo? is heard mostly in Bogotá, Medellín and the central regions, and it is informal. Many Colombians use usted even with friends and family, so Que le vaya bien uses the polite form.
Did you know?
- The Colombian word afán means hurry, so tener afán is how people say they are in a rush.
Examples in context
- ¿Quiubo, Andrés? ¿Todo bien?Hey, Andrés. Is everything fine?
- Chao, nos vemos el lunes.Bye, see you on Monday.
- Hasta luego, que le vaya bien.See you later, take care.
Example conversation
Camila runs into her friend Andrés on a street in Medellín.
- Camila¿Quiubo, Andrés?Hey, Andrés.
- AndrésHola, Camila. ¿Cómo has estado?Hello, Camila. How have you been?
- CamilaMuy bien. Tengo afán, chao.Very well. I am in a hurry, bye.
- AndrésChao, que te vaya bien.Bye, take care.
