Hola
everyday
To say hi in Ecuador, use Hola or the casual Buenas. Among friends, ¿Qué más? is a very typical way to open a chat.
Meaning: casual greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Hola | everyday |
| Buenas | casual short |
| ¿Qué más? | casual, Ecuador |
Say Buenas when you enter a shop, a bus or an elevator. It works at any hour of the day.
Which one should you use?
Hola is a plain hello. ¿Qué más? already asks how things are going, so a short reply like Bien is enough.
Did you know?
- Saying Buenas when entering a small shop is a polite habit across Ecuador.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo vas?Hi, how are you doing?
- Buenas, vecino.Hi, neighbor.
- ¿Qué más, ñaño?What's up, bro?
Example conversation
Tomás runs into his friend Sofía at a market in Cuenca.
- Tomás¡Hola, Sofía!Hi, Sofía!
- SofíaHola, Tomás. ¿Qué más?Hi, Tomás. What's up?
- TomásAquí, comprando verduras.Here, buying vegetables.
