hola, extraño
/ˈola e(ɡ)sˈtɾaɲo/word by word
The phrase "hello stranger" is translated into Spanish as hola, extraño.
This phrase is used as a greeting when you are speaking to someone you do not know or are encountering for the first time.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola e(ɡ)sˈtɾaɲo/
Did you know?
- The word extraño can also function as a verb meaning 'to miss someone', creating a poetic contrast where a 'stranger' is also someone you long for.
- While hola is the universal greeting, in many Spanish-speaking countries it is common to pair it with a physical gesture like a single cheek kiss or a handshake, even with people you are just meeting.
- The word hola may actually have originated from a French command to 'stop!', rather than being a traditional greeting.
Example conversation
Daniel approaches a woman he doesn't know at a park.
- DanielHola, extraño, perdón por molestarte.Hello stranger, sorry to bother you.
- LucíaNo hay problema, ¿qué pasa?No problem, what's up?
- DanielBusco la biblioteca más cercana.I'm looking for the nearest library.
- LucíaEstá justo a la vuelta, Daniel.It is right around the corner, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, extraño) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries extraño, hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
