Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| olá | /oˈla/ (Brazil) /ɔˈla/ (Portugal) |
|
| e aí? | /ˈɛ aˈi/ (Brazil, word by word) | slang |
In casual settings, you may also use the informal Oi for "Hi" or the slang term e aí? to mean "What's up?"
Which one should you use?
olá is a standard, neutral greeting suitable for most situations. In contrast, e aí? is a very common, informal way to say hello or ask what's up among friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
olá is a neutral option suitable for most situations. For more informal daily conversations, you can use Oi, which means "Hi". If you want to be formal and time-specific, you can use Bom dia (Good morning) until midday, Boa tarde (Good afternoon) from around noon until sunset or Boa noite when the sun sets or in the late evening. The slang e aí? should be reserved for friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, it is common to hear the greeting Oi, tudo bem? used as a standard informal way to say "Hi, how are you?"
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈla/
When do people say it?
When greeting people informally in Brazil, the phrase Oi, tudo bem? (Hi, how are you?) is a very common standard. You might also use the informal Tudo bem? to ask "How are you?"
Did you know?
- Portuguese speakers may use Alô specifically when answering the telephone, making it a distinct 'hello' from the olá used face-to-face.
- The word olá might actually be a linguistic guest from Spanish, having been borrowed from the Spanish word hola.
- When using Boa noite to say hello, you are actually using the same phrase used to say 'good night' when leaving.
Examples in context
- Olá, é o Mike.Hello, this is Mike.This example shows how to use olá to introduce yourself.Tatoeba #1292994 by alexmarcelo, translation #30980 by CN
- Olá. Sou a Nancy.Hello. I'm Nancy.This example shows how to use olá to identify yourself.Tatoeba #2849790 by MarlonX19, translation #2719673 by WestofEden
- Olá e adeus, irmã.Hello and farewell, sister.This example shows how to use olá in a parting or greeting context.Tatoeba #6175980 by User75171, translation #6175538 by RobinvanderVliet
- Bom dia, Sr. Silva. Como posso ajudá-lo hoje?Good morning, Mr. Silva. How can I assist you today?
- Boa tarde, Sra. Santos. É um prazer revê-la.Good afternoon, Mrs. Santos. It's a pleasure to see you again.
- Boa noite, Dr. Carvalho. Estávamos aguardando sua chegada.Good evening, Dr. Carvalho. We were expecting your arrival.
- Olá, professor Martins. Como foi o seu dia?Hello, Professor Martins. How was your day?
- Oi, Ana! Tudo bem?Hi, Ana! How are you?
- Olá, pessoal! Estou muito feliz de ver todos aqui.Hello, everyone! I'm very happy to see you all here.
- E aí, cara? Como foi o seu final de semana?What's up, dude? How was your weekend?
- Felipe! Tudo bem? Quanto tempo!Felipe! How are you? Long time no see!
- Bons dias, D. Maria. Como tem passado?Good morning, Mrs. Maria. How have you been?
- Oi, Marcos! Tudo bem contigo?Hi, Marcos! How are you doing?
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Rodrigo meet at a coffee shop.
- CamilaOlá, Rodrigo!Hello, Rodrigo!
- RodrigoOlá, Camila. Como você está?Hello, Camila. How are you?
- CamilaEstou bem, obrigada.I am well, thanks.
- RodrigoQue bom!That's good!
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.
