hola pequeño
/ola pekeɲo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'hello little one' is said as hola pequeño.
This phrase is a greeting used when speaking to a young child or a small animal.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form hola pequeño is used for a male child/animal or as a general neutral greeting. Use the feminine form hola pequeña if the child or animal is female. The form hola pequeñito uses a diminutive suffix to sound even more affectionate or to emphasize the smallness of the subject.
Did you know?
- In some historical contexts, the root of hola is linked to the Old High German word holōn, used to hail a ferryman to fetch a boat.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, adding diminutive suffixes like -ito to nouns is a common way to express endearment even when the subject is not literally small.
Examples in context
- Hola pequeño, ¿tienes hambre?Hello little one, are you hungry?
- Mira, hola pequeño, qué lindo eres.Look, hello little one, you are so cute.
Example conversation
Daniel is greeting Lucía's new puppy in the living room.
- Daniel¡Hola pequeño! ¿Quién es un buen chico?Hello little one! Who is a good boy?
- LucíaEs muy valiente, Daniel.He is very brave, Daniel.
- DanielMe encanta su energía.I love his energy.
- LucíaÉl también te quiere.He loves you too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, pequeño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
