Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hola | /ˈola/ | |
| holi | /ˈoli/ | familiar |
| holis | /ˈolis/ |
The primary way to say hello is hola, which is the universal word for hello in Castilian Spanish. Depending on the time of day, you might also use time-specific greetings such as Buenos días for good morning (used from the morning until around 2 p.m.), Buenas tardes for good afternoon (used from around 2 p.m. until evening), or Buenas noches for good evening or good night (used after sunset). To follow a hello with a question like "How are you?", you can use the neutral ¿Cómo estás? or the informal ¿Qué tal?
Which one should you use?
While hola is a neutral greeting suitable for most situations, holi and holis are much more playful and should be avoided in 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 in texting or among close friends. Holis is a slangy, highly informal variation used primarily in casual digital communication.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Hola is the universal word for hello in Castilian Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'hello', which is often used to answer a telephone, Spanish speakers are more likely to answer a phone with ¿dígame? or ¿aló?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbal hola is traditionally accompanied by a kiss on one or both cheeks, depending on the country.
- There is a debated theory that hola could be related to the Arabic expression wal-lāh, which means 'by God!' or 'really?', though linguists generally lack proof for this.
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 party.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.Tatoeba #5939755 by arh, translation #5939656 by CK
- Di hola a tus amigos.Say hello to your friends.This sentence demonstrates how to use hola when addressing a group of friends.Tatoeba #741281 by Shishir, translation #70346 by CK
- 113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía meet at a cafe.
- AlejandroHola, Sofía.Hello, Sofía.
- Sofía¡Hola, Alejandro!Hello, Alejandro!
- Alejandro¿Cómo estás?How are you?
- SofíaMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thank you.
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.
