hola, cariño
/ˈola kaˈɾiɲo/word by word
The English phrase "hi honey" can be translated into Spanish as hola, cariño.
hola, cariño is an affectionate greeting used for a romantic partner or a loved one. While the English "honey" is often strictly romantic or parental, cariño is more versatile and can be used for partners, children or even close friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cariño is a masculine noun. Because of this, it remains cariño even when you are addressing a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈola kaˈɾiɲo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, it is common for people to use cariño with strangers in service industry settings, such as a shopkeeper addressing a customer.
- The greeting hola may have originated from a Germanic shout used to hail ferrymen, originally serving as a command to 'stop' or 'fetch' rather than a friendly salutation.
- While English speakers use 'honey' to refer to the sweet substance, the Spanish word cariño is rooted in the concept of 'affection' or 'fondness' rather than food.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola, cariño! ¿Cómo estás, María?Hi, honey! How are you, María?
- Hola, cariño, ¿cómo estuvo tu día?Hi honey, how was your day?
- Hola, cariño, ya llegué a casa.Hi honey, I'm home now.
- ¡Hola, cariño! Te extrañé mucho.Hi honey! I missed you a lot.
Example conversation
Sofía greets Alejandro when he walks through the door after work.
- SofíaHola, cariño, bienvenido a casa.Hi honey, welcome home.
- AlejandroGracias, Sofía. ¿Cómo estás?Thanks, Sofía. How are you?
- SofíaMuy bien, solo estaba esperándote.Very well, I was just waiting for you.
- AlejandroQué linda eres.You are so sweet.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (hola, cariño) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cariño, hola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
