Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hola | /ˈola/ | |
| holi | /ˈoli/ | familiar |
| holis | /ˈolis/ |
Hola is a simple and common word for "hello" suitable for most informal situations. For more specific greetings, you can use Buenos días for good morning (used until the early afternoon), Buenas tardes for good afternoon (used from the early afternoon until the evening) or Buenas noches for good night (used as a formal greeting for the evening and late-night hours). In very casual settings, you might also use the informal greeting Qué tal, which means "what's up" or "how's it going".
Which one should you use?
While hola is the standard greeting, holi and holis are much more diminutive and playful.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hola is a common informal greeting. For a cute or highly informal way to say hello, often used in texting or among close friends, you can use holi. The variation holis is a slangy, playful variation of 'hola' used in very casual social settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, such as Mexico, you may hear Buen día instead of Buenos días as a general greeting throughout the day.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
Did you know?
- The word hola may have originated not as a friendly greeting, but as an emphatic command similar to the French holà, used to tell someone to 'stop' or 'hey!'
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a greeting like hola is often accompanied by a kiss on one or both cheeks, regardless of whether the people are romantic partners.
- Spanish speakers may use hola in a sarcastic tone to point out something obvious, similar to saying 'hello!' when someone finally notices something.
Examples in context
- Dile hola a Jimmy.Say hello to Jimmy.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use hola when addressing someone else.Tatoeba #1240331 by Shishir, translation #53376 by CP
- Tom nunca dice hola.Tom never says hello.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of hola in a negative context.Tatoeba #5939755 by arh, translation #5939656 by CK
- Di hola a tus amigos.Say hello to your friends.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use hola when addressing a group.Tatoeba #741281 by Shishir, translation #70346 by CK
- Buenos días, señor García. ¿Cómo está usted hoy?Good morning, Mr. García. How are you today?
- Buenas tardes, Sra. López. ¿Puedo ayudarle en algo?Good afternoon, Mrs. López. Can I help you with anything?
- Buenas noches, Dr. Ramírez. ¿Cómo ha sido su día?Good evening, Dr. Ramírez. How has your day been?
- Hola, María. ¿Cómo estás?Hello, María. How are you?
- ¡Hola, Luis! ¿Qué tal? Hace tiempo que no te veo.Hey, Luis! What's up? Long time no see.
- 113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía meet at a cafe.
- Daniel¡Hola, Sofía!Hello, Sofía!
- Sofía¡Hola, Daniel! ¿Cómo estás?Hello, Daniel! How are you?
- DanielMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thank you.
- SofíaYo también estoy bien.I am also doing well.
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.
