Hola
neutral, Guatemala
In Guatemala you say Hola to greet someone. A quick Buenas is common in shops, and friends say ¿Qué onda?
Meaning: greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | neutral, Guatemala |
| ¿Qué onda? | casual |
| Buenas | short, polite |
Buenas replaces Buenos días, Buenas tardes and Buenas noches, so it works at any hour.
Is it said differently in some regions?
With people you know, Guatemalans use vos instead of tú, as in ¿Cómo estás vos?
Did you know?
- Using vos instead of tú is a mark of Guatemalan Spanish and appears in everyday talk.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo estás?Hello, how are you?
- Buenas, ¿me puede ayudar?Hello, can you help me?
- ¿Qué onda, vos?What is up with you?
Example conversation
Two coworkers, Andrea and Hugo, meet at the office entrance in Guatemala City.
- AndreaHola, Hugo.Hello, Hugo.
- Hugo¿Qué onda, Andrea? ¿Cómo amaneciste?What is up, Andrea? How did you wake up?
- AndreaBien, gracias.Fine, thanks.
