hola, querido
/ˈola keˈɾido/word by word
The English phrase "hello, my dear" is translated into Spanish as hola, querido.
The phrase hola, querido is a warm greeting used for romantic partners, close family members or very dear friends. You can also use the affectionate greeting ¡Hola, mi querido/a! to mean "Hello, my dear!" For a more informal tone, you might use ¡Hey, cariño/a!, where cariño is often translated as "darling" or "sweetheart".
What does it mean word for word?
The word querido is the past participle of the verb querer (to want/to love), and it literally means "the one who is loved" or "dear / beloved".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must change based on who you are addressing. Use the feminine form hola, querida if the person is female. If you are addressing a group consisting only of females, the phrase becomes hola, queridas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola keˈɾido/
Did you know?
- The word hola might be related to an ancient Old High German call used specifically to hail a ferryman.
- In some regions, calling a stranger querido or cariño is a common way for shopkeepers or taxi drivers to show friendly, informal warmth, even if no romantic relationship exists.
- Using querido can sometimes feel overly formal or literary in certain regions, where cariño or amor is preferred for daily intimacy.
Examples in context
- Hola, querido, ¿cómo estás?Hello, my dear, how are you?
- Hola, querido, te extrañé mucho.Hello, my dear, I missed you a lot.
- ¡Hola, querido! Qué alegría verte.Hello, my dear! What a joy to see you.
Example conversation
Daniel arrives home and greets Lucía.
- DanielHola, querido, bienvenido a casa.Hello, my dear, welcome home.
- LucíaHola, Lucía, gracias por recibirme.Hello, Lucía, thank you for welcoming me.
- Daniel¿Quieres cenar algo ahora?Do you want to eat some dinner now?
- LucíaSí, tengo mucha hambre.Yes, I am very hungry.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, querido) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, querido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
