Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hola | /ˈola/ | |
| holi | /ˈoli/ | familiar |
| holis | /ˈolis/ |
Other common ways to greet people include Buenas tardes for "Good afternoon" or the shortened, informal version Buenas.
Which one should you use?
While hola is the standard greeting, holi and holis are much more playful variations that should not be used in professional or formal settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
holi is an informal, cute or diminutive way to say hello, often used among close friends or on social media. holis is a slangy, highly informal variation used in very casual settings. For formal greetings, you might use Buenas tardes (Good afternoon) or use the formal ¿Cómo está usted? to ask how someone is.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Buenas tardes is commonly used from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. In many Latin American countries, Buenas noches may be used earlier in the evening, potentially as early as 6 or 7 p.m.
How does it change in a sentence?
It is customary to address older individuals or people in professional settings using usted instead of tú to show respect.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
When do people say it?
In many Latin American countries, Buenas noches is used as early as 6 or 7 p.m.
Did you know?
- The word hola might actually originate from an imperative used to hail ferrymen or command someone to stop, rather than a friendly greeting.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbal hola is traditionally accompanied by a physical gesture like a kiss on the cheek or a hug.
- The word hola is phonetically identical to the Spanish word ola, which means 'wave' in the ocean.
Examples in context
- Dile hola a Jimmy.Say hello to Jimmy.This sentence shows how to use hola when telling someone to say hello to a third person.Tatoeba #1240331 by Shishir, translation #53376 by CP
- Tom nunca dice hola.Tom never says hello.This sentence illustrates the use of hola in a negative context regarding someone's habits.Tatoeba #5939755 by arh, translation #5939656 by CK
- Di hola a tus amigos.Say hello to your friends.This sentence demonstrates using hola when addressing a group of friends.Tatoeba #741281 by Shishir, translation #70346 by CK
- ¡Hola, cómo estás?Hello, how are you?
- Buenas, ¿cómo va todo?Hi, how's everything going?
- Saludos a todos los presentesGreetings to everyone here
- Buenas noches, señora RodríguezGood evening, Mrs. Rodríguez
- ¿Cómo está usted esta noche?How are you this evening?
- 113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel meet at a local park.
- María¡Hola, Daniel!Hello, Daniel!
- DanielHola, María. ¿Cómo va todo?Hello, María. How is everything going?
- MaríaTodo bien, gracias.Everything is fine, thanks.
- DanielMe alegra mucho oír eso.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries hola, holi, holis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, holis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
