Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hola is appropriate for almost all informal and semi-formal social situations. For strictly formal settings, you might use Buenos días (good morning) until around noon or Buenas tardes (good afternoon) from the afternoon until early evening. If you want a greeting that works in both formal and informal situations across many Spanish-speaking regions, you can use ¡Saludos! (greetings).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, the informal expression ¡Qué hubo! is a popular way to say "what's up" or "what happened".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the 'h' in hola as an aspirated sound like the 'h' in 'hi'.
When do people say it?
When greeting someone informally, you might follow hola with common phrases like ¿Qué tal? or ¿Cómo estás?, both of which translate to "How are you?"
Did you know?
- The origins of hola are linked to the Old High German word holōn, which was used specifically to hail a ferryman.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying hola is often accompanied by a single or double cheek kiss, though no actual kissing of the lips occurs.
- In written Spanish, hola is frequently enclosed in double exclamation marks ¡Hola! to convey the warmth and energy of the spoken greeting.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Qué tal estás?Hi! How are you?This sentence shows how to use hola in a greeting followed by a question.Tatoeba #535238 by Shishir, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Hola chicos, soy Mike.Hi guys, I'm Mike.This sentence demonstrates using hola when introducing yourself to a group.Tatoeba #1020897 by Shishir, translation #1020895 by CP
- ¡Hola! Soy nuevo aquí.Hi! I'm new here.This sentence illustrates using hola to state that you are new to a place.Tatoeba #1666523 by marcelostockle, translation #1654229 by Spamster
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel sees Lucía at a cafe.
- Daniel¡Hola, Lucía!Hi, Lucía!
- LucíaHola, Daniel. ¿Cómo estás?Hi, Daniel. How are you?
- DanielMuy bien, gracias.Very well, thanks.
- LucíaMe alegro mucho.I'm very glad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
