Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA |
|---|---|
| hoi | /ɦɔi̯/ |
| hi | /ɦɑi̯/ /ɦi/ |
The phrase is a friendly, informal greeting. Other ways to greet people include the informal Dag, which can mean both hi and bye at any time of day or the casual Goeiemorgen (good morning) used until noon and the informal Goeiemiddag (good afternoon) used from noon until 6 p.m. For a formal evening greeting, you can use Goedenavond. If you want to be very formal or old-fashioned, you might use Gegroet. For a lighthearted way to say hi among friends, you can use Hallootjes.
Which one should you use?
While hoi is the traditional Dutch informal greeting, the English loanword hi is also widely used and understood in the Netherlands.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Hoi is a common, informal way to greet someone. For a more neutral option that is slightly more formal and suitable for almost any social situation, you can use Hallo.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɦɔi̯/
Did you know?
- The Dutch greeting hoi may actually be a relative of the maritime call 'ahoy', which was used to hail ships at sea.
- The diminutive suffix in hallootjes turns a standard greeting into something specifically 'cute' or playful, a common Dutch linguistic habit.
Examples in context
- Hoi, ik ben Tom.Hi, I'm Tom.This example shows how to use hoi when introducing yourself.Tatoeba #9776132 by Raizin, translation #5576200 by CK
- Hoi, ik ben Nancy.Hi, I'm Nancy.Tatoeba #416151 by Dorenda, translation #11602771 by timmartin
- Hoi, hoe gaat het?Hi, how's it going?This example shows how to use hoi when asking how someone is doing.Tatoeba #481239 by Dorenda, translation #428407 by witbrock
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Levi and Emma meet on the street.
- LeviHoi, Emma!Hi, Emma!
- EmmaHoi, Levi. Hoe gaat het?Hi, Levi. How are you?
- LeviGoed, dank je.Good, thank you.
- EmmaFijn om je te zien.Nice to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries hoi, hi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hi, hoi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
