hola, amiga
/ˈola aˈmiɡa/word by word
The English phrase 'hello my friend to a girl' is translated into Spanish as hola, amiga.
hola, amiga is a friendly greeting used when speaking to a female friend. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, while this is a direct translation, people often use more specific terms of endearment like hola, linda or hola, guapa depending on the level of intimacy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word amiga is the feminine form of 'friend' and must be used when addressing a female.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola aˈmiɡa/
Did you know?
- In Spain, a greeting like hola, amiga is often accompanied by two kisses on the cheeks, regardless of whether the speakers are close friends.
- The word hola may share a common ancestor with the Old High German word holōn, which was used to hail a ferryman to come to the shore.
- In many Latin American countries, a woman might be greeted as amiga by a street vendor or shopkeeper even if they have never met, as a way to build quick rapport.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola, amiga!Hello, my friend!
- Hola, amiga, ¿cómo estás?Hello, my friend, how are you?
- Hola, amiga, qué gusto verte.Hello, my friend, it is good to see you.
Example conversation
Mateo sees Elena at a cafe.
- Elena¡Hola, amiga! Qué gusto verte.Hello, my friend! It's great to see you.
- MateoHola, Mateo. Yo también me alegro.Hello, Mateo. I'm glad too.
- Elena¿Tienes tiempo para un café?Do you have time for a coffee?
- MateoSí, tengo diez minutos.Yes, I have ten minutes.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, amiga) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amiga, hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
