hola, mi querido amigo
/ˈola mi keˈɾido aˈmiɡo/word by word
The English phrase "hello, my dear friend" is translated into Spanish as hola, mi querido amigo.
This phrase is a warm and affectionate greeting used to address a close friend. While querido is used here to mean dear or beloved, the word amado can also be used to express the same meaning of beloved or dear.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venezuela, the word pana is used to refer to a close friend.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the friend is female, the adjectives must change to the feminine form: hola, mi querida amiga.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola mi keˈɾido aˈmiɡo/
Did you know?
- The word hola may not have started as a greeting, but as an emphatic command to 'stop!' or 'hey!' similar to how one might hail a ferryman.
- While querido is used for close friends, using it with a stranger or in a formal business letter can sometimes come across as overly intimate or slightly sarcastic.
- The adjective querido is actually the past participle of the verb querer, which can mean either 'to want' or 'to love'.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola, mi querido amigo! ¿Cómo estás?Hello, my dear friend! How are you?
- Hola, mi querido amigo, tanto tiempo sin verte.Hello, my dear friend, it has been a long time since I saw you.
- No puedo creer que estés aquí, hola, mi querido amigo.I cannot believe you are here, hello, my dear friend.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena meet at a cafe after several years apart.
- MateoHola, mi querido amigo, es un gusto verte.Hello, my dear friend, it is a pleasure to see you.
- Elena¡Hola, Mateo! Yo también estoy muy feliz.Hello, Mateo! I am very happy too.
- Mateo¿Quieres tomar un café conmigo?Do you want to have a coffee with me?
- ElenaSí, me encantaría.Yes, I would love to.
