Hola
everyday
In Castilian Spanish, the Spanish of Spain, "hello" is Hola. ¿Qué tal? and Buenas are common casual alternatives.
Meaning: greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | everyday |
| ¿Qué tal? | casual |
| Buenas | short, informal |
Hola is enough in most situations. Spaniards often add two kisses on the cheeks when greeting friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
Castilian Spanish uses vosotros for the informal plural, so a greeting to friends can be Hola, chicos, ¿cómo estáis?
How do you pronounce it?
In most of central and northern Spain z and c before e and i sound like English "th". This makes gracias sound like "GRAH-thyahs".
Did you know?
- The Spanish name for this variety, castellano, is used in Spain and in parts of Latin America for the Spanish language.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿qué tal?Hello, how are you?
- Hola, chicos, ¿cómo estáis?Hello, guys, how are you all?
Example conversation
Pilar meets her friends Sergio and Marta for coffee in Madrid.
- PilarHola, chicos, ¿qué tal?Hello, guys, how are you?
- SergioHola, Pilar. Bien, ¿y tú?Hello, Pilar. Fine, and you?
- MartaHola. Llegamos justo a tiempo.Hi. We arrived just in time.
