hola cariño
/ola kaɾiɲo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "hello darling" is said as hola cariño.
hola cariño is an affectionate greeting used for a romantic partner or a loved one.
Which one should you use?
While cariño is a common way to say "darling", using mi amor (my love) is a more common alternative for romantic partners.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you might hear Buenas tardes, guapa (Good afternoon, beautiful) to address someone affectionately.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cariño is a masculine noun. Because it is used as an endearment, the phrase hola cariño remains the same regardless of whether you are addressing a man or a woman.
Did you know?
- The greeting hola may have originated from the French word holà, which was used as a command to tell someone to 'stop'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, terms like cariño are frequently used by strangers in service roles, such as a waitress or shopkeeper, to show warmth. This is often a sign of friendly hospitality rather than romantic interest.
- In some regions, cariño can be used sarcastically to dismiss someone or sound condescending, similar to how 'honey' is used in English.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola, cariño! ¿Cómo estás?Hello, darling! How are you?
- Hola cariño, ¿cómo estás?Hello darling, how are you?
- Hola cariño, ya llegué a casa.Hello darling, I'm home now.
- ¡Hola cariño! Te extrañé mucho.Hello darling! I missed you a lot.
Example conversation
María greets Alejandro when he returns home from work.
- MaríaHola cariño, ¿cómo estuvo tu día?Hello darling, how was your day?
- AlejandroHola María, fue un día muy largo.Hello María, it was a very long day.
- MaríaVen aquí, te preparé algo de comer.Come here, I prepared something for you to eat.
- AlejandroEres la mejor, gracias.You are the best, thank you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cariño, hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
