hola
/ˈola/
The Spanish phrase for 'hello casually' is hola.
hola means 'Hello' in English and is a common, informal greeting used to say hello to someone.
Which one should you use?
While hola is a standard greeting, it is more casual than formal greetings like buenos días (good morning).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In several Latin American countries, including Colombia and Mexico, the informal greeting ¡Qué hubo! is also used to mean 'What's up?'
How does it change in a sentence?
The word hola does not change based on the gender or number of the people being addressed.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
When do people say it?
When greeting someone informally, you might also use ¿Qué tal? or ¿Cómo estás? to ask 'How are you?' or ¿Qué pasa? to ask 'What's up?' or 'What's happening?'
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a casual hola is often accompanied by a single kiss on the cheek or a light hug, even between new acquaintances.
- The word hola may have originated as a command to stop or a way to hail someone, such as a ferryman, rather than a friendly greeting.
- Because the 'h' is silent, the word hola is a homophone for ola, which means 'wave' of the ocean.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?Hello! How are you?
- Hola a todos.Hello everyone.
- Hola, mucho gusto.Hello, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena meet at a local cafe.
- Mateo¡Hola, Elena!Hello, Elena!
- Elena¡Hola, Mateo! ¿Qué tal?Hello, Mateo! How's it going?
- MateoMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
- ElenaMe alegro mucho.I am very glad.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
