What does it mean word for word?
Literally, hola hermosa translates to 'hello beautiful'. In Spanish, the explicit word for 'woman' is often omitted because the feminine ending of the adjective implies the gender.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hola hermosa is an informal phrase and should be used in casual social settings rather than professional ones. Other informal variations include ¡Hola, belleza!, meaning 'Hello, beauty!' and Oye, chica hermosa, which is a playful way to say 'Hey, beautiful girl.'
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, it is common to use the expression ¡Hola, hermosura! ('Hello, beauty!'). In Argentina, the expression ¡Hola, linda! ('Hello, pretty!') is common.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are addressing a group of beautiful women instead of a single person, you should change the adjective to its plural form, hermosas.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, it is culturally normal for a male waiter or shopkeeper to call a female customer guapa or hermosa without any romantic intent.
- While 'beautiful' is a simple compliment in English, calling a stranger hermosa in Spanish can be categorized as a piropo, which refers to street compliments that some may find intrusive.
- In Spanish, bella is often reserved for a classical or artistic type of beauty, whereas guapa refers to someone who is physically striking.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola hermosa! ¿Cómo estás hoy?Hey beautiful! How are you today?
- Hola hermosa, qué gusto verte.Hey beautiful, it is good to see you.
- Hola hermosa, ¿qué tal tu día?Hey beautiful, how is your day going?
Example conversation
Mateo greets María as she walks into a cafe.
- MaríaHola hermosa, ¿qué haces aquí?Hey beautiful, what are you doing here?
- MateoSolo vine por un café, Mateo.I just came for a coffee, Mateo.
- MaríaMe alegra que te encontrara.I'm glad I ran into you.
- MateoGracias, eres muy amable.Thank you, you are very kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
