¿Qué bolá?
casual, Cuba
Among friends in Cuba, ¿Qué bolá? is a typical way to say hi. The plain Hola works with anyone, and Asere is a casual word for a friend.
Meaning: casual greeting (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué bolá? | casual, Cuba |
| Hola | neutral |
| Asere | slang, Cuba |
The greeting ¿Qué bolá? is shortened from "what is going on" and the answer is often Aquí, en lo mismo (here, same as always).
Which one should you use?
Use Hola with strangers and older people. Keep ¿Qué bolá? and asere for people you know well.
Did you know?
- The word asere is strongly tied to Cuban speech and is often said to come from Afro-Cuban cultural traditions.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué bolá, asere?What is up, buddy?
- Hola, buenas tardes.Hi, good afternoon.
- ¿Qué bolá? ¿Cómo está la familia?Hi, how is the family?
Example conversation
Pedro runs into his friend Luis on a street in Havana.
- Pedro¿Qué bolá, Luis?What is up, Luis?
- LuisAquí, en lo mismo. ¿Y tú?Here, same as always. And you?
- PedroTodo bien, gracias.All good, thanks.
