Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| oi | /ˈoj/ (Brazil) /ˈoj/ (Portugal) |
| olá | /oˈla/ (Brazil) /ɔˈla/ (Portugal) |
| alô | /aˈlo/ (Brazil) /aˈlo/ (Portugal) |
| e ai? | /ˈɛ ˈaj/ (Brazil, word by word) |
The words in this group are all used to greet people. While oi and olá are standard greetings for people you encounter, you can also use the phrase e aí? to mean "What's up?" or "How's it going?" among friends. Another common way to inquire about someone's welfare is to ask Tudo bem?, which literally means "Everything good?"
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the situation and medium. olá and oi are used when greeting people in person. However, alô is used specifically when answering the telephone. While olá is a neutral greeting, e aí? is a much more casual, slangy way to say "hi" that functions more like "what's up?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the state of São Paulo and other southeastern regions, it is common to add beleza? (meaning "beauty?") to the end of informal greetings, resulting in the phrase e aí, beleza?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoj/
Did you know?
- While oi is a standard greeting, it is an onomatopoeic interjection that is completely unrelated to the English expression 'oi!'
- Depending on the region of Brazil, oi can be elongated into oooi to signal a higher level of affection or excitement toward the person being greeted.
- In Portugal, olá is more frequently used as a primary greeting than oi, which is perceived as being more heavily influenced by Brazilian usage.
Examples in context
- Oi, sou o Tom.Hi, I'm Tom.This sentence is useful for introducing yourself using oi.Tatoeba #6774455 by Ricardo14, translation #5576200 by CK
- Oi! Como vai você?Hi! How are you?This sentence shows how to follow oi with a question about how someone is doing.Tatoeba #1473097 by rafael8243, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Oi, você está bem?Hi, are you OK?This sentence demonstrates using oi to check if someone is okay.Tatoeba #3076163 by Ricardo14, translation #505937 by 8684
- 74 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana run into each other at a cafe.
- RodrigoOi, Juliana!Hi, Juliana!
- JulianaOi, Rodrigo. Tudo bem?Hi, Rodrigo. Everything okay?
- RodrigoTudo ótimo, e com você?Everything is great, and with you?
- JulianaTudo bem também.Everything is fine too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries oi, olá, alô, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (e, ai) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ai, alô, e, oi, olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
