¿Aló?
phone, Latin America
The phone greeting depends on the country. People say ¿Aló? in much of South America, ¿Bueno? in Mexico and ¿Dígame? in Spain. It is also called Hola and ¿Diga? / ¿Dígame?
Meaning: greeting when answering a phone call (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Aló? | phone, Latin America |
| Hola | neutral |
| ¿Bueno? | phone, Mexico |
| ¿Diga? / ¿Dígame? | phone, Spain |
You use these words when you pick up the call. When you are the caller, you usually say Hola and then ask for the person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Aló is used in countries such as Peru, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela. Bueno is the Mexican habit, and Diga or Dígame literally means "tell me" in Spain.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying Hola on picking up is understood everywhere but sounds less natural than the local phone word.
Did you know?
- Aló is thought to come from the English "hello" and spread through telephone use in the early twentieth century.
Examples in context
- ¿Aló? ¿Con quién hablo?Hello? Who am I speaking with?
- ¿Bueno? Habla Carlos.Hello? Carlos speaking.
- Dígame, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle?Hello, how can I help you?
Example conversation
Marta calls her friend Pedro in Mexico City.
- Pedro¿Bueno?Hello?
- MartaHola, Pedro. Soy Marta.Hi, Pedro. It is Marta.
- PedroMarta, qué gusto escucharte.Marta, good to hear you.
