Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| olá | /oˈla/ (Brazil) /ɔˈla/ (Portugal) |
|
| e aí? | /ˈɛ aˈi/ (Brazil, word by word) | slang |
Other common informal greetings include Oi! for a casual hi or hey, and Tudo bem?, which asks if everything is okay or how someone is doing. You can also use E aí? to mean what's up?
Which one should you use?
While olá is a neutral term suitable for many situations, e aí? is strictly used as informal slang to ask what is happening.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
olá is a neutral greeting that can be used in both formal and informal settings. In contrast, e aí? is a slang term that is very informal. For a casual greeting among friends, family or even strangers, you can use Oi!
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northeastern Brazil, specifically in Bahia, locals often use the casual greeting Axé!
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈla/
When do people say it?
Portuguese speakers often time their greetings based on the time of day: use Bom dia! (good day) in the morning until around noon, Boa tarde! (good afternoon) from around noon until early evening and Boa noite! (good night) during the evening and night. Note that Boa noite! can be used both to say hello and to say goodbye in the evening.
Did you know?
- The word aí in the greeting e aí? may have been borrowed from Old Tupi, an indigenous language of Brazil.
- In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, a greeting like olá is often accompanied by a 'beijinho' or a light kiss on the cheek, though the number of kisses varies by city.
- In the casual phrase e aí?, the word aí literally points to a location, meaning 'there', so the phrase functions as if you are asking 'and [what is] there?'
Examples in context
- Olá, é o Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This example shows how to identify yourself using olá.Tatoeba #1292994 by alexmarcelo, translation #30980 by CN
- Olá. Sou a Nancy.Hello. I'm Nancy.This example shows how to introduce yourself using olá.Tatoeba #2849790 by MarlonX19, translation #2719673 by WestofEden
- Olá e adeus, irmã.Hello and farewell, sister.This example shows a farewell using olá.Tatoeba #6175980 by User75171, translation #6175538 by RobinvanderVliet
- Bom dia! Prazer em conhecê-lo(a)Good morning! Nice to meet you.
- Oi, galera! Tudo bem?Hey, guys! How's everyone doing?
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Beatriz pass each other in a hallway.
- GabrielOlá, Beatriz!Hello, Beatriz!
- BeatrizOlá, Gabriel. Tudo bem?Hello, Gabriel. How are you?
- GabrielTudo bem, obrigado.Everything is fine, thank you.
- BeatrizQue bom. Até logo!That's good. See you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries olá, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (e, aí) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aí, e, olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
