Hola, guapa
/ˈola ˈɡwapa/word by word
The Spanish phrase for "hello pretty girl" is Hola, guapa.
This phrase is used as an informal greeting to address a woman or girl in a complimentary way.
Which one should you use?
Hola, guapa is a way to say "Hello, pretty girl", whereas ¡Hola, hermosa! is used to say "Hi, beautiful!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective guapa ends in -a to agree with the feminine subject implied by the greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola ˈɡwapa/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish dialects, guapa can describe someone who is brave or daring rather than physically attractive.
- The word 'hola' shares an unlikely ancestor with the Old High German word 'holon', which was used to hail a ferryman. This suggests the greeting's origins are rooted in calling out to someone from a distance.
- In many Latin American countries, calling a stranger 'guapa' can be seen as much more aggressive or 'catcalling' than in Spain, where it is often a more socially acceptable compliment.
Examples in context
- Hola, guapa, ¿cómo estás?Hello, pretty girl, how are you?
- ¡Hola, guapa! Qué alegría verte.Hello, pretty girl! It's a joy to see you.
- Hola, guapa, ¿vienes a la fiesta?Hello, pretty girl, are you coming to the party?
Example conversation
Javier sees Sofía at a local cafe.
- JavierHola, guapa, ¿qué tal tu día?Hello, pretty girl, how is your day going?
- SofíaHola, Javier. Muy bien, gracias.Hello, Javier. Very well, thank you.
- Javier¿Quieres tomar un café conmigo?Do you want to have a coffee with me?
- SofíaSí, me encantaría.Yes, I would love to.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, guapa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
