hola primos
/ola pɾimos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "hey cousins" is translated into Spanish as hola primos.
hola primos is an informal greeting used to address a group of cousins. While hola is the standard translation for "hello", in the context of a casual greeting like 'hey cousins', it functions as the informal equivalent of "hey".
Which one should you use?
The phrase hola primos is plural. If you are addressing only one male cousin, you use the singular form hola primo.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the group of cousins consists only of females, you must use the feminine form hola primas instead of primos.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the term primo or prima is often used colloquially to address close friends or acquaintances, even if no biological relation exists.
- While hola is now a friendly greeting, it likely began as a French command holà used to tell someone to stop.
- In certain Caribbean dialects, calling someone primo can be used sarcastically to address someone during a disagreement rather than as a sign of friendliness.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola primos!, ¿cómo están?Hey cousins, how are you?
- ¡Hola primos!, bienvenidos a la fiesta.Hey cousins, welcome to the party.
- Hola primos, los extrañaba mucho.Hey cousins, I missed you all a lot.
Example conversation
Alejandro arrives at a family reunion and sees his cousins.
- Alejandro¡Hola primos! ¿Cuánto tiempo!Hey cousins! Long time no see!
- Elena¡Hola Alejandro! Pasa, por favor.Hi Alejandro! Come in, please.
- AlejandroGracias, Elena. ¿Dónde están los demás?Thanks, Elena. Where are the others?
- ElenaEstán todos en el jardín.They are all in the garden.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
