hola
neutral
The standard greeting is hola. Slang and casual options include buenas and, in Mexico, ¿qué onda?
Meaning: a greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| hola | neutral |
| Buenas | casual |
| ¿Qué onda? | slang, Mexico |
Buenas is a shortened greeting for any time of day. ¿Qué onda? means "what is up" and is used with friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hola is right with anyone. Save ¿qué onda? for friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina che is also a friendly attention word, and in Colombia quihubo is a common greeting.
Did you know?
- The letter h in hola is silent, so the word sounds like "OH-la".
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?Hello! How are you?
- Buenas, ¿qué tal?Hello, how is it going?
Example conversation
Ana meets her friend Memo in the street in Mexico City.
- Ana¿Qué onda, Memo?What is up, Memo?
- MemoTodo bien, ¿y tú?All good, and you?
- AnaBien, gracias.Fine, thanks.
