Hola, amigos
In Spanish, "hello, my friends" is translated as Hola, amigos.
Hola, amigos is a friendly greeting used to address a group of people the speaker knows well. You may also use the direct translation Hola, mis amigos, though it is often omitted in natural Spanish greetings.
Which one should you use?
While Hola, amigos is the most common way to say "Hello, friends", adding the possessive adjective mis in Hola, mis amigos makes the phrase more explicit.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the group of friends consists only of women, you must use the feminine form Hola, amigas instead of Hola, amigos.
Did you know?
- Ancient Germanic speakers used a similar sounding word holā to hail ferrymen to come fetch them across a river.
- In Spain, people often accompany a greeting like Hola with two kisses on the cheeks, whereas in many Latin American countries, a single kiss or a handshake is more common.
- In some regions, the word amigo is used ironically or with strangers to sound friendly, similar to how English speakers use 'mate' or 'pal'.
Examples in context
- Hola, amigos, ¿cómo están?Hello, my friends, how are you?
- ¡Hola, amigos! ¿Qué tal la fiesta?Hello, my friends! How is the party?
- Hola, amigos, es un gusto verlos.Hello, my friends, it is a pleasure to see you.
Example conversation
Mateo walks into a cafe where María and others are sitting.
- MateoHola, amigos, ¡qué alegría!Hello, my friends, what a joy!
- María¡Hola, Mateo! Siéntate con nosotros.Hello, Mateo! Sit with us.
- MateoGracias, María, ¿qué tal todo?Thanks, María, how is everything?
- MaríaTodo muy bien, ¡pide algo!Everything is very well, order something!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
