Hola, amigo
neutral, to a man
To greet a friend in Mexico say Hola, amigo to a man and Hola, amiga to a woman. ¿Qué onda? is the casual Mexican way to say "what is up". It is also called ¿Qué onda, amigo?
Meaning: greeting to a friend (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola, amigo | neutral, to a man |
| Hola, amiga | neutral, to a woman |
| ¿Qué onda, amigo? | casual, Mexico |
Amigo and amiga change with the gender of the person. For a group, amigos works.
Which one should you use?
¿Qué onda? is very Mexican and informal. A closer friend might be greeted with just a name and ¿Qué onda?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In other countries the same greeting may be ¿Qué tal? or ¿Qué hubo?, but ¿Qué onda? marks Mexican speech.
Did you know?
- ¿Qué onda? literally asks about a "wave" and is one of the most typical Mexican greetings.
Examples in context
- Hola, amigo, ¡qué gusto verte!Hello, friend, good to see you!
- Hola, amiga, ¿cómo has estado?Hello, friend, how have you been?
- ¿Qué onda, amigo?What is up, friend?
Example conversation
Alan runs into his school friend Fabiola at a market in Puebla.
- AlanHola, amiga, hace tiempo que no te veía.Hello, friend, I have not seen you in a while.
- Fabiola¡Alan! ¿Qué onda?Alan! What is up?
- AlanAquí, comprando fruta.Here, buying fruit.
